Achievement Goal Profiles and Academic Performance in Mathematics and Literacy: A Person-Centered Approach in Third...

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Child Development
• Learning Sciences

Background:

• Limited research exists on achievement goal profiles in young children.
• Achievement goal theory is crucial for understanding student motivation and performance.
• Early identification of motivational patterns can inform educational interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine achievement goal profiles in third-grade students concerning mathematics and literacy performance.
• To identify distinct motivational profiles and their relationship with academic achievement.
• To explore gender differences in achievement goal profiles among young learners.

Main Methods:

• Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was used to identify achievement goal profiles.
• The study included 185 third-grade students (mean age 8.73 years, 98 girls).
• Achievement goal profiles were analyzed for both mathematics and literacy performance.

Main Results:

• Four distinct achievement goal profiles emerged: Mastery-Oriented, Approach-Oriented, High Multiple-Goals, and Moderate Multiple-Goals.
• The Approach-Oriented profile was associated with higher academic achievement compared to profiles involving avoidance goals.
• Gender differences were observed, with girls more likely to adopt multiple-goal profiles and boys favoring mastery or approach profiles.

Conclusions:

• Achievement goal profiles show early inter-individual differences in motivational development in young children.
• Promoting adaptive goal profiles in early education can enhance academic engagement.
• Addressing motivational disparities early may improve long-term academic outcomes.