Groups holding multiple achievement goals in the math classroom: Profile stability and cognitive and affective outcomes

Abstract

By using the 2 x 2 achievement goal framework, this study assessed the math achievement goal profiles of 488 Taiwanese students from Grades 7 to 8. In the first year, three math achievement goal profiles were identified using latent profile analysis: maladaptive, indifferent, and success-oriented. A slightly different profile, avoidant-but-adapting, was found in the second year in addition to the indifferent and success-oriented profiles. Success oriented students showed the most adaptive pattern of motivation, with high approach orientations, while maladaptive students demonstrated less-adaptive learning characteristics, with high avoidance orientations. Avoidant-but-adapting students exhibited high scores for avoidance and mastery-approach orientations. The goal profiles were investigated with respect to stability and change over one year transition. Our study reflects mastery-avoidance goal's unique contribution to the classification of students and its' influences on educational and psychological outcomes and provides insights into the 2 x 2 model of achievement goal orientations.