Trajectories of scholastic well-being: The effect of achievement emotions and instructional quality in the first year of secondary school (fifth grade)

Ramona Obermeier; Juliane Schlesier; Simon Meyer; Michaela Gläser-Zikuda

doi:10.1007/s11218-022-09726-2

Trajectories of scholastic well-being: The effect of achievement emotions and instructional quality in the first year of secondary school (fifth grade)

Soc Psychol Educ. 2022;25(5):1051-1070. doi: 10.1007/s11218-022-09726-2. Epub 2022 Aug 30.

Authors

Ramona Obermeier¹, Juliane Schlesier², Simon Meyer³, Michaela Gläser-Zikuda⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department for Educational Research, Linz School of Education, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Altenberger Str. 69, 4040 Linz, Austria.
² Department of Educational Sciences, Primary Education, University of Greifswald, Steinbecker Str. 15, 17487 Greifswald, Germany.
³ Department of Education, Institute of Primary Education Research, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Regensburger Str. 160, 90478 Nuremberg, Germany.
⁴ Department of Education, School Education and Instructional Research, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Regensburger Str. 160, D-90478 Nuremberg, Germany.

Abstract

Due to their connections with positive educational outcomes, the maintenance of good health and scholastic well-being are highly relevant topics. However, to date, no studies have investigated developmental changes in scholastic well-being in the light of achievement emotions and instructional quality-although these predictors offer good approaches for intervention. A sample of N = 667 (age: M = 10.16; SD = 0.46; 81.7% female) students was questioned three times over one year, from the beginning of their fifth grade into sixth grade, using reliable questionnaires. The results of multilevel linear growth curve modelling calculations show that a decrease in scholastic well-being during the fifth grade was induced by changes in the predictors (achievement emotions and instructional quality). Since the highest effects are evident regarding achievement emotions, support programs should focus on facilitating these aspects in secondary school children.

Keywords: Achievement emotions; Instructional quality; Scholastic well-being; Secondary school students; Transition.