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Hope as a predictor of academic performance.
Susan P Buckelew1, R Scott Crittendon, Jessica D Butkovic
1Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee at Martin, 38238, USA. buckelew@utm.edu
Psychological Reports
|December 24, 2008
Summary
College students' goal-directed thinking (Agency) positively predicts their GPA, even when controlling for intelligence and anxiety. This highlights the importance of self-efficacy in academic success.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Educational Psychology
- Academic Performance
Background:
- Academic success is influenced by various psychological factors.
- The Hope Scale measures goal-directed thinking and planning.
- Predictors of Grade Point Average (GPA) require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if the Hope Scale subscales predict GPA.
- To assess predictive validity beyond American College Test (ACT) scores and Trait Anxiety.
- To examine the distinct contributions of Agency and Pathway to academic achievement.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Hope Scale, measuring Agency and Pathway.
- Collected semester GPA, ACT scores, and Trait Anxiety scores from a college sample.
- Employed correlational and partial correlation analyses.
Main Results:
- Hope Scale scores significantly correlated with semester GPA.
- Agency subscale scores showed a positive correlation with GPA.
- Pathway subscale scores did not significantly correlate with GPA.
- The association between Agency and GPA remained significant after controlling for ACT and Trait Anxiety.
Conclusions:
- The Agency component of hope is a significant predictor of college GPA.
- Academic planning (Pathway) did not demonstrate a similar predictive relationship.
- Findings suggest focusing on fostering goal-directed determinism for academic improvement.
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