Causal ordering of academic self-concept and academic achievement: A multiwave, longitudinal panel analysis.

There is surprisingly little sound research on the causal ordering of academic self-concept and academic achievement in longitudinal panel studies, despite its theoretical and practical significance. Data collected in Grades 10, 11, 12, and 1 yr after graduation from high school that were used in this study come from the large (N?=?1,456 students), nationally representative Youth in Transition study (e.g., J. G. Bachman; 1970). It was found that reported grade averages in Grades 11 and 12 were significantly affected by academic self-concept measured the previous year, whereas prior reported grades had no effect on subsequent measures of academic self-concept. The results provide one of the few defensible demonstrations of prior academic self-concept influencing subsequent academic achievement, and the study appears to be methodologically stronger than previous research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Intellectual development and academic performance of children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus: A longitudinal study.

87 school-age children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) were assessed repeatedly over the 1st 6 yrs of their IDDM to determine the effects of the medical disorder on intellectual development and academic performance. At the initial diagnosis, verbal and nonverbal intellectual performance and school grades were in the average ranges. Over time, verbal performance and school grades declined, whereas nonverbal intellectual performance improved slightly. Duration of IDDM was found to be related to the outcome variables, but the degree of metabolic control was not. Analyses of longitudinal data for a 6-yr interval on a demographically closely matched post hoc comparison group revealed parallel but less pronounced trends in verbal and nonverbal intellectual performance but not in school grades. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The causal ordering of academic achievement and self-concept of ability during elementary school: A longitudinal study.

This article addresses the question of the causal ordering of self-concept of ability and academic achievement during elementary school. the questions were (a) do self-concept and achievement influence each other? and (b) Does it make a diffeence whether chievement is assessed by marks or by tests? The sample consisted of 697 students from 54 German elementary school classes. the descign of the study allowed 3 measurement waves from Grade 2 to Grade 4. Mathematics achievement was measured both by marks and by tests. The results of the structural equation modeling analyses show that it makes a difference whether achievement is (as usually) measured with only one indicator (either mark or test performance), of if both indicatory are integrated in the model. The latter model clearly supports the skill development model: In elementary school, prior self-concept does not significantly contribute to the prediction of subsequent achievement. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A longitudinal study of reading development in dyslexic children.

The development of literacy skills was studied in 20 dyslexic children (7 years 7 months to 12 years 7 months). At Time 1, the dyslexic children performed worse on tests of reading, spelling, and phonological processing than chronological age-matched normal readers, but their performance was qualitatively similar to that of younger reading age-matched controls. The dyslexic children made poor progress over the following 2 years and, in comparison with reading age controls at Time 2, showed specific difficulties in nonword reading and repetition and made more dysphonetic spelling errors. The authors argue that this typical dyslexic profile becomes more defined with development and provides support for the theory that phonological deficits in dyslexia compromise the development of reading skills. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Causal effects of academic self-concept on academic achievement: Structural equation models of longitudinal data.

Academic self-concept, school marks, and teacher ratings of achievement were collected in 3 high-school subjects in each of 3 years (N?=?603). In the structural equation models (SEMs) considered, both school-based performance and academic self-concept were measured with multiple indicators for each school subject. SEMs were used to evaluate the effects of prior academic self-concept on subsequent achievement after controlling for the effects of prior achievement, and the effects of prior achievement on subsequent academic self-concept after controlling for the effects of prior academic self-concept. Although the effects of achievement tended to be larger and more systematic, there was clear support for both academic self-concept and achievement effects. Although there was support for this reciprocal effects model for all 3 school subjects, self-concept effects tended to be larger and more systematic for mathematics than for science and, particularly, English. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Early first-language reading and spelling skills predict later second-language reading and spelling skills.

