Academic Self-Concept Wins the Race: The Prediction of Achievements in Three Major School Subjects by Five Subject-Specific Self-Related Variables

The importance of self-related constructs in predicting academic achievement has been increasingly emphasized in recent decades. Typically, bivariate associations of self-related variables with achievements have been reported. Research quantifying the combined predictive power of more than two self-variables has been scarce. Moreover, except for the academic self-concept, these variables have almost always been measured across domains, i.e., without considering the specifics of individual school subjects. The current study aimed to statistically predict academic achievement (operationalized via school grades) in three major subjects (Chinese (native language), mathematics, and English (foreign language)) by using subject-tied scales, namely academic self-concept, conscientiousness, need for cognition, perseverance of effort, and consistency of interest. The sample comprised 791 Chinese adolescents. Each scale was related separately to each of the three school subjects. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were run. The control variable, biological sex, accounted for 2% of Chinese grades and 8% of English grades, but not of mathematics grades. Adding subject-specific self-concept scales increased the explained variance to 7% (Chinese), 16% (mathematics), and 32% (English). Further additions to the other four self-related scales did not increase the variances that were accounted for. The discussion underlines the relevance of subject-specific academic self-concepts as predictors for subject-tied academic achievements.

Different Dimensions of Grit as the Predictor of Job-Search Intensity and Clarity

Job-search is considered as a developmental task for college students to move from campus to workplace. Based on the self-determination theory, 859 Chinese college students were selected as the study sample and hierarchical regression analysis was used to explore the perseverance of effort and consistency of interest on job-search intensity and clarity. The survey showed that the perseverance of effort has a significant positive effect on the job-search intensity, while it has no significant positive effect on job-search clarity. Consistency of interest has a significant negative effect on job-search intensity and a significant positive effect on job-search clarity. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed and the directions for future research are outlined in this study.

Adapting the Short Grit Scale with Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling for Portuguese College Students

The Short Grit Scale (Grit-S) is a self- and informant-report version of the longer Grit Scale, and it retains the 2-factor structure of the original scale. Our purpose in this research was to measure trait-level perseverance and passion for long-term goals by translating and validating the Grit-S for Portuguese respondents. Our participants were 572 college students (135 female, 437 male; age range 18-30 years, M age = 21.47, SD = 2.29 years) from twelve Portuguese universities. Our data confirmed the scale's two-factor structure ("consistency of interests" and "perseverance of effort") and demonstrated appropriate adjustment values (CFI = 0.999, TLI = 0.981, SRMR = 0.017, RMSEA = 0.001, CI90%= 0.000-0.041). We found the adapted scale to be invariant for sex. Use of the scale confirmed an association between grit and well-being. These results imply that other investigators and practitioners interested in this scale may now apply it with Portuguese young adults.

Examining the Association of Grit Profiles With Big Five Personality and Achievement Among Iranian Foreign Language Learners

Grit-trait-level perseverance and prolonged passion for primary goals-is related to several indicators of educational success such as academic achievement, engagement, and motivation. Although there is new evidence showing the beneficial effects of grit, most research has taken a variable-focused approach and consequently has failed to indicate how individuals with different grit profiles might have different academic results. The present study aimed to build on the existing literature on grit by investigating the relationship between grit, big five personality and L2 achievement. The participants of this study were 384 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students from different academic majors studying at Yazd University. They had enrolled in General English (GE) courses. The results of the cluster analyses showed that there were three natural grit profiles (Cluster 1 = High Perseverance and High Consistency; Cluster 2 = High Perseverance and Low Consistency; Cluster = Low Perseverance and High Consistency) in the current study. The results of the multivariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that students belonging to cluster 1 had the highest scores on big five personality traits and L2 achievement. The results also showed that when taking academic exams, high perseverance of effort and low consistency of interest were related to higher level of neuroticism and lower level of consciousness. Our study has some theoretical and practical implications. Regarding the theory, this study is related to the existing grit literature by elaborating the relationship between grit profiles, big five personality traits, and L2A. Regarding the practice, our findings affirm the significance of developing and implementing the big five personality traits interventions in grit prediction.

Do Grittier People Have Greater Subjective Well-Being? A Meta-Analysis

The present study conducted a meta-analysis to examine the relation between grit and subjective well-being (SWB). The association between grit (i.e., overall grit, perseverance of effort, and consistency of interest) and SWB (i.e., positive affect, negative affect, happiness, depression, life satisfaction, job satisfaction, and school satisfaction) were synthesized across 83 studies and 66,518 participants. The results based on a random-effects model showed a substantial correlation between overall grit and SWB (ρ = .46, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [.43, .48]), followed by perseverance of effort (ρ = .38, 95% CI = [.33, .43]) and consistency of interest (ρ = .23, 95% CI = [.17, .28]). The moderator analysis indicated that the correlations between overall grit/consistency of effort and SWB become weaker as age increased, and these links were stronger in affective well-being than in cognitive well-being. Moreover, grit explained unique variance in SWB even after controlling for conscientiousness. Implications and directions for further research are discussed.

