Cited by 251Education, Achievement, and GiftednessMotivation and Self-Concept in SportsInnovative Teaching and Learning Methods

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 163 of the 163 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Development of Motivational Variables and Self-Esteem During the School Career: A Meta-Analysis of Longitudinal Studies

Scherrer, Vsevolod, Preckel, Franzis·2019·Review of Educational Research

DOI 10.3102/0034654318819127

Open this paper in CoChat — free account

Abstract

Theoretical approaches and empirical research suggest a decline in the levels of motivational variables and self-esteem among students during the school career. However, precise statements about the magnitude of the change remain elusive. Conducting a meta-analysis of 107 independent longitudinal studies with 912 effect sizes, we found an overall decrease of Glass’s Δ = −.108 over an average duration of 1.654 years. Change significantly differed by construct with the largest decreases in intrinsic motivation, math and language academic self-concepts, mastery achievement goals, and performance-approach achievement goals. There were no significant mean-level changes in self-esteem, general academic self-concept, academic self-efficacy, and performance avoidance achievement goals. School stage and transition to middle school or high school were not significantly associated with the change. Findings generalized over academic domain and questionnaire used for all constructs except for academic self-concept. The decline was larger in Europe than in North America or Asia.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.3102/0034654318819127

Cites

163 of 163 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Recomputing p-values needs the paper’s full text.

Claims the paper makes

This paper’s full text isn’t openly available, so its claims and self-check weren’t run. The registry and citation checks still apply.

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

Bias in meta-analysis detected by a simple, graphical test
Egger, M., Smith, G. D., Schneider, M., & Minder, C. (1997) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.315.7109.629 · Cited by 56,722
Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being.
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000) · American Psychologist · doi:10.1037//0003-066x.55.1.68 · Cited by 54,599
Society and the Adolescent Self-Image
Lee, D. J. (1969) · Sociology · doi:10.1177/003803856900300250 · Cited by 22,796
Conducting Meta-Analyses in R with the metafor Package
Viechtbauer, W. (2010) · Journal of Statistical Software · doi:10.18637/jss.v036.i03 · Cited by 20,464
Self-Reports in Organizational Research: Problems and Prospects
Podsakoff, P. M., & Organ, D. W. (1986) · Journal of Management · doi:10.1177/014920638601200408 · Cited by 17,102
Introduction to Meta‐Analysis
Borenstein, M., Hedges, L. V., Higgins, J. P. T., & Rothstein, H. R. (2009) · doi:10.1002/9780470743386 · Cited by 14,225
Trim and Fill: A Simple Funnel‐Plot–Based Method of Testing and Adjusting for Publication Bias in Meta‐Analysis
Duval, S., & Tweedie, R. (2000) · Biometrics · doi:10.1111/j.0006-341x.2000.00455.x · Cited by 14,099
Motivational and self-regulated learning components of classroom academic performance.
Pintrich, P. R., & De Groot, E. V. (1990) · Journal of Educational Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-0663.82.1.33 · Cited by 8,332
Perceived self-efficacy in cognitive development and functioning
Bandura, A. (1993) · Educational Psychologist · doi:10.1207/s15326985ep2802_3 · Cited by 7,655
Motivational beliefs, values, and goals
Eccles, J. S., & Wigfield, A. (2002) · Annual Review of Psychology · doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.53.100901.135153 · Cited by 7,587