This prospective study examined early first-language (L1) predictors of later second-language (L2) reading (word decoding, comprehension) and spelling skills by conducting a series of multiple regressions. Measures of L1 word decoding, spelling, reading comprehension, phonological awareness, receptive vocabulary, and listening comprehension administered in the 1st through 5th grades were used as predictors of L2 reading (word decoding, comprehension) and spelling skills in high school. The best predictor of L2 decoding skill was a measure of L1 decoding, and the best predictors of L2 spelling were L1 spelling and L1 phonological awareness. The best predictor of L2 reading comprehension was a measure of L1 reading comprehension. When L2 word decoding skill replaced L1 word decoding as a predictor variable for L2 reading comprehension, results showed that L2 word decoding was an important predictor of L2 reading comprehension. The findings suggest that even several years after students learn to read and spell their L1, word decoding, spelling, and reading comprehension skills transfer from L1 to L2. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The role of task-avoidant and task-focused behaviors in the development of reading and mathematical skills during the first school year: A cross-lagged longitudinal study.

The aim of the study was to examine whether children's achievement strategies would prospectively predict their improvement in reading and mathematical skills during the 1st school year, or whether it is rather the skills that predict the change in their achievement strategies. One hundred five 6- to 7-year-old children were investigated 3 times during the 1st school year. Each time, their reading and mathematical skills were tested, and their task-avoidant versus task-focused behaviors were rated by their classroom teacher. In addition, their overall cognitive competence was measured before entry into school. The maladaptive strategies children deployed in the classroom and their reading skills formed a cumulative developmental cycle. On the one hand, task-avoidant behaviors decreased subsequent improvement in reading skills, and on the other hand, a low level of reading skills increased subsequent task-avoidant behaviors. Although a low level of mathematical skills increased subsequent task avoidance, the mathematical skills were not influenced by it. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Leader vision and the development of adaptive and proactive performance: A longitudinal study.

In this study, the authors investigated how leader vision influences the change-oriented behaviors of adaptivity and proactivity in the workplace. The authors proposed that leader vision would lead to an increase in adaptivity for employees who were high in openness to work role change. In contrast, they proposed leader vision would be associated with an increase in proactivity when employees were high in role breadth self-efficacy. These propositions were supported in a longitudinal survey of 102 employees who provided self-report data about their leader and their work behaviors. The findings provide insight into the interaction between leaders and followers in responding to a change imperative. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-esteem, academic self-concept, and achievement: How the learning environment moderates the dynamics of self-concept.

The authors examine the directionality of effects between global self-esteem, domain-specific academic self-concepts, and academic achievement. Special emphasis is placed on learning environments as potential moderators of the direction of these effects. According to the meritocracy principle presented here, so-called bottom-up effects (i.e., self-esteem is influenced by academic self-concept) are more pronounced in meritocratic learning environments than in ego-protective learning environments. This hypothesis was examined using a three-wave cross-lagged panel design with a large sample of 7th graders from East and West Germany, a total of 5,648 students who were tested shortly after German reunification. Reciprocal effects were found between self-esteem, academic self-concept, and academic achievement. In conformance with the meritocracy principle, support for bottom-up effects was stronger in the meritocratic learning environment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Early prediction of reading achievement with the Sheppard School Entry Screening Test: A four-year longitudinal study.

Administered the Sheppard School Entry Screening Test (SSEST) to 320 kindergarten pupils to examine its ability to predict reading performance in Grades 1, 2, and 3. The 3 SSEST factors (i.e., Figure Drawing, Language, and Perceptual-Motor Skills) were each significantly correlated with reading achievement in all 3 grades, even after correcting for initial IQ. Prediction was much better for pupils with the lowest reading ability. Findings demonstrate the validity of the SSEST as an early indicator of later reading achievement. (46 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Intrinsic and extrinsic reading motivation as predictors of reading literacy: A longitudinal study.

