Intrinsic Motivation and Achievement in Mathematics in Elementary School: A Longitudinal Investigation of Their Association
Abstract
This study examined the associations between intrinsic motivation and achievement in mathematics in a sample of 1,478 Canadian school-age children followed from Grades 1 to 4 (ages 7–10). Children self-reported their intrinsic motivation toward mathematics, whereas achievement was measured through direct assessment of mathematics abilities. Cross-lagged models showed that achievement predicted intrinsic motivation from Grades 1 to 2, and from Grades 2 to 4. However, intrinsic motivation did not predict achievement at any time. This developmental pattern of association was gender invariant. Contrary to the hypothesis that motivation and achievement are reciprocally associated over time, our results point to a directional association from prior achievement to subsequent intrinsic motivation. Results are discussed in light of their theoretical and practical implications.
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Achievement can affect motivation through experiences of success or failure.
“Yet the reverse relation is also often found, as achievement can affect motivation through experiences of success or failure (Garon-Carrier et al., 2016;Guay et al., 2003;Jansen et al., 2013).”
From Motivation-Achievement Cycles in Learning: a Literature Review and Research Agenda (2022) · cites this paper as Garon-Carrier et al., 2016
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A Meta-Analysis of Negative Feedback on Intrinsic Motivation
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- Authors
- Garon-Carrier, G., Boivin, M., Guay, F., Kovas, Y., Dionne, G., Lemelin, J.-P., Séguin, J. R., Vitaro, F., & Tremblay, R. E.
- Affiliations
- School of Psychology, Université Laval
- National Research Tomsk State University (RU)
- Université Laval (CA)
- University of London (GB)
- Université de Sherbrooke (CA)
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine (CA)
- Université de Montréal (CA)
- University College Dublin (IE)
- Corresponding author
- Boivin, Michel
- ORCID
- Venue
- Child Development
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2016-01-01
- Volume
- 87
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 165-175
- ISSN
- 0009-3920 (ISSN-L)
- 1467-8624
- OpenAlex
- W2128063851
- Cited by
- 178
- References
- 50
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 27 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 23 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 6
- FWCI
- 17.63
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- Child Development (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Goldsmiths (University of London) (acceptedVersion)
- Corpus Université Laval (Université Laval) (submittedVersion)
- Papyrus : Institutional Repository (Université de Montréal) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Québec Ministry of Health
- Fonds Québécois de la Recherche sur la Société et la Culture
- Social Science and Humanities Research Council
- Canadian Institutes for Health Research
- Russian Federation (11.G34.31.003)
- Canada Research Chair Program
- Fonds de Recherche du Québec-Société et Culture
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Education, Achievement, and Giftedness
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Psychological and Educational Research Studies
- Keywords
- intrinsic motivation, mathematics achievement, elementary school students, bidirectional relationship, gender invariance, longitudinal development, mathematics learning
- MeSH terms
- Achievement, Child, Child Development, Educational Measurement, Female, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Mathematics, Motivation, Quebec, Schools
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