Formation of academic self-concept and intrinsic value within and across three domains: Extending the reciprocal internal/external frame of reference model

in British Journal of Educational Psychology (2023)

Student profiles of self-concept and interest in four domains: A latent transition analysis

in Learning and Individual Differences (2022), 95(5), 102-139

Dimensional comparisons lead to contrast effects between academic self-concepts, implying that students view themselves as a math-type or a verbal-type. This study examined the short-term stability of ... [more ▼]

Dimensional comparisons lead to contrast effects between academic self-concepts, implying that students view themselves as a math-type or a verbal-type. This study examined the short-term stability of these types and their generalizability to academic interest. N = 382 students completed questionnaires on self-concept and interest in math, physics, German, and English at two measurement waves over five weeks. Latent transition analyses were conducted with self-concepts and interests as indicators, revealing four profiles for both constructs. For self-concept a math + high profile, verbal + high profile, verbal + low profile and generally-moderate profile were found. For interest a math profile, verbal profile, generally-high profile, and generally-low profile were found. These profiles indicated that the formation of domain-specific self-concept and interest differs between groups of students. The profiles were stable across measurement waves. Relations to school grades and gender matched theoretical assumptions. [less ▲]

The generalized internal/external frame of reference model with academic self-concepts, interests, and anxieties in students from different language backgrounds

in Contemporary Educational Psychology (2022)

Student motivation and affect play an important role in successful language learning. To investigate the formation of language learning motivation and affect, this study extended the generalized internal ... [more ▼]

Student motivation and affect play an important role in successful language learning. To investigate the formation of language learning motivation and affect, this study extended the generalized internal/external frame of reference (GI/E) model framework to multiple languages (German and French, along with math) and multiple motivational-affective outcomes (academic self-concept, interest, and anxiety). We examined whether social and dimensional comparisons play similar roles in the formation of students’ self-concepts, interests, and anxieties concerning different languages and whether dimensional comparisons result in contrast or assimilation effects. Moreover, we tested the generalizability of the GI/E model assumptions across students with different language backgrounds. Using a data set comprising virtually all ninth-grade students (N=6275; 48.0% female) from Luxembourg’s multilingual educational system, our findings indicated (1) clear contrast effects in the formation of self-concept and interest in math, German, and French, and (2) a combination of contrast, assimilation, and no effects in the formation of anxiety in math, German, and French. Using a subsample of 5837 students with valid language information (48.0% female), invariance tests demonstrated that the GI/E achievement–outcome relations operated equivalently across students from different home language backgrounds. [less ▲]

The development and validation of a short conscientiousness questionnaire for large-scale educational assessment

Scientific Conference (2020, July)

Conscientiousness and its subfacets are related to multiple learning-related outcomes. MacCann, Duckworth and Roberts (2009) developed a questionnaire measuring seven subfacets of conscientiousness with ... [more ▼]

Conscientiousness and its subfacets are related to multiple learning-related outcomes. MacCann, Duckworth and Roberts (2009) developed a questionnaire measuring seven subfacets of conscientiousness with 59 items. However, the resources required to complete such long scales often renders it unsuitable for large-scale educational assessment. Consequently, an economic and psychometrically sound conscientiousness questionnaire that is specifically customized for this context is needed. We developed and validated a short version of the MacCann et al. (2009) questionnaire. In study 1, French and German adaptations of the questionnaire were administered to a representative dataset comprising all ninth-graders in Luxembourg (N1=6325, Cohort 2017). Using an exhaustive search algorithm, we identified the optimal combination of four items for each subfacet by simultaneously considering three criteria: goodness of fit, factor saturation, and scalar measurement invariance across the German and French versions. In study 2, we validated our short 28-item questionnaire on a second, independent sample comprising 6,279 Luxembourgish ninth-graders (Cohort 2018). A 7-factor model assuming separate factors for each subfacet obtained acceptable fit (CFI=.93, RMSEA=.04, SRMR=.06). The criterion validity for each subfacet was tested by examining the relation to standardized achievement tests (SATs). In study 3, drawing on a dataset of 275 tenth-graders (linked longitudinally with the ninth-grade data from study 1), evidence of predictive validity (i.e., school grades) was examined. The subfacets of industriousness, caution and perfectionism showed the strongest relations with both SATs (study 2) and school grades (study 3). Our study delivered a short, valid and reliable questionnaire for the assessment of seven conscientiousness facets in the educational context. The scale is invariant across the German and French language versions and its brevity makes it suitable for large-scale educational assessment. [less ▲]

Does Conscientiousness Matter for Academic Success? Considering Different Facets of Conscientiousness and Different Educational Outcomes

Poster (2020, April)

Conscientiousness is the strongest BIG-5 predictor of academic success. Both conscientiousness and academic success are broad concepts, consisting of multiple lower level facets. Conscientiousness facets ... [more ▼]