The purpose in this study was to examine the longitudinal relationships of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation with reading literacy development. In particular, the authors (a) investigated reading amount as mediator between motivation and reading literacy and (b) probed for bidirectional relationships between reading motivation and reading literacy, controlling for previous reading literacy. A total of 740 students participated in a longitudinal assessment starting in Grade 3, with further points of measurement in Grades 4 and 6. Structural equation models with latent variables showed that the relationship between intrinsic reading motivation and later reading literacy was mediated by reading amount but not when previous reading literacy was included in the model. A bidirectional relationship was found between extrinsic reading motivation and reading literacy: Grade 3 reading literacy negatively predicted extrinsic reading motivation in Grade 4, which in turn negatively predicted reading literacy in Grade 6. Implications for research and practice are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Home environment, self-concept, and academic achievement: A causal modeling approach.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 77(3) of Journal of Educational Psychology (see record 2008-10971-001). The caption to Figure 3 on page 1271 is incorrect. "SOSC = social self-concept" should read "NASC = nonacademic self-concept." In addition, on page 1274 in the Results section, the reference to McDonald & Leong (1974) should have been deleted.] Investigated the relation between home environment, self-concept, and academic achievement in 2,297 14–15 yr old Koreans. Data on Ss was collected in 4 different samples to test 4 structural equation models. Group 1 consisted of 537 males, Group 2 consisted of 537 males, Group 3 consisted of 611 females, and Group 4 consisted of 612 females. Results show that over the 4 samples, self-concept was a mediating variable between home environment and academic achievement. Results did not support the commonly held view that home environment exerts direct effects on academic achievement. Social status indicators had indirect effects on self-concept via family psychological characteristics. Academic self-concept affected academic achievement more strongly than did presentation-of-self or social self-concept. (51 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The cognitive and linguistic foundations of early reading development: A Norwegian latent variable longitudinal study.

The authors present the results of a 2-year longitudinal study of 228 Norwegian children beginning some 12 months before formal reading instruction began. The relationships between a range of cognitive and linguistic skills (letter knowledge, phoneme manipulation, visual–verbal paired-associate learning, rapid automatized naming (RAN), short-term memory, and verbal and nonverbal ability) were investigated and related to later measures of word recognition in reading. Letter knowledge, phoneme manipulation, and RAN were independent longitudinal predictors of early reading (word recognition) skills in the regular Norwegian orthography. Early reading skills initially appeared well described as a unitary construct that then showed rapid differentiation into correlated subskills (word decoding, orthographic choice, text reading, and nonword reading) that showed very high levels of longitudinal stability. The results are related to current ideas about the cognitive foundations of early reading skills. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prosocial development: A longitudinal study.

Examined, using a longitudinal methodology, (1) the development of prosocial moral judgment and (2) the relation between prosocial moral judgment and both prohibition-oriented moral judgment and maternal childrearing practices. Three samples were tested: 33 82–99 mo olds were interviewed 3 times; 16 49–67 mo olds were interviewed twice; and 30 2nd graders were interviewed once. From preschool to elementary school years, needs-oriented (empathic) reasoning increased in frequency of use, whereas hedonistic reasoning decreased. Significant changes continued from the preschool years to 2nd grade, although change could be noted even before entry into school (over a 1-yr period from ages 4–5 to 5–6 yrs). The relation between level of prosocial reasoning and prohibition-oriented reasoning was low to moderate, depending on the measures that were intercorrelated. Level of reasoning was related to nonauthoritarian, nonpunitive maternal practices, but the role of empathic, supportive maternal practices appeared to change with age. (26 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Conscientiousness, autonomy fit, and development: A longitudinal study.

The authors examined employee development and its relationship with Conscientiousness and person-environment fit (in terms of needs and supplies of autonomy). They hypothesized that Conscientiousness would be positively associated with development but only when employees felt that the autonomy supplied by the organization did not fit their needs. In other words, whereas Conscientiousness could supply the dispositional resources for development, misfit was needed to create the need for development. The results supported the authors' predictions. Conscientiousness was positively related to development but only when employees were misfits with respect to autonomy. Employee involvement in development activities was then linked to subsequent fit. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sociometric status and academic, behavioral, and psychological adjustment: A five-year longitudinal study.

