ERIC Number: EJ757591
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2007-Mar
Pages: 19
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0007-0998
EISSN: N/A
Academic Self-Handicapping: The Role of Self-Concept Clarity and Students' Learning Strategies
Thomas, Cathy R.; Gadbois, Shannon A.
British Journal of Educational Psychology, v77 n1 p101-119 Mar 2007
Background: Self-handicapping is linked to students' personal motivations, classroom goal structure, academic outcomes, global self-esteem and certainty of self-esteem. Academic self-handicapping has yet to be studied with respect to students' consistency in self-description and their description of themselves as learners. Aims: This study examined students' self-esteem and self-concept clarity as well as their tendencies to employ deep- or surface-learning approaches and self-regulate while learning in relation to their self-handicapping tendencies and exam performance. Sample: Participants were 161 male and female Canadian, first-year university students. Method: Participants completed a series of questionnaires that measured their self-esteem, self-concept clarity, approaches to learning, self-regulation and reflections on performance prior to and following their exam. Results: Self-handicapping was negatively correlated with self-concept clarity, deep learning, self-regulated learning and exam grades, and positively correlated with surface learning and test anxiety. Regression analyses showed that self-concept clarity, self-regulation, surface-learning and test anxiety scores predicted self-handicapping scores. Self-concept clarity, test anxiety scores, academic self-efficacy and self-regulation were predictors of mid-term exam grades. Conclusions: This study showed that students' self-concept clarity and learning strategies are related to their tendencies to self-handicap and their exam performance. The role of students' ways of learning and their self-concept clarity in self-handicapping and academic performance was explored.
Descriptors: Program Effectiveness, Self Efficacy, Learning Strategies, Test Anxiety, Self Concept, Student Motivation, Foreign Countries, Metacognition, College Freshmen
British Psychological Society. St Andrews House, 48 Princess Road East, Leicester, LE1 7DR, UK. Tel: +44-116-254-9568; Fax: +44-116-247-0787; e-mail: enquiry@bps.org.uk; Web site: http://www.bps.org.uk/publications/publications_home.cfm
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Canada
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A