Self-efficacy beliefs play a crucial role in shaping individuals’ emotions, thoughts, motivations, and behaviors. Examining the self-efficacy perceptions of individuals learning Turkish as a foreign language can provide valuable insights into the language education process. This study aims to identify the variables that predict the Turkish-speaking self-efficacy of university students in Ukraine who are learning Turkish as a foreign language. Employing a predictive correlational research design, this study investigates the predictive power of course level, learner autonomy, and language learning motivation on Turkish-speaking self-efficacy. The study sample consists of 111 university students enrolled in Turkish as a foreign language courses at six different universities in Ukraine during the fall semester of the 2021-2022 academic year. Participation was voluntary. Data were collected using scales measuring speaking self-efficacy, learner autonomy, and motivation specifically developed for teaching Turkish as a foreign language. Correlation analysis and hierarchical regression analysis were applied to analyze the data. The findings indicate that course level, learner autonomy, and intrinsic motivation are significant predictors of Turkish-speaking self-efficacy among university students learning Turkish as a foreign language in Ukraine. These independent variables collectively account for 60% of the variance in students’ Turkish-speaking self-efficacy. However, instrumental and cultural motivation were not found to have a significant impact on speaking self-efficacy. The results of this study were discussed in relation to the existing literature, and recommendations were provided for educators and researchers to enhance Turkish language instruction for foreign learners.
Language motivation, learner autonomy, predictive power, speaking self-efficacy, teaching Turkish as a foreign language