Examining the Interplay of Gender, Generational Status, and Engagement in Academic Achievement Among Latina/o Students

• In Event: 73.053 - Kindergarten Through 12th Grade

Abstract

A growing body of research has pointed to the importance of personal attitudinal constructs, such as motivation and engagement in predicting academic achievement. Evidence also suggests that some of engagement may be particularly important for Latino/a adolescents. The present study examined the role of cognitive and emotional engagement in a sample of Latino/a junior high school students. The associations and interactions of generational status and gender were also examined given the existing evidence of gender disparities in achievement and the importance of generational status in predicting achievement. Results suggested that males, but not females, experienced generational declines in achievement, and that both cognitive and emotional engagement predicted achievement. However, the role of engagement in explaining gender disparities was unclear.

Authors

• Ioakim Phillipos Boutakidis, California State University - Fullerton

• James L. Rodríguez, California State University - Fullerton