Journal article

Publication year: 2014

Pages: 744-761

Journal: Journal of Educational Psychology

Volume number: 106

Issue number: 3

ISSN: 0022-0663

eISSN: 1939-2176

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035832

Publisher: American Psychological Association

Abstract: 
Self-handicapping represents a frequently used strategy for regulating the threat to self-esteem elicited by the fear of failing in academic achievement settings. Several studies have documented negative associations between self-handicapping and different educational outcomes, inter alia academic achievement. However, studies on the relation between self-handicapping and academic achievement have yielded heterogeneous results, indicating the need to conduct meta-analytic investigations and to examine the relevance of several potential moderator variables. This meta-analysis integrates the results of 36 field studies with 49 independent effect sizes (N = 25,550). A random effects model revealed a mean effect size between self-handicapping and academic achievement of r = -.23 (p < .001, range: r = -.46 to r = .02). Moreover, moderator analyses showed that the type of self-handicapping scale, the school type (elementary, middle, high school, university), the level of mastery goals in the sample, and the reliability of the self-handicapping scale considerably influenced the mean correlation. Based on our findings, we conclude that educational interventions to enhance academic achievement should additionally focus on preventing self-handicapping.

Harvard Citation style: Schwinger, M., Wirthwein, L., Lemmer, G. and Steinmayr, R. (2014) Academic Self-Handicapping and Achievement: A Meta-Analysis, Journal of Educational Psychology, 106(3), pp. 744-761. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035832

APA Citation style: Schwinger, M., Wirthwein, L., Lemmer, G., & Steinmayr, R. (2014). Academic Self-Handicapping and Achievement: A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Educational Psychology. 106(3), 744-761. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035832