600 4th-graders rated how much they like to play with each of their classmates and then nominated their 3 best friends; 296 of the 600 children were assigned sociometric classifications of popular, neglected, average, controversial, or rejected status (the remaining 304 children failed to meet inclusion criteria). Five years later, 267 of the 296 classified children (90.2%) were evaluated on measures of academic performance, social behavior, and psychological adjustment. The number and type of contacts with the juvenile justice system were also determined. In general, children classified as rejected or controversial tended to fare more poorly on indices of long-term adjustment than did children classified as popular, neglected, or average. Results are discussed in terms of the predictive validity of sociometric rating and nomination procedures and their utility in identifying children at risk for later maladjustment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A multifaceted academic self-concept: Its hierarchical structure and its relation to academic achievement.

Academic self-concept, originally posited by Shavelson as a single higher-order facet, was found by Marsh and Shavelson to comprise at least 2 higher-order academic facets (verbal and math). Marsh developed the internal/external (I/E) frame of reference model to account for the extreme separation of math and verbal self-concepts and their relations to math and verbal achievements. In our investigation, students completed the academic self-concept scales from 3 instruments that were the basis of 2 studies. In the 1st study, the 2 higher-order academic factors posited by Marsh and Shavelson fit the data substantially better than did a single higher order facet. In subsequent discussion, the Marsh/Shavelson model is more clearly defined, and directions for further research are identified. The 2nd study provided further support for the I/E frame of reference model in that (a) verbal and math self-concepts were nearly uncorrelated, (b) verbal achievement positively affected verbal self-concept but negatively affected math self-concept (i.e., higher verbal skills led to lower math self-concepts), (c) math achievement positively affected math self-concept but negatively affected verbal self-concept, and (d) the results were consistent for each of 3 self-concept instruments. Both studies demonstrate that in further research at least verbal and math self-concepts, rather than a single general facet of academic self-concepts, should be considered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Athletic classmates, physical self-concept, and free-time physical activity: A longitudinal study of frame of reference effects.

The systematic analysis of factors that promote or impede physical activity in children is an urgent task for educational researchers. The present study investigated the reciprocal relationship between physical self-concept, teacher-assigned grades in physical education classes, and free-time physical activity, and analyzed positive and negative consequences of being in a class with high class-average physical ability. Data from a large, representative sample of 1,095 preadolescents from 66 classrooms were examined within a longitudinal framework. Multilevel analyses showed that membership in a class with high class-average physical ability was associated with lower physical self-concept and free-time physical activity and highlighted the significant role of teacher-assigned grades in the development of physical self-concept and physical activity. Furthermore, as predicted, there were positive reciprocal effects between physical self-concept and physical activity levels. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Modeling oral reading fluency development in Latino students: A longitudinal study across second and third grade.

This study examines growth in oral reading fluency across 2nd and 3rd grade for Latino students grouped in 3 English proficiency levels: students receiving English as a second language (ESL) services (n = 2,182), students exited from ESL services (n = 965), and students never designated as needing services (n = 1,857). An important focus was to learn whether, within these 3 groups, proficiency levels and growth were reliably related to special education status. Using hierarchical linear modeling, the authors compared proficiency levels and growth in oral reading fluency in English between and within groups and then to state reading benchmarks. Findings indicate that oral reading fluency scores reliably distinguished between students with learning disabilities and typically developing students within each group (effect sizes ranging from 0.96 to 1.51). The growth trajectory included a significant quadratic trend (generally slowing over time). These findings support the effectiveness of using oral reading fluency in English to screen and monitor reading progress under Response to Intervention models, but also suggest caution in interpreting oral reading fluency data as part of the process in identifying students with learning disabilities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Discriminant and predictive validity of academic self-concept, academic self-efficacy, and mathematics-specific self-efficacy.

This study examined whether global academic self-concept and academic self-efficacy beliefs that vary in domain specificity–globality represent distinct or common underlying dimensions. Participants were 205 university students who completed measures of academic self-concept, global academic self-efficacy, and domain-specific mathematics self-efficacy. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed that each of the variables represented separate, though related, latent dimensions of self-perception. Self-efficacy and self-concept were also differentially useful in predicting relatively domain-specific versus global academic and vocational criteria. The implications of these findings for theory and practice related to academic achievement and career development are considered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)