A Qualitative Forensic Investigation of an Intervention That Backfired

• In Event: Poster Session 3
  In Poster Session: Motivation in Education SIG Poster Session 2

Abstract

The present project represents a secondary analysis of a previously conducted study evaluating the effects of a motivational program encouraging downgrading expectations (Heckhausen et al., 2010) for pre-medicine college students. Given the potential benefits of this motivational strategy for academic adjustment, and prior intervention studies in which downgrading expectations corresponded with gains in academic motivation, emotions, and performance (Hall et al., 2006c), the intervention was expected to yield similar benefits. However, study results revealed that the intervention encouraged higher expectations and optimism (Sverdlik et al., 2013), and predicted lower GPAs (Sverdlik & Hall, 2013). The present analysis represents a secondary qualitative investigation of participants’ written responses following this intervention to determine potential explanations for these iatrogenic results.

Authors

• Anna Sverdlik, McGill University

• Hui Wang, McGill University

• Nathan C. Hall, McGill University