Uncovering Motivational Profiles Among Academically Resilient Students: A Population-Level Latent Profile Analysis

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Developmental Psychology

Background:

• Academic resilience is crucial for students facing socioeconomic disadvantages.
• Understanding motivational heterogeneity in resilient students is vital for persistence and success.
• Self-Determination Theory (SDT) provides a framework for examining student motivation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine motivational profiles among academically resilient 10th-grade students in Italy.
• To identify subgroups of resilient students with varying levels of motivation and amotivation.
• To investigate the relationship between motivational profiles and school dropout intentions.

Main Methods:

• A person-centered approach using Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was employed.
• The study analyzed data from 15,751 academically resilient 10th-grade students.
• Motivational profiles were identified based on levels of amotivation and various forms of regulation.

Main Results:

• Three distinct motivational profiles were identified: 'multifaceted regulation resilient' (72%), 'moderately amotivated resilient' (21%), and 'strongly amotivated resilient' (7%).
• The majority of resilient students exhibited high levels of regulation, but a significant subgroup showed motivational vulnerability.
• Higher amotivation was linked to increased school dropout intentions, particularly in the 'strongly amotivated resilient' profile.

Conclusions:

• Academic resilience does not guarantee protection against motivational disengagement or dropout risk.
• A substantial subgroup of academically resilient students demonstrates motivational vulnerability, with amotivation as a key risk factor.
• Tailored support is necessary for motivationally vulnerable subgroups within resilient populations, challenging a uniform approach.