THE MODERATING EFFECT OF BASIC PSYCHOLOGICAL NEEDS SATISFACTION ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ACADEMIC MOTIVATION AND WELL-BEING OF COLLEGE STUDENTS IN SELECTED PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN NORTH CALOOCAN

College students experience academic, social, financial, and personal challenges that may influence their academic motivation and psychological well-being. Guided by Self-Determination Theory, this study examined the relationship between academic motivation and well-being and tested whether basic psychological need satisfaction moderated this relationship among third- and fourth-year college students in selected private higher education institutions in North Caloocan. A quantitative descriptive-correlational research design was employed. Data were collected from 164 respondents selected through proportionate stratified random sampling from a population of 285 eligible students across three participating institutions. The Academic Motivation Scale, Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale, and Mental Health Continuum–Short Form were used. Descriptive statistics, Spearman's rank correlation, and General Linear Model moderation analysis with 5,000 bias-corrected and accelerated bootstrap samples were employed. Respondents demonstrated high intrinsic motivation (M = 5.50) and extrinsic motivation (M = 5.97), while amotivation was low (M = 3.22). Psychological well-being had the highest well-being mean (M = 3.27), while social well-being had the lowest (M = 2.57). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation were significantly and positively associated with well-being, while amotivation was not significantly related. Basic psychological need satisfaction was high overall (M = 4.47), with relatedness highest (M = 4.85). The moderation model was significant, F(3, 160) = 23.48, p < .001, R² = .306; however, the interaction between academic motivation and need satisfaction was not significant (B = −0.091, p = .362). Basic psychological need satisfaction significantly predicted well-being (B = 4.127, p < .001). The findings support the importance of autonomy, competence, and relatedness as direct contributors to student well-being and suggest that student support initiatives should cultivate need-supportive educational environments.