Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 25, 2026
10:26
Problem-Solving Before Instruction (PS-I): A Protocol for Assessment and Intervention in Students with Different Abilities
Published on: September 11, 2021
Purpose plus: supporting youth purpose, control, and academic achievement
Jane Elizabeth Pizzolato1, Elizabeth Levine Brown, Mary Allison Kanny
1University of California, Los Angeles Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, USA..
New Directions for Youth Development
|January 26, 2012
Summary
A short intervention significantly boosted internal control and life purpose in low-income students. This led to improved academic achievement, offering a new strategy to address the student achievement gap.
Area of Science:
- Educational Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Sociology of Education
Background:
- A persistent achievement gap exists between students from low-income minority and higher-income white backgrounds.
- Theories of student motivation and youth purpose are implicated, yet research on purpose's role in academic achievement is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the effectiveness of an intervention promoting purpose development and internal control over academic success.
- To assess the impact of this intervention on academic achievement in high school students from a low-socioeconomic-status community.
Main Methods:
- A sample of 209 high school students participated in the study.
- An intervention was implemented to foster purpose development and internal control.
- Academic achievement was measured by grade point average (GPA).
Main Results:
- The intervention significantly increased internal control over academic success and purpose in life.
- Students showing gains in internal control and purpose also demonstrated significant improvements in GPA.
- The intervention proved effective in a short-term setting.
Conclusions:
- Internal control and life purpose are viable targets for academic interventions.
- These interventions show promise in addressing the achievement gap.
- Further research is warranted to explore these factors in diverse student populations.
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