Page 191 - Šolsko polje, XXVIII, 2017, no. 5-6: Znanje, motivacija in pogoji učenja v luči mednarodnih primerjav TIMSS in PISA, ur. Barbara Japelj Pavešić in Klaudija Šterman Ivančič
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kozina, m. štraus ■ relationship between academic achievement and wellbeing ...
Another set of studies analysing indicators of wellbeing and academ-
ic achievement focused on positive emotionality and optimism. Positive
emotional expectations are associated with the use of active and prob-
lem focused coping strategies (Chemers, Hu, & Garcia, 2001). Individuals
with higher levels of optimism tend to have greater motivation and per-
sistence (Anderman, 2002; Haynes, Ruthig, Perry, Stupnisky, & Hall,
2006), higher efficacy, higher academic expectations and tend to have
more positive challenge-threat evaluations (Chemers et al., 2001). There
is, however, evidence that highly optimistic first year college students per-
form worse than their low optimistic peers. Too much optimism might
be problematic for individuals in transition from high school to college
(Haynes et al., 2006). As far as self-concept is concerned due to its mul-
tidimensional nature, it is an academic specific self-concept that has the
strongest association with academic achievements (Ghazvini, 2011) and
influences on students’ effort, engagement, persistence in classroom ac-
tivities; intrinsic motivation; help-seeking behaviour; and course selec-
tion (Bong & Skaalvik, 2003). For instance, Ghazvini (2011) found that
academic self-concept positively predicts achievements in literature and
mathematics.
As for the relationship part of wellbeing and its relationship with ac-
ademic achievement, the research has focused on the important others,
such as peers, friends, parents, teachers. Peers are important throughout
development, especially in the period of adolescence. For instance, friend-
ships in the preschool period are an important predictor of later academic
achievement (Ladd, 1990 cited in Peklaj & Pečjak, 2015), but some authors
propose the best period for studying the relationship between academic
achievement and peer relationships is early adolescence (ages 12–15 years),
as at that time along with rapid pubertal change, early adolescents experi-
ence an increasing desire for autonomy, focus on peers and social accept-
ance and are increasingly self-conscious (Johnson, Johnson, & Roseth,
2012). Similarly, the study of Jacobson & Burdsal (2012) found that ad-
olescents’ relationships with peers influence academic performance, but
they report on the small effects in this type of studies. Students who have
a reciprocated friendship in middle school show higher levels of pro-so-
cial behaviour and academic achievement (Wentzel, McNamarra Barry,
& Caldwell, 2004).
Along with peer relationships, teacher-student relationships matter
as well, as students spend a large amount of time in school. In his meta-anal-
ysis, White (2007) integrated the results of a large amount of studies from
1948 to 2004, which examined teacher-student relationship and its’ effect
on cognitive, behavioural, and affective students’ outcomes. The average
189
Another set of studies analysing indicators of wellbeing and academ-
ic achievement focused on positive emotionality and optimism. Positive
emotional expectations are associated with the use of active and prob-
lem focused coping strategies (Chemers, Hu, & Garcia, 2001). Individuals
with higher levels of optimism tend to have greater motivation and per-
sistence (Anderman, 2002; Haynes, Ruthig, Perry, Stupnisky, & Hall,
2006), higher efficacy, higher academic expectations and tend to have
more positive challenge-threat evaluations (Chemers et al., 2001). There
is, however, evidence that highly optimistic first year college students per-
form worse than their low optimistic peers. Too much optimism might
be problematic for individuals in transition from high school to college
(Haynes et al., 2006). As far as self-concept is concerned due to its mul-
tidimensional nature, it is an academic specific self-concept that has the
strongest association with academic achievements (Ghazvini, 2011) and
influences on students’ effort, engagement, persistence in classroom ac-
tivities; intrinsic motivation; help-seeking behaviour; and course selec-
tion (Bong & Skaalvik, 2003). For instance, Ghazvini (2011) found that
academic self-concept positively predicts achievements in literature and
mathematics.
As for the relationship part of wellbeing and its relationship with ac-
ademic achievement, the research has focused on the important others,
such as peers, friends, parents, teachers. Peers are important throughout
development, especially in the period of adolescence. For instance, friend-
ships in the preschool period are an important predictor of later academic
achievement (Ladd, 1990 cited in Peklaj & Pečjak, 2015), but some authors
propose the best period for studying the relationship between academic
achievement and peer relationships is early adolescence (ages 12–15 years),
as at that time along with rapid pubertal change, early adolescents experi-
ence an increasing desire for autonomy, focus on peers and social accept-
ance and are increasingly self-conscious (Johnson, Johnson, & Roseth,
2012). Similarly, the study of Jacobson & Burdsal (2012) found that ad-
olescents’ relationships with peers influence academic performance, but
they report on the small effects in this type of studies. Students who have
a reciprocated friendship in middle school show higher levels of pro-so-
cial behaviour and academic achievement (Wentzel, McNamarra Barry,
& Caldwell, 2004).
Along with peer relationships, teacher-student relationships matter
as well, as students spend a large amount of time in school. In his meta-anal-
ysis, White (2007) integrated the results of a large amount of studies from
1948 to 2004, which examined teacher-student relationship and its’ effect
on cognitive, behavioural, and affective students’ outcomes. The average
189
