Stability and Change in Goal Orientation Profiles Across the Transition From Elementary to Secondary School

• In Event: Person-Centered Methodologies and Motivation Research: What Does It Add and Where Is It Going?

Abstract

In achievement goal research, the multiple goals perspective suggests that students may endorse multiple achievement-related goals simultaneously. However, there are still only few studies that have investigated developmental changes in the patterning of achievement goal orientations, especially among younger (elementary school) students and across educational transitions (see, however, Schwinger & Wild, 2012). Studies suggest that a negative change in motivation takes place during early adolescence, and that the decline in motivation is most pronounced during educational transitions (Anderman et al., 1999; Wigfield & Eccles, 2000). However, not all students experience these negative shifts (Roeser et al., 1999; Tuominen-Soini et al., 2012). Accordingly, the aim of this study was to examine i) the prevalence of achievement goal orientation profiles among sixth- and seventh-graders and ii) the stability of and change in these profiles across the transition from elementary to lower secondary school.

The participants were 12–13-year-old Finnish students (N=419), who filled in questionnaires once during the sixth grade and once during the seventh grade. Five types of achievement goal orientations (Niemivirta, 2002) were assessed: mastery-intrinsic, mastery-extrinsic, performance-approach, performance-avoidance, and work avoidance orientations. Variable-centered analyses concerning structural and normative stability and stability in latent means were conducted using longitudinal confirmatory factor analysis (LCFA). Following a person-centered approach, cross-sectional latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to investigate the prevalence of goal orientation profiles. Latent transition analysis (LTA) was used to examine the change in profiles over time.

LCFAs indicated sufficient measurement invariance and considerable normative stability in goal orientations over time. Moreover, there were slight decreases in mastery-intrinsic and performance-avoidance orientations.

Four similar goal orientation profiles were identified at both measurement points. Indifferent students (43%T1; 41%T2) displayed average, joint emphasis on mastery, performance, and avoidance. Success-oriented students (33% T1; 30% T2) had high scores on both performance-related orientations, although they also considered the goals of learning and getting good grades important. For mastery-oriented students (19% T1; 22% T2) an important goal was to learn as much as possible, yet they also aimed for doing well in school. Avoidance-oriented students (4% T1; 7% T2) displayed relatively most emphasis on minimizing the effort and time spent on studying. Girls and boys were equally distributed in the groups.

Out of sixteen possible patterns of change, the transition probabilities indicated to substantial stability in goal orientation profiles: staying in the same group in both measurement points yielded the highest transition probabilities (.63–.75). Other likely transitions were patterns in which students moved from indifferent to avoidance-oriented and from success-oriented to indifferent.

To conclude, goal orientation profiles seem rather stable across the transition to secondary school. As much as 75% of the students displayed similar motivational profiles over time. Interestingly, of the few students who transitioned between profiles, the majority moved from more to less favorable profiles. This negative shift might reflect the change in the educational context as well as the simultaneous changes and challenges characteristic of adolescence. Findings highlight the importance of focusing on the patterning of variables when studying individual differences in motivational development.

Authors

• Heta Tuominen-Soini, University of Helsinki

• Markku J. Niemivirta, University of Helsinki

• Kirsti M. Lonka, University of Helsinki

• Katariina Salmela-Aro, Cicero Learning, University of Helsinki