ERIC Number: EJ1054577
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2014-Aug
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-0663
EISSN: N/A
Academic Self-Handicapping and Achievement: A Meta-Analysis
Schwinger, Malte; Wirthwein, Linda; Lemmer, Gunnar; Steinmayr, Ricarda
Journal of Educational Psychology, v106 n3 p744-761 Aug 2014
Self-handicapping represents a frequently used strategy for regulating the threat to self-esteem elicited by the fear of failing in academic achievement settings. Several studies have documented negative associations between self-handicapping and different educational outcomes, inter alia academic achievement. However, studies on the relation between self-handicapping and academic achievement have yielded heterogeneous results, indicating the need to conduct meta-analytic investigations and to examine the relevance of several potential moderator variables. This meta-analysis integrates the results of 36 field studies with 49 independent effect sizes (N = 25,550). A random effects model revealed a mean effect size between self-handicapping and academic achievement of r = -0.23 (p < 0.001, range: r = -0.46 to r = 0.02). Moreover, moderator analyses showed that the type of self-handicapping scale, the school type (elementary, middle, high school, university), the level of mastery goals in the sample, and the reliability of the self-handicapping scale considerably influenced the mean correlation. Based on our findings, we conclude that educational interventions to enhance academic achievement should additionally focus on preventing self-handicapping.
Descriptors: Meta Analysis, Self Esteem, Failure, Academic Achievement, Negative Attitudes, Correlation, Effect Size, High School Students, Middle School Students, Elementary School Students, Intervention, Prevention, Questionnaires, Age Differences, Gender Differences, Goal Orientation, Racial Differences, Ethnic Groups, Educational Indicators, Research Methodology, Computation, Coding, Regression (Statistics)
American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Information Analyses; Reports - Research
Education Level: High Schools; Secondary Education; Middle Schools; Junior High Schools; Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A