Show all 159 references

Research works printed but not linked: 20

Anderman E. M., 1999, Journal of Research and Development in Education, 32, 131
Bowles T., 1999, Journal of Applied Health Behaviour, 1, 1
Chubb N. H., 1997, Adolescence, 32, 113
10.1037/0022-0663.83.1.17 · DOI · Paper page
Eccles J. S., 1983, Achievement and achievement motivation, 75
Eccles J. S., 1989, Research on motivation in education: Vol. 3. Goals and cognitions, 139
10.1037/0022-3514.80.3.501 · DOI · Paper page
10.2307/1170275 · DOI · Paper page
Harter S., 1985, The development of the self, 55
Harter S., 1999, Distinguished contributions in psychology. The construction of the self: A developmental perspective
Krapp A., 1993, Zeitschrift für Entwicklungspsychologie und pädagogische Psychologie, 10, 120
10.1037/0022-3514.81.6.1190 · DOI · Paper page
O’Mara A. J., 2006, International Education Journal, 7, 524
10.3102/00346543066004543 · DOI · Paper page
10.1037//0022-0663.88.3.408 · DOI
10.1037/0003-066x.55.1.68 · DOI · Paper page
10.1207/s15326985ep2603&4_2 · DOI
10.2307/1170010 · DOI · Paper page
Simmons R. G., 1987, Moving into adolescence: The impact of pubertal change and school context
Wigfield A., 2005, Handbook of competence and motivation, 202