Perseverance of Effort and Consistency of Interest: A Longitudinal Perspective

The present research, enlightened by the dynamic approach to language learning, aimed to trace the co-development of English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ perseverance of effort (PE) and consistency of interest (CI), the two subdomains of grit, over a course time. To this aim, a factor of curves model (FCM) was employed to trace the covariance of the subdomains of L2 grit longitudinally over time; to explore how changes in PE and CI are affected by their initial states; and to what extent the variations in PE and CI are explained by the underlying global factor of L2 grit. For data collection, the L2 grit scale was used with 1,384 adult EFL learners in four measurement occasions. The data were analyzed in Mplus with FCM in three steps. The results showed that firstly, in analyzing the direction of change in PE and CI, a higher mean was estimated in the growth (the slope) than the intercept. Evidence was also found for inter-individual variation. Secondly, the covariance between the intercept and slope of each subdomain was explored and for both the results revealed a negative covariance of the slope and intercept. Thirdly, the covariance of the intercepts and the slopes of the two subdomains was positive and significant. Fourthly, the variance of the intercept and slope of each subdomain proved to be explained to a large extent by the underlying global factor of L2 grit. These findings were discussed in the light of the potential variables associated with L2 grit and its related literature.

The Roles of Grit and Motivation in Predicting Children's Leisure-Time Physical Activity: One-Year Effects

In this study, we tested two alternative models for investigating the ability of dimensions of personal grit (consistency of interest and perseverance of effort) and autonomous motivation to predict the leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) over a one-year period of 256 youth (aged 11-15 years at the beginning of the study). Specifically, we compared a model in which dimensions of grit were assumed to predict LTPA through autonomous motivation with a model in which autonomous motivation was assumed to predict LTPA through dimensions of grit. We tested the two models using variance-based structural equation modelling with Warp PLS v7.0 software. Both models showed a good fit with the data and equally explained 41% of the variance in LTPA over this one-year time period. However, the model based on the total effect of autonomous motivation (β = 0.448, p < 0.001, ES = 0.229) on LTPA through the dimensions of grit was stronger than the model based on the total effect of perseverance of effort (β = 0.356, p < 0.001, ES = 0.126) on LTPA through autonomous motivation, and the total effect of consistency of interest was not significant (β = -0.029, p > 0.05, ES = 0.003). Our findings underscore the relatively greater importance of the interplay between autonomous motivation and perseverance of effort, versus consistency of interest, in predicting LTPA among youth over a one-year period.

The Moderating Role of Autonomy Support Profiles in the Association Between Grit and Externalizing Problem Behavior Among Family-Bereaved Adolescents

Research has consistently documented that the death of a close family member can disrupt a family’s functional equilibrium and has a deleterious effect on adolescents’ adaptation; however, little attention has been paid to behavioral adaptation of adolescents after a loss in a collective setting. Attempting to fill this research gap, the objectives of the current study are: (1) to identify autonomy support profiles based on two centered figures (parents and head teachers) and (2) to examine whether these emerging profiles may moderate the association between the two dimensions of grit (perseverance and consistency) and externalizing problem behavior in Chinese family-bereaved adolescents. A total of 763 family-bereaved adolescents aged from 13 to 18 years (60.3% girls; M_age = 15.74; SD = 1.53) were involved in the current study; they were asked to fill a battery of self-report questionnaires. A latent profile analysis revealed three autonomy support profiles: high parental autonomy support–high teacher autonomy support (HPHT; n = 598), high parental autonomy support–low teacher autonomy support (HPLT; n = 34), and low parental autonomy support–low teacher autonomy support (LPLT; n = 131). Moreover, results from linear regression analyses, after controlling for relevant bereavement variables, sociodemographics, and social desirability, showed that perseverance and consistency were negatively related to externalizing problem behavior for adolescents within the HPHL profile; nevertheless, the association between perseverance and externalizing problem behavior turned to be positive for adolescents within the HPLT profile. The current study sheds light on the variability of the association between grit and family-bereaved adolescents’ behavioral adaptation and further enriches the beneficial effect of autonomy support on adaptive functions in a collective cultural setting. The interplay between grit and autonomy support from parents and teachers has a significant influence on buffering externalizing problem behavior among family-bereaved adolescents.

Grit and self-discipline as predictors of effort and academic attainment

BACKGROUND

Beyond ability, traits related to perseverance, such as grit and self-discipline, are associated with adaptive educational outcomes. Few studies have examined the independent effects of these traits on outcomes and the mechanisms involved.

AIMS

This study estimated parameters of a process model in which grit-perseverance of effort (grit-effort) and consistency of interest (grit-interest) dimensions and self-discipline were independent predictors of students' science grades. The effect of the grit-effort on grades was expected to be mediated by students' self-reported effort on optional out-of-school science learning activities.

SAMPLE

Secondary school students (N = 110) aged between 12 and 14 years.

METHODS

The study adopted a correlational design with measures taken on three occasions. Students completed self-report measures of grit and self-discipline early in the semester and effort on optional out-of-school learning activities 5 weeks later. Students' science grades were collected at the end of the semester. Data were analysed using Bayesian path analyses using non-informative and informative priors derived from previous research.

RESULTS

Consistent with predictions, we found effects of grit-effort on science grades mediated by effort, and self-discipline on grades. Contrary to predictions, we also found an effect of self-discipline on grades mediated by effort. Zero was a credible value for direct effects of grit-effort on grades, and grit-interest on effort and grades.

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest grit-effort and self-discipline relate to effort on educational activities linked to better grades. The direct effect of self-discipline on grades suggests that it may be related to other activities that determine science attainment.