Adolescent Educational Success and Mental Health Vary Across School Engagement Profiles

• In Event: Motivation and Engagement in Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood

Abstract

The present study used a multidimensional and person-centered approach to identify five profiles of student engagement in school: Highly Engaged, Average Engaged, Minimally Engaged, Emotionally Disengaged, and Cognitively Disengaged. These five groups differ in their educational and psychological functioning. Our study not only provides empirical evidence supporting a multifaceted nature of school engagement but also demonstrates its utility relative to educational success and mental health. Considering simultaneously multiple dimensions of student engagement from a person-centered perspective suggests a useful approach for addressing sample heterogeneity and understanding different patterns of school engagement and their consequences.

Author

• Ming-Te Wang, University of Pittsburgh