Sorted by citations

Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation from a self-determination theory perspective: Definitions, theory, practices, and future directions
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2020) · Contemporary Educational Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.cedpsych.2020.101860 · Cited by 6,037
“…research from multiple countries suggests that it tends to decline over the school years—at least for school-related activities (e.g., Lepper, Corpus, & Iyengar, 2005; Gillet, Vallerand, & Lafreniere, 2012; Gottfried, Marcoulides, Gottfried, Oliver, & Guerin, 2007; Scherrer & Preckel, 2019).”
Motivation and social cognitive theory
Schunk, D. H., & DiBenedetto, M. K. (2020) · Contemporary Educational Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.cedpsych.2019.101832 · Cited by 2,416
Pathways to Student Motivation: A Meta-Analysis of Antecedents of Autonomous and Controlled Motivations
Bureau, J. S., Howard, J. L., Chong, J. X. Y., & Guay, F. (2022) · Review of Educational Research · doi:10.3102/00346543211042426 · Cited by 414
“This finding might be particularly important considering the general decline in school motivation that occurs as students progress from one grade to the next (Scherrer & Preckel, 2019).”
Background
Motivation-Achievement Cycles in Learning: a Literature Review and Research Agenda
Vu, T., Magis-Weinberg, L., Jansen, B. R. J., van Atteveldt, N., Janssen, T. W. P., Lee, N. C., van der Maas, H. L. J., Raijmakers, M. E. J., Sachisthal, M. S. M., & Meeter, M. (2022) · Educational Psychology Review · doi:10.1007/s10648-021-09616-7 · Cited by 224
“Social cognitive accounts often postulate that the development of more sophisticated cognitive capacities with age allows adolescents to improve performance but also to be more aware of their own abilities and those of their peers (Dweck, 2000, Scherrer and Preckel, 2019).”
BackgroundMethodInfluential
Gamification enhances student intrinsic motivation, perceptions of autonomy and relatedness, but minimal impact on competency: a meta-analysis and systematic review
Li, L., Hew, K. F., & Du, J. (2024) · Educational Technology Research and Development · doi:10.1007/s11423-023-10337-7 · Cited by 475
“Studies have shown that students’ intrinsic motivation in school-related activities tends to decline over the school year (Gnambs & Hanfstingl, 2016; Lepper et al., 2005; Ryan & Deci, 2020; Scherrer & Preckel, 2019).”
Parents’ perceptions of student academic motivation during the COVID-19 lockdown: a cross-country comparison.
Zaccoletti, S., Camacho, A., Correia, N., Aguiar, C., Mason, L., Alves, R. A., & Daniel, J. R. (2020) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.592670 · Cited by 209
Modeling the structural relationship among primary students’ motivation to learn artificial intelligence
Lin, P.-Y., Chai, C.-S., Jong, M. S.-Y., Dai, Y., Guo, Y., & Qin, J. (2021) · Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence · doi:10.1016/j.caeai.2020.100006 · Cited by 171
Is it still worth it? Applying expectancy-value theory to investigate the intraindividual motivational process of forming intentions to drop out from university
Schnettler, T., Bobe, J., Scheunemann, A., Fries, S., & Grunschel, C. (2020) · Motivation and Emotion · doi:10.1007/s11031-020-09822-w · Cited by 152
“In macro longitudinal studies, expectancy and value, as well as related constructs, decreased (cf. Durik et al. 2006; Jacobs et al. 2002; Musu-Gillette et al. 2015; Scherrer and Preckel 2019), but literature does not provide clear guidance in this downward trend (cf.”
BackgroundResultInfluential
Satisfied and High Performing? A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review of the Correlates of Teachers’ Job Satisfaction
Wartenberg, G., Aldrup, K., Grund, S., & Klusmann, U. (2023) · Educational Psychology Review · doi:10.1007/s10648-023-09831-4 · Cited by 180
“Empirical evidence suggests that these sample characteristics account for different experiences of job satisfaction and influence the development of the observed performance outcomes (Ettekal & Shi, 2020; Scherrer & Preckel, 2019; Toropova et al., 2021).”
Motivation matters: predicting students’ career decidedness and intention to drop out after the first year in higher education
Bargmann, C., Thiele, L., & Kauffeld, S. (2021) · Higher Education · doi:10.1007/s10734-021-00707-6 · Cited by 120
