Unraveling the differential effects of motivational and skills, social, and self-management measures from traditional predictors of college outcomes

    Authors

    S. B. Robbins; J. Allen; A. Casillas; C. H. Peterson;H. Le

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    J. Educ. Psychol.

    Keywords

    academic performance; college outcomes; noncognitive predictors; psychosocial factors; retention; ACHIEVEMENT GOALS; ACADEMIC-PERFORMANCE; AFFIRMATIVE-ACTION; THEORY; PERSPECTIVE; JOB-PERFORMANCE; STUDENTS; PERSONALITY; VALIDITY; SCHOOL; LEVEL; Psychology, Educational

    Abstract

    The authors report on a large-scale study examining the effects of self-reported psychosocial factors on 1st-year college outcomes. Using a sample of 14,464 students from 48 institutions, the authors constructed hierarchical regression models to measure the predictive validity of the Student Readiness Inventory, a measure of psychosocial factors. Controlling for institutional effects and traditional predictors, the authors tested the effects of motivational and skill, social, and self-management measures on academic performance and retention. Academic Discipline was incrementally predictive of academic performance (grade-point average) and retention. Social Activity and Emotional Control also helped predict academic performance and retention, whereas Commitment to College and Social Connection offered incremental prediction of retention. This study elaborates recent meta-analytic findings (S. Robbins et al., 2004), demonstrating the salience of a subset of motivational, social, and self-management factors. Future research questions include how measures of psychosocial factors can be used to aid students, the salience of these measures over the entire college experience and for predicting job performance, and the need for testing theoretical models for explaining postsecondary educational outcomes incorporating traditional, motivational, self-management, and social engagement factors.

    Journal Title

    Journal of Educational Psychology

    Volume

    98

    Issue/Number

    3

    Publication Date

    1-1-2006

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    598

    Last Page

    616

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000239584200009

    ISSN

    0022-0663

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