Achievement Goals During Middle Childhood: Individual Differences in Motivation and Social Adjustment. Issue 4 (1st October 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wilson, Travis M.; Zheng, Chanjin; Lemoine, Katherine A.; Martin, Caroline P.; Tang, Yue
• Is Part Of: Journal of experimental education. Volume 84:Issue 4(2016)
• Page Start: 723
• Page End: 743
• Publication Date: 2016-10-01
• Subjects: achievement goals -- middle childhood -- social adjustment; Education -- Experimental methods -- Periodicals; Educational psychology -- Periodicals; Education -- Periodicals; Psychology, Experimental -- Periodicals; 370.15
• DOI: 10.1080/00220973.2015.1094648
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-0973

Abstract

Abstract : Person-centered analyses of achievement goals have been scarce in studies of elementary school children. In this investigation, the authors examined the natural combinations of achievement goals (mastery, performance-approach, performance-avoidance) among 3rd grade students ( N = 195) and how clusters differed in self-, teacher-, and peer-reported adjustment variables. Cluster analysis revealed four groups of students: mastery (above average in mastery goals, below average in performance-approach and performance-avoidance goals), multi-goal (above average in all three goals), avoidant (above average in performance-avoidance goals, below average in mastery and performance-approach goals), and low motivation (below average in all three goals). Clusters differed in self-reported academic self-efficacy and perceptions of teacher support, teacher-reported academic competence, and peer nominations of social status. Mastery students had the most adaptive profiles; low motivation, the least adaptive. Avoidant boys had more maladaptive profiles than avoidant girls.