Reciprocal relations between grit and academic achievement: A longitudinal study

Publication date: April 2019Source: Learning and Individual Differences, Volume 71Author(s): Wen Jiang, Ziyao Xiao, Yanan Liu, Kening Guo, Jiang Jiang, Xiaopeng DuAbstractPrevious research investigating the relations between grit and academic achievement has mostly relied on cross-sectional design, and less is known about the direction of these effects. Based on social cognitive theory, this longitudinal study investigated the reciprocal relations between overall grit, as well as the two aspects of grit, perseverance of effort (PE) and consistency of interest (CI), and academic achievement among 193 Chinese primary school students. Results indicated reciprocal effects between overall grit and academic achievement, but PE and CI showed differential roles. Specifically, PE at Time 1 accounted for 2.3% variance in academic achievement at Time 2 after controlling students' age, family SES, self-control and previous academic achievement. Reverse relation was found that previous achievement level contributed to later PE development. However, CI failed to predict academic achievement and vice versa. These findings reveal a mutually reinforcing pattern between PE and academic achievement and elucidate the sociocognitive attributes of grit.
Source: Learning and Individual Differences - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research