Abstract

GUTIERREZ TAPIA, Martha Patricia et al. The Psychosocial Factors of Academic Achievement: Three Different Theoretical Models. Acta de investigación psicol [online]. 2019, vol.9, n.3, pp.100-113.  Epub Apr 24, 2020. ISSN 2007-4719.  https://doi.org/10.22201/fpsi.20074719e.2019.3.326.

Within individual factors that affect academic achievement, personality traits have been the least explored even though there is evidence that suggest conscientiousness, neuroticism and self-efficacy are direct contributors of academic achievement. We used a sample of 725 Mexican public high school students (M age =18, SD age =1.09, 59% female) to test three Path Analysis models based on those proposed by Stajkovic, Bandura, Locke, Lee and Sergent, (2018). Although the models present very similar fit statistics and explanatory power, the intrapersonal model is more parsimonious, presents better fit indices and was therefore chosen as our final model. The model identifies middle school GPA, self-efficacy, neuroticism and conscientiousness as direct predictors of high school academic achievement, and both extraversion and academic self-concept as indirect predictors when mediated by self-efficacy. Students can use the power of their own self-efficacy beliefs as support for staying in school, boosting their aptitudes and enhancing previously acquired knowledge. We would suggest the addition of stronger correlates to high school academic achievement such as self-control as well as experimental data on how easy cognitions and capabilities can change in the sample.

Keywords : Academic Achievement; HEXACO; High School Education; Self-efficacy.