Gender-moderated effects of academic self-concept on achievement, motivation, performance, and self-efficacy: A systematic review
Wang, L.-H., & Yu, Z.-G. (2023) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1136141 · Cited by 90
“Strong self-efficacy usually made students courageous to meet academic challenges while weak self-efficacy made students fearful of engaging in academic activities (Scherrer and Preckel, 2019).”
BackgroundInfluential
Same mindset, different goals and motivational frameworks: Profiles of mindset-based meaning systems
Yu, J., & McLellan, R. (2020) · Contemporary Educational Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.cedpsych.2020.101901 · Cited by 99
Guidance and Counselling in Education
Dianovi, A., Siregar, D., Mawaddah, I. A., & Suryaningsih, S. (2022) · World Psychology · doi:10.55849/wp.v1i2.95 · Cited by 69
“…that he lacks motivation and achievement in learning, it is hoped that the individual does not have a sense of inferiority or hopelessness and other negative feelings, but instead, he is more excited, more actively studying to correct his shortcomings and is expected to catch up (Scherrer, 2019).”
Background
Mastery-approach goals: A large-scale cross-cultural analysis of antecedents and consequences.
Guo, J., Hu, X., Elliot, A. J., Marsh, H. W., Murayama, K., Basarkod, G., Parker, P. D., & Dicke, T. (2022) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/pspp0000436 · Cited by 82
“…goals and their associations with their antecedents and consequences might differ across ages (e.g., Paulick et al., 2013; Scherrer et al., 2020; also see Scherrer & Preckel, 2019, for a meta-analytic review), potentially limiting the generalizability of our ﬁ ndings to other developmental periods.”
How changes in teachers' dialogic discourse practice relate to changes in students' activation, motivation and cognitive engagement
Böheim, R., Schnitzler, K., Gröschner, A., Weil, M., Knogler, M., Schindler, A.-K., Alles, M., & Seidel, T. (2020) · Learning Culture and Social Interaction · doi:10.1016/j.lcsi.2020.100450 · Cited by 81
The developmental trajectory of intrinsic reading motivation: Measurement invariance, group variations, and implications for reading proficiency
Miyamoto, A., Murayama, K., & Lechner, C. M. (2020) · Contemporary Educational Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.cedpsych.2020.101921 · Cited by 56
When do students begin to think that one has to be either a “math person” or a “language person”? A meta-analytic review.
Wan, S., Lauermann, F., Bailey, D. H., & Eccles, J. S. (2021) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/bul0000340 · Cited by 64
Mindfulness as an intrapreneurship tool for improving the working environment and self-awareness
Aránega, A. Y., Núñez, M. T. D. V., & Sánchez, R. C. (2020) · Journal of Business Research · doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.04.022 · Cited by 67
Four Guideposts toward an Integrated Model of Academic Motivation: Motivational Resilience, Academic Identity, Complex Social Ecologies, and Development
Skinner, E. A. (2023) · Educational Psychology Review · doi:10.1007/s10648-023-09790-w · Cited by 74
“…have also consistently shown that intrinsic motivation for school-related activities, like academic motivation and engagement more generally (Wigfield et al., 2015), seem to decline as children progress through school, a trend found across multiple countries (e.g., Scherrer & Preckel, 2019).”
Background
Effects of peer tutoring on middle school students’ mathematics self-concepts
Miravet, L. M., & Alegre, F. (2020) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0231410 · Cited by 76
“This research aims directly at students’ self-concepts regarding mathematics, which is the academic subject students spent the most time studying [22].”
Background
The transmission of values from math teachers to their ninth-grade students: Different mechanisms for different value dimensions?
Parrisius, C., Gaspard, H., Trautwein, U., & Nagengast, B. (2020) · Contemporary Educational Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.cedpsych.2020.101891 · Cited by 58
The Effect of Self-Development Program for Improving Independence in Defective Students in SLB N 1 Lima Kaum Batusangkar
Rahmah, A., Rouns, E., & Luck, A. (2022) · World Psychology · doi:10.55849/wp.v1i2.96 · Cited by 48
“Understanding the needs of children with special needs will be useful in providing learning for them through self-development programs (Ehm, 2019; Harris, 2018; Scherrer, 2019).”
