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On the interplay between academic achievement and educational identity: A longitudinal study

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Pop, Eleonora Ioana, Negru‐Subtirica, Oana, Crocetti, Elisabetta, Opre, Adrian, Meeus, Wim·2016·Journal of Adolescence
DOI 10.1016/j.adolescence.2015.11.004
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Abstract

The present three‐wave longitudinal study provides empirical evidence for the mechanisms of the bright and dark sides of identity development in the academic context. First, we investigated the patterns of stability and change in educational identity and academic achievement among adolescents. Second, we examined the reciprocal associations between identity processes (i.e., commitment, in‐depth exploration, and reconsideration of commitment) and academic achievement. The main results of the study highlighted that academic achievement predicts the manner in which adolescents deal with their identity issues in the academic context. Thus, high academic achievement leads to high levels of commitment (identity synthesis), while low academic achievement leads to high levels of reconsideration of commitment (identity confusion). This unidirectional pattern of effects applied equally to adolescent boys and girls, early‐to‐middle and middle‐to‐late adolescents, and to adolescents attending theoretical and vocational schools. Practical implications are discussed.

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  • More adaptive identity processes predict positive outcomes, such as life satisfaction and self-esteem, civic beliefs, and academic engagement and achievement.

    “more adaptive identity processes predict positive outcomes, such as life satisfaction and self-esteem [32], civic beliefs [33], and academic engagement [34,32], and achievement [35]”

    From Adolescent identity development in context. (2022) · cites this paper as [35]

    Citation [35] is attached to academic achievement, so the other outcomes in the sentence are not at issue. The Discussion (page unavailable) says that academic achievement predicts educational identity development, “not the other way around.” The Cross-lagged analyses report one narrow exception: educational commitment predicted later GPA for boys, but not girls. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Pop, E. I., Negru‐Subtirica, O., Crocetti, E., Opre, A., & Meeus, W.
Affiliations
  • Babeș-Bolyai University (RO)
  • Utrecht University (NL)
Corresponding author
Pop, Eleonora Ioana
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Adolescence
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2015-12-08
Volume
47
Issue
1
Pages
135-144
ISSN
  • 0140-1971 (ISSN-L)
  • 1095-9254
DOI
10.1016/j.adolescence.2015.11.004
OpenAlex
W2191643995
Cited by
99
References
7
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 2
FWCI
21.91
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Adolescence (publishedVersion)
  • Research portal (Tilburg University) (publishedVersion)
  • Tilburg University Research Portal (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
  • Archivio istituzionale della ricerca (Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna) (submittedVersion)
  • Utrecht University Repository (Utrecht University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Utrecht University Repository (Utrecht University) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Autoritatea Natională pentru Cercetare Stiintifică
  • Unitatea Executiva pentru Finantarea Invatamantului Superior, a Cercetarii, Dezvoltarii si Inovarii
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Identity, Memory, and Therapy
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Education, Achievement, and Giftedness
  • Social Sciences › Safety Research › Career Development and Diversity
Keywords
educational identity, academic performance, identity construction, identity commitment, identity confusion, identity exploration, adolescents, gender differences
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Psychology, Adolescent, Educational Status, Female, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Self Concept, Young Adult

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