Achievement Goals and Reading Comprehension: Differential Relations for Students With and Without Reading Disabilities

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 16
  In Roundtable Session: Motivation and Achievement

Abstract

We examined the unique contribution of achievement goals in explaining reading comprehension assessed in two different response formats (free recall and open-ended question) controlling for vocabulary and reading fluency. Moreover, we examined the extent to which these relations differ for students with and without reading difficulties (RD) and the cognitive mechanism of its relation. Results from multi-group structural equation models (n = 109 for RD; n = 145 for non-RD) revealed that achievement goals did not predict any of the reading comprehension outcomes for non-RD. In contrast, achievement goals were important predictors of reading comprehension in free recall format for RD. Mastery goals positively predicted free recall, mediated by relational memory, while and performance-approach goals negatively predicted free recall.

Authors

• Eunsoo Cho, Michigan State University

• Unhee Ju, Riverside Insights

• Minhye Lee, Korea University - Brain and Motivation Research Institute

• Garam A. Lee, Michigan State University

• Donald Compton, Florida State University