Background
Education as Flourishing
Ryan, R. M., Reeve, J., Kaplan, H., Matos, L., & Cheon, S. H. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197600047.013.60 · Cited by 50
Stability and changes in high school students' STEM career expectations: Variability based on STEM support and parent education
Starr, C. R., Carranza, P. R., & Simpkins, S. D. (2022) · Journal of Adolescence · doi:10.1002/jad.12067 · Cited by 40
“Though the existing literature focuses on declines in individuals' STEM motivation and how many people leave STEM (e.g., Ball et al., 2017; Scherrer & Preckel, 2019), there are actually four unique patterns of stability and change over time, including stable STEM career expectations or switching…”
Background
Self-regulated and externally regulated learning in adolescence: Developmental trajectories and relations with teacher behavior, parent behavior, and academic achievement.
Bardach, L., Yanagida, T., Goetz, T., Jach, H. K., & Pekrun, R. H. (2023) · Developmental Psychology · doi:10.1037/dev0001537 · Cited by 53
“…suggests that a mismatch between adolescents’ growing desire for autonomy and control and their perceptions of opportunities in their social environment may lead to academic disengagement, including decreases in SRL (e.g., Eccles & Roeser, 2009; Scherrer & Preckel, 2019; Wang & Pomerantz, 2009).”
Background
The Cult of the Child: A Critical Examination of Its Consequences on Parents, Teachers and Children
Dupont, S., Mikolajczak, M., & Roskam, I. (2022) · Social Sciences · doi:10.3390/socsci11030141 · Cited by 36
A Systematic Literature Synthesis of 19 Years of Bilingual Education in Chinese Higher Education: Where Does the Academic Discourse Stand?
Tong, F., Wang, Z., Min, Y., & Tang, S. (2020) · SAGE Open · doi:10.1177/2158244020926510 · Cited by 34
Short breaks at school: effects of a physical activity and a mindfulness intervention on children's attention, reading comprehension, and self-esteem
Müller, C. A., Otto, B., Sawitzki, V., Kanagalingam, P., Scherer, J.-S., & Lindberg, S. I. (2021) · Trends in Neuroscience and Education · doi:10.1016/j.tine.2021.100160 · Cited by 51
“Apart from attention and reading, another necessity for learning and academic success at school is self-esteem [60].”
Background
Academic Self-Concept Dramatically Declines in Secondary School: Personal and Contextual Determinants
Postigo, Á., Fernández-Alonso, R., Fonseca‐Pedrero, E., González‐Nuevo, C., & Muñiz, J. (2022) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph19053010 · Cited by 33
“For example, [41] found a significant fall in motivational variables as students”
BackgroundResult
Longitudinal interrelations among self-efficacy, interest value, and effort cost in adolescent students’ English achievement and future choice intentions
Zhang, L., Jiang, Y., & Chen, S. (2023) · Contemporary Educational Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.cedpsych.2023.102176 · Cited by 34
Association between School Contexts and the Development of Subjective Well-Being during Adolescence: A Context-Sensitive Longitudinal Study of Life Satisfaction and School Satisfaction
Wu, Y.-J., & Becker, M. (2023) · Journal of Youth and Adolescence · doi:10.1007/s10964-022-01727-w · Cited by 44
Validation of the Student Version of the Perceptions of Inclusion Questionnaire in Primary and Secondary Education Settings
Knickenberg, M., Zurbriggen, C., & Schwab, S. (2022) · SAGE Open · doi:10.1177/21582440221079896 · Cited by 35
Understanding the Development of Self-Regulated Learning: An Intervention Study to Promote Self-Regulated Learning in Vocational Schools
Mejeh, M., & Held, T. (2022) · Vocations and Learning · doi:10.1007/s12186-022-09298-4 · Cited by 65
The reciprocity between various motivation constructs and academic achievement: a systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis of longitudinal studies
Vu, T., Scharmer, A. L., van Triest, E., van Atteveldt, N., & Meeter, M. (2024) · Educational Psychology · doi:10.1080/01443410.2024.2307960 · Cited by 51
“Motivation tends to decline throughout primary and secondary education (Scherrer & Preckel, 2019).”
Background
Students’ motivational trajectories in vocational education: Effects of a self-regulated learning environment
Held, T., & Mejeh, M. (2024) · Heliyon · doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29526 · Cited by 71
