Reciprocal effects between self-efficacy and achievement in mathematics and reading

2018/03/08 by Christian Schöber, Kerstin Schütte, Olaf Köller +3 · 1 citation
Mathematics · Psychology · Social Sciences · #Academic achievement #Achievement test #Developmental psychology #Education, Achievement, and Giftedness #Mathematics #Mathematics education #Parental Involvement in Education #Psychological intervention #Psychology #Reading (process) #Reciprocal #School Choice and Performance #Self-efficacy #Social psychology #Standardized test #Statistics #Structural equation modeling #Test (biology)

paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/j.lindif.2018.01.008

openalex publication_date 2018/03/08 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01

Abstract

Academic self-efficacy is widely accepted as being both the cause and effect of academic achievement. However, empirical research using longitudinal data and domain-specific assessments is scarce and seems to be completely absent in domains other than mathematics. We drew on a sample of N = 1597 secondary school students in Germany and 2 measurement occasions within 1 school year to test for reciprocal effects between self-efficacy and achievement in the domains of mathematics and reading. Despite high stabilities of achievement and self-efficacy, structural equation modeling revealed positive effects of mathematics self-efficacy on later mathematics achievement and of reading achievement on later reading self-efficacy. Evidence for reciprocal effects resulted in the domain of reading from separately considering students with and without a migration background in multiple group models. The findings highlight the necessity of early interventions and a domain-specific approach.

Citations

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• The stability of students’ academic achievement in school: A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies