Abstrak
This research investigates the relationship between students' reading attitudes and reading comprehension among eighth-grade students at MTsN 1 Pasaman. This research aimed to address three main problems: (1) some students were lack of of engagement in reading, (2) some students had limited vocabulary knowledge, and (3) some students had negative mindsets and self-efficacy in reading. The research employed a quantitative approach with a correlation research design. The population consisted of 369 eighth-grade students, with a sample of 30 students from class VIII.1 selected through cluster random sampling. The data were collected using a reading attitude questionnaire and a reading comprehension test. The data was evaluated using the Pearson product moment since it matched the requirements for parametric statistical testing. The correlation analysis revealed a significant, strong, and positive relationship between reading attitude and reading comprehension (r = 0.749, p 0.001). The research found that various components of reading attitude, including cognitive, affective, conative, and behavioral aspects, likely contribute positively to students' reading comprehension skills. Students with positive reading attitudes were more likely to reread challenging material, express enjoyment in understanding texts, show willingness to improve their comprehension, desire to read more, demonstrate motivation to read, recognize the value of reading English materials for test performance, and understand the broader benefits of reading. These findings highlight the importance of fostering positive reading attitudes in educational settings to enhance reading comprehension skills. These findings suggest that as reading attitude improves, reading comprehension tends to increase, and vice versa, highlighting the importance of fostering positive reading attitudes in educational settings.