“Despite the importance of motivation, several findings have revealed a decline in students ’ motivation in compulsory education and especially in lower secondary education [3, 4].”
How Personality Matters for Education Research
Jach, H. K., Bardach, L., & Murayama, K. (2023) · Educational Psychology Review · doi:10.1007/s10648-023-09807-4 · Cited by 47
Academic motivation of intellectually gifted students and their classmates in regular primary school classes: A multidimensional, longitudinal, person- and variable-centered approach
Hornstra, L., Mathijssen, A. C. S., Denissen, J. J. A., & Bakx, A. (2023) · Learning and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.lindif.2023.102345 · Cited by 25
Socioeconomic status and students' science self‐efficacy
Tan, C. Y., Gao, L., Hong, X., & Song, Q. (2023) · British Educational Research Journal · doi:10.1002/berj.3869 · Cited by 37
Identifying multilevel factors on student mathematics performance for Singapore, Korea, Finland, and Denmark in PISA 2022: considering individualistic versus collectivistic cultures
Niu, J., Hui, X., & Yu, J. (2025) · Humanities and Social Sciences Communications · doi:10.1057/s41599-025-04466-y · Cited by 32
“Additionally, mathematics motivation has also been viewed as a crucial predictor of student mathematics performance in previous cases (e.g., Østbø and Zachrisson, 2022; Scherrer and Preckel, 2019; Shin et al. 2009; F. Wang et al. 2023).”
Engineering students’ perceptions of the role of work industry-related activities on their motivation for studying and learning in higher education
Pantzos, P., Gumaelius, L., Buckley, J., & Pears, A. (2022) · European Journal of Engineering Education · doi:10.1080/03043797.2022.2093167 · Cited by 25
“Despite the important role of intrinsic motivation in learning and development, research from several countries has shown that it seems to decrease over time between school years (Gillet, Vallerand, and Lafreniere 2012; Gnambs and Hanfstingl 2016; Scherrer and Preckel 2019).”
Background
Achievement, self‐concept and anxiety in mathematics and English: A thre e‐wave cross‐lagged panel study
Zhang, J., Chiu, M. M., & Lei, H. (2022) · British Journal of Educational Psychology · doi:10.1111/bjep.12539 · Cited by 30
Mindset profiles of secondary school students: Associations with academic achievement, motivation and school burnout symptoms
Altikulaç, S., Janssen, T. W. P., Yu, J., Nieuwenhuis, S., & van Atteveldt, N. (2024) · British Journal of Educational Psychology · doi:10.1111/bjep.12676 · Cited by 33
Situating Expectancies and Subjective Task Values Across Grade Levels, Domains, and Countries: A Network Approach
Tang, X., Lee, H. R., Wan, S., Gaspard, H., & Salmela‐Aro, K. (2022) · AERA Open · doi:10.1177/23328584221117168 · Cited by 30
Niveles de adherencia a la dieta mediterránea e inteligencia emocional en estudiantes del tercer ciclo de educación primaria de la provincia de Granada (Levels of adherence to the Mediterranean diet and emotional intelligence in students of the third cycl
Melguizo-Ibáñez, E., Ortega, F. Z., Ubago-Jiménez, J. L., & González-Valero, G. (2020) · Retos · doi:10.47197/retos.v1i40.82997 · Cited by 24
“Para registrar los datos de la variable dieta mediterránea, se ha empleó el test KIDMED, concretamente la versión utilizada, adaptada y traducida al castellano por Serrá-Majem et al. (2004).”
Background
Understanding why apprentices consider dropping out: longitudinal prediction of apprentices’ workplace interest and anxiety
Powers, T., & Watt, H. M. G. (2021) · Empirical research in vocational education and training · doi:10.1186/s40461-020-00106-8 · Cited by 25
“Other studies revealed decreases in academic interest during high school (see meta-analysis by Scherrer and Preckel 2019) including school-based apprenticeships (Swiss apprentices; Gurtner et al.”
Result
When Insecure Self-Worth Drains Students’ Energy: Academic Contingent Self-Esteem and Parents’ and Teachers’ Perceived Conditional Regard as Predictors of School Burnout
Lavrijsen, J., Soenens, B., Vansteenkiste, M., & Verschueren, K. (2023) · Journal of Youth and Adolescence · doi:10.1007/s10964-023-01749-y · Cited by 22
“Second, the transition into secondary education often signi ﬁ es a move into a more competitive, rigid and less supportive environment (Evans et al., 2018), and is often accompanied with a general decline in students ’ school engagement (Scherrer & Preckel, 2019).”
Background
Analyzing the network structure of students’ motivation to learn AI: a self-determination theory perspective
Li, J., Zhang, J., Chai, C. S., Lee, V. W. Y., Zhai, X., Wang, X., & King, R. B. (2025) · npj Science of Learning · doi:10.1038/s41539-025-00339-w · Cited by 35
“Perhaps, the need for constant updating of knowledge to stay abreast of the rapid technological advancement may make intrinsic motivation and identi ﬁ ed regulation harder to sustain 69,70 .”
Do teachers’ engaging messages predict motivation to learn and performance?
Santana‐Monagas, E., Putwain, D. W., Alonso, J. L. N., Loro-Ferrer, J. F., & León, J. (2021) · Revista de Psicodidáctica (English ed ) · doi:10.1016/j.psicoe.2021.11.001 · Cited by 30
Daily Fluctuations in Motivation
Bellhäuser, H., Mattes, B., & Liborius, P. (2019) · Zeitschrift für Entwicklungspsychologie und Pädagogische Psychologie · doi:10.1026/0049-8637/a000226 · Cited by 20
“Why don’t they participate?” Reasons for nonparticipation in adult learning and education from the viewpoint of self-determination theory
Kalenda, J., & Kočvarová, I. (2022) · European Journal for Research on the Education and Learning of Adults · doi:10.3384/rela.2000-7426.3535 · Cited by 24
“You Are so Smart!”: The Role of Giftedness, Parental Feedback, and Parents’ Mindsets in Predicting Students’ Mindsets
Boncquet, M., Lavrijsen, J., Vansteenkiste, M., Verschueren, K., & Soenens, B. (2022) · Gifted Child Quarterly · doi:10.1177/00169862221084238 · Cited by 21
Development of preservice teachers’ competence beliefs, career values, and perceptions of teaching as a profession: A longitudinal study
Yu, X., An, M., & Zhao, X. (2023) · Heliyon · doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13918 · Cited by 18
“, elementary school, middle school, or high school students), it is already known that their competence beliefs and task values exhibit an overall decline in many ways during their school years [11,12].”
Background
Deadlines make you productive, but what do they do to your motivation? Trajectories in quantity and quality of motivation and study activities among university students as exams approach
Capelle, J. D., Senker, K., Fries, S., & Grund, A. (2023) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1224533 · Cited by 22
Motivation and Evaluation in Education from the Sustainability Perspective: A Review of the Scientific Literature
Santamaría, J. S., Cervantes, B. I. B., López-Garrido, F.-M., & Alcalá, D. H. (2021) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su13074047 · Cited by 22
“Scherrer and Preckel [17] 2019 Germany 107 25,340 To study the effects of the levels of motivational variables and self-esteem among students during the school career Motivation, self-esteem stageenvironment fit Change significantly differed by construct with the largest decreases in intrinsic motivation”
Background
The development of mathematics expectancy-value profiles during the secondary–tertiary transition into STEM fields
Mayerhofer, M., Lüftenegger, M., & Eichmair, M. (2024) · International Journal of STEM Education · doi:10.1186/s40594-024-00491-6 · Cited by 20
“Students with high expectancy of success, as measured by their level of self-efficacy, also exhibit high engagement and persistence (Scherrer & Preckel, 2019).”
Background
Self‐esteem in adolescents with learning difficulties: A study from the perspective of the students, parents, and teachers
Caqueo‐Urízar, A., Mena‐Chamorro, P., Atencio‐Quevedo, D., Flores, J., & Alfonso Urzúa, M. (2021) · Psychology in the Schools · doi:10.1002/pits.22572 · Cited by 27
The Concurrent Trajectories of Utility Value, Metacognitive Strategy Use, and Achievement
Cai, Y., King, R. B., & McInerney, D. M. (2022) · The Journal of Experimental Education · doi:10.1080/00220973.2022.2053496 · Cited by 18
“It also mirrors past studies showing declines in adaptive motivational factors across time (Gillet et al., 2012; Gottfried et al., 2007; Lepper et al., 2005; Scherrer & Preckel, 2019; Watt, 2004).”
Result
Perceived school climate and school grades in secondary school students: The mediating effect of self-determined motivation
Verner‐Filion, J., Véronneau, M., Vaillancourt, M.-C., & Mathys, C. (2023) · Contemporary Educational Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.cedpsych.2023.102202 · Cited by 28
Science motivation, academic achievement, career aspirations in early adolescents
