Students’ Problem Behavior: Differential Effects on Grades and Achievement Test Scores? A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study

• In Event: Poster Session 2
  In Poster Session: Motivation and Cognition in Varied Contexts

Abstract

Student misbehavior is a pervasive problem and may have a serious impact on academic outcomes. The main purpose of this study was to longitudinally explore the relations between student problem behavior, achievement test scores, and grades in two main school subjects. Participants were N = 1045 junior high school students (50% female) in socio-economically disadvantaged urban areas. Data were collected at the beginning of grade 5, grade 7, and in grade 9. Results of the full-forward structural equation models imply that students’ problem behavior is partly reflected in school grades but is unrelated to performance scores. Furthermore, reciprocal effects of past school year grades on future problem behavior were shown. Implications for educational practice and future research are discussed.

Authors

• Friederike Zimmermann, IPN - Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education

• Paeivi Hannele Taskinen, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität

• Olaf Koeller, Leibniz Institute for Science and Math Education