Conscientiousness is the strongest BIG-5 predictor of academic success. Both conscientiousness and academic success are broad concepts, consisting of multiple lower level facets. Conscientiousness facets might display differential relations to different indicators of academic success. To investigate these relations, conscientiousness facets need to be measured in an economic and valid way. We conducted two studies, validating a short conscientiousness scale measuring seven facets of conscientiousness (Industriousness, Task Planning, Perfectionism, Procrastination Refrainment, Tidiness, Control, Cautiousness), and testing the relations of these facets with GPA, test scores, school satisfaction, and engagement. The results supported the validity of the scale. Industriousness, Perfectionism, and Cautiousness revealed the highest relations to academic outcomes. GPA and test scores showed differential associations with the different conscientiousness facets. [less ▲]

Entwicklung und Validierung eines Kurzfragebogens zur Erfassung von sieben Facetten von Gewissenhaftigkeit

Scientific Conference (2019, September)

Die Rolle von Persönlichkeitsvariablen für den Schulerfolg rückt immer stärker in den Fokus wissenschaftlicher Untersuchungen. Insbesondere Gewissenhaftigkeit zeigt eine hohe prädiktive Validität für die ... [more ▼]

Die Rolle von Persönlichkeitsvariablen für den Schulerfolg rückt immer stärker in den Fokus wissenschaftlicher Untersuchungen. Insbesondere Gewissenhaftigkeit zeigt eine hohe prädiktive Validität für die Schulleistung (Poropat, 2009). Zur näheren Untersuchung des Konstrukts der Gewissenhaft haben MacCann, Duckworth und Roberts (2009) einen aus 68 Items bestehenden Fragebogen zur Erfassung von acht verschiedenen Facetten von Gewissenhaftigkeit im Sekundarschulalter entwickelt. Dieser ist jedoch zu umfangreich für die Verwendung in large-scale Studien, die in der pädagogischen Forschung von zunehmender Bedeutung sind. Der vorliegende Beitrag präsentiert daher die Entwicklung und Validierung einer Kurzform eines Fragebogens zur Erfassung von sieben Facetten von Gewissenhaftigkeit. Die Entwicklungsstichprobe umfasste die Schüler aller neunten Klassen in Luxemburg in 2017 (N1 = 6.325). Die Schüler beantworteten deutsche oder französische Adaptionen eines aus 59 Items und sieben Facetten bestehenden Fragebogens zu Gewissenhaftigkeit, der an das Instrument von MacCann et al. angelehnt war. Zur Entwicklung einer Kurzversion wurde ein exhaustive-search Algorithmus verwendet. Dabei sollte für jede Facette von Gewissenhaftigkeit die bestmögliche Kombination aus vier Items ausgewählt werden. Die Selektionskriterien hierfür waren Fit-Statistiken, interne Konsistenz und Messinvarianz zwischen den Sprachversionen. Der resultierende Fragebogen – bestehend aus 28 Items – wurde 2018 den Schülern aller neunten Klassen in Luxemburg vorgelegt (N2 =6.279). Für diese Validierungsstichprobe zeigte ein Modell mit sieben Faktoren von Gewissenhaftigkeit einen guten Fit (CFI = 0.93, RMSEA = 0.04). Alle Facetten hatten sehr gute Reliabilitäten (ɑs > 0.97). Außerdem fanden wir skalare Messinvarianz zwischen den Sprachversionen und zwischen beiden Geschlechtern. Weitere Validierungsschritte und Anwendungsmöglichkeiten dieses Fragebogens im schulischen Kontext werden diskutiert. Literatur MacCann, C., Duckworth, A.L., & Roberts, R.D. (2009). Empirical identification of the major facets of conscientiousness. Learning and Individual Differences, 19, 451–458. Poropat, A.E. (2009). A meta-analysis of the five-factor model of personality and academic performance. Psychological Bulletin, 135, 322–338. [less ▲]

Assimilation and Contrast Effects of Dimensional Comparisons in Self-Concepts, Interests & Anxieties

Scientific Conference (2019, August 16)

Research on the internal/external frame of reference (I/E) model has frequently found contrast effects of dimensional comparisons (i.e. a negative relationship between achievement and self-concept across ... [more ▼]

Research on the internal/external frame of reference (I/E) model has frequently found contrast effects of dimensional comparisons (i.e. a negative relationship between achievement and self-concept across domains) between math and verbal domains. The generalised internal/external frame of reference (GI/E) model extends the I/E model to multiple domains including multiple languages and to other academic self-beliefs and attitudes. When considering multiple languages, achievement-self-concept relations across languages have been found to be either negative (i.e. contrast effect), positive (i.e. assimilation effect), or non-significant. The present study contributes to the ongoing debate concerning the effect of dimensional comparisons among languages by (1) examining dimensional comparisons across two languages and (2) extending the examination to interest and anxiety as outcome variables beyond self-concept. We analysed domain-specific self-concepts, interest, anxieties, and achievement regarding French, German and math in a representative sample (N=5,789) of Luxembourgish ninth-graders. Findings indicated (1) clear contrast effects in the formation of self-concept and interest in German, French and math, and (2) a combination of contrast, assimilation and/or no effects in the formation of anxiety in math, German, and French. With regard to the latter, contrast effects were found for achievement-anxiety paths from German to French, French to German, and French to math. Achievement-anxiety paths from math to French and German to math were non-significant, while the path from math achievement to German anxiety showed a small, yet significant assimilation effect. Results are contextualised within the multilingual Luxembourgish educational system and implications for research on dimensional comparisons are discussed. [less ▲]