Author(s): Moreira, Paulo ; Faria, Vânia ; Cunha, Diana ; Inman, Richard A.
Date: 2022
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/11067/6354
Origin: Lusíada - Repositório das Universidades Lusíada
Subject(s): Transtheoretical model; Academic performance; Psychobiological processes; Adolescents; Latent Class Analysis (LCA)
This document is the authors’ version of the final accepted manuscript, published in 2020 by Learning and Individual Differences. doi: 10.1016/j.lindif.2019.101818
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Prof. Paulo Moreira, Instituto de Psicologia e de Ciências da Educação, Universidade Lusíada, Rua de Moçambique 21 e 71, Porto 4100-348, Portugal. Email: paulomoreira@por.ulusiada.pt
According to the transtheoretical model (TTM), intentional behavioral change to improve academic performance at school is a process that involves a progression through five discrete stages: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. The current person-centered study assessed the emotional and sociocognitive characteristics of adolescent students (n = 343) with distinct academic performance stage of change profiles. Latent class analysis revealed five emergent groups. These groups mapped well onto the different academic performance stages of change: (1) students in a precontemplation stage; (2) students transitioning from precontemplation to contemplation; (3) students in a contemplation/preparation stage; (4) students in an action/maintenance stage; and (5) students outside the change process due to strong prior academic performances. In accordance with the TTM, group differences in personality, wellbeing, emotional/behavioral problems, learning approaches, and engagement with school indicated students in the more advanced stages of change had more adaptive psychological resources.
