This study aimed to translate the Academic Goals Orientation Questionnaire (AGOQ) into Chinese and evaluate its reliability and validity among Chinese nursing students using structural equation modeling (SEM) and item response theory (IRT). A total of 654 nursing students aged 17–26 years (mean = 21.61 ± 1.73) participated in the study. Psychometric properties of the Chinese AGOQ were examined through a dual approach combining SEM and IRT analyses. The questionnaire demonstrated good internal consistency, with a Cronbach’s α of 0.895. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) identified a four-factor structure accounting for 71.89% of the variance. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported a four-factor model with acceptable fit indices: CMIN/DF = 4.008, GFI = 0.932, AGFI = 0.905, CFI = 0.952, IFI = 0.952, and TLI = 0.941. IRT analysis, using the Graded Response Model (GRM) selected based on AIC and BIC comparisons, showed a monotonically increasing difficulty parameter and item discrimination values above 0.19, confirming the retention of 16 items. The Chinese version of the AGOQ exhibits strong psychometric properties and is a reliable and valid tool for assessing academic goal orientation among Chinese nursing students.
