Academic motivation, self-concept, engagement, and performance in high school: key processes from a longitudinal
Jasmine Green1, Gregory Arief D Liem, Andrew J Martin
1Faculty of Education and Social Work, A35 Education Building, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
Journal of Adolescence
|March 31, 2012
Summary
Academic motivation and self-concept influence school attitudes, engagement, and ultimately, academic performance in high school students. These findings support the self-system model
Area of Science:
- Educational Psychology
- Academic Achievement Research
Background:
- Longitudinal studies are crucial for understanding developmental trajectories in academic processes.
- The self-system model posits interconnectedness between personal beliefs, attitudes, and academic behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test three hypothesized longitudinal models of academic processes influencing academic performance.
- To identify the model with the strongest heuristic value in predicting student success.
- To examine the dynamic relationships among engagement factors within the self-system model.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study design with 1866 high-school students over two academic years (Time 1 and Time 2).
- Statistical modeling to analyze the predictive relationships between motivation, self-concept, attitudes, engagement behaviors, and test performance.
Main Results:
- Academic motivation and self-concept positively predicted attitudes toward school.
- Attitudes toward school positively predicted class participation and homework completion, while negatively predicting absenteeism.
- Class participation and homework completion positively predicted test performance; absenteeism negatively predicted test performance.
Conclusions:
- The findings support the self-system model's relevance in explaining academic performance.
- Emphasizes the importance of dynamic relationships among engagement factors for educational and psychological theory.
- Highlights implications for educational interventions and psychological measurement in schools.
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