The moderating effects of psychosocial factors on achievement gains: A longitudinal study.

The moderating effects of motivation, social control, and self-regulation in predicting academic achievement were examined in Grades 11–12 for 3,281 seventh through nine graders. Standardized assessments of college readiness and student self-reported measures of psychosocial factors were used in the study. The results showed that females in Grades 7–9 scored higher than males for motivation and self-regulation. In predicting later achievement in Grades 11–12, motivation and social control moderated prior achievement, whereas self-regulation moderated both sex and prior achievement. Particularly among female students, effects of self-regulation were positive for high-achieving females (percentile rank ≥95) and negative for low-achieving females (percentile rank ≤5) in predicting achievement in Grades 11–12. The phenomenon known as the “Matthew Effect” and implications for classroom teachers and educational policymakers are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)
Source: Journal of Educational Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research