Putwain, D. W., Mallaburn, A., & Held, T. (2024) · Learning and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.lindif.2024.102577 · Cited by 22
The stability of students’ academic achievement in school: A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies
Scherrer, V., Breit, M., & Preckel, F. (2025) · Educational Research Review · doi:10.1016/j.edurev.2025.100687 · Cited by 20
Self-citation
The Changes in Lower Secondary School Students’ Interest During Collaborative Learning
Tatiana, S., Järvenoja, H., Mänty, K., Peltonen, J. A., & Järvelä, S. (2021) · Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research · doi:10.1080/00313831.2021.1958377 · Cited by 21
Development of adolescents’ self-esteem and general academic self-concept: perceived classroom climate makes a difference
Scherrer, V., Hank, P., & Preckel, F. (2022) · European Journal of Personality · doi:10.1177/08902070221126789 · Cited by 22
“Recent meta-analyses of longitudinal studies have investigated how self-perceptions change throughout the school career (Orth et al., 2018; Scherrer & Preckel, 2019).”
BackgroundMethodResultInfluentialSelf-citation
Fostering excellence: Nurturing motivation and performance among high- and average-ability students through need-supportive teaching
Lavrijsen, J., Sypré, S., Soenens, B., Vansteenkiste, M., Camerman, E., Ramos, A., & Verschueren, K. (2024) · Journal of School Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.jsp.2024.101322 · Cited by 17
“This study was carried out in a sample of early adolescents after the transition to secondary school in Flanders, which is a period characterized by a general decline in students' school engagement (Scherrer & Preckel, 2019).”
How are incremental theories about studying motivation related to effective motivation regulation?
Trautner, M., & Schwinger, M. (2022) · Learning and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.lindif.2022.102232 · Cited by 19
The positive feedback loop between academic self-efficacy, academic initiative, and Grade Point Average: a parallel process latent growth curve model
Kristensen, S. M., Danielsen, A. G., Urke, H. B., Larsen, T. B., & Aanes, M. M. (2023) · Educational Psychology · doi:10.1080/01443410.2023.2242603 · Cited by 20
The intraindividual dynamics of university students' motivation and emotions: The role of autonomy‐supportive learning climates and learning activities
Lo, M. (2024) · British Journal of Educational Psychology · doi:10.1111/bjep.12703 · Cited by 20
Los efectos a largo plazo de las competencias emocionales y la autoestima en los síntomas internalizantes en la adolescencia
Schoeps, K., Tamarit, A., Postigo-Zegarra, S., & Montoya-Castilla, I. (2021) · Revista de Psicodidactica · doi:10.1016/j.psicod.2020.12.001 · Cited by 12
¿Predicen los mensajes del profesorado la motivación para aprender y el rendimiento?
Santana‐Monagas, E., Putwain, D. W., Alonso, J. L. N., Loro-Ferrer, J. F., & León, J. (2021) · Revista de Psicodidáctica · doi:10.1016/j.psicod.2021.11.001 · Cited by 19
Selbstkonzept
Møller, J., & Trautwein, U. (2020) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-662-61403-7_8 · Cited by 14
Correction to: Is it still worth it? Applying expectancy-value theory to investigate the intraindividual motivational process of forming intentions to drop out from university
Schnettler, T., Bobe, J., Scheunemann, A., Fries, S., & Grunschel, C. (2020) · Motivation and Emotion · doi:10.1007/s11031-020-09849-z · Cited by 14
Beneficial and negative factors for the development of students’ well-being in educational context
Stang‐Rabrig, J., Schwerter, J., Witmer, M., & McElvany, N. (2022) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-022-04067-x · Cited by 30
“For example, some studies revealed that aspects of SWB decrease over the course of students’ school years (Burke & Minton, 2019; Casas & González-Carrasco, 2019; Scherrer & Preckel, 2019), while other studies found a positive trajectory or stability (e.g., Steinmayr et al., 2019).”
Profiles of achievement goal orientations among adolescents with different SES background before and during the Covid-19 pandemic
Erentaitė, R., Vosylis, R., Raižienė, S., Simonaitienė, B., Augustinienė, A., & Branje, S. (2022) · European Journal of Developmental Psychology · doi:10.1080/17405629.2022.2122435 · Cited by 13
Gender differences in reading: Examining text-based interest in relation to text characteristics and reading comprehension
Lepper, C., Stang‐Rabrig, J., & McElvany, N. (2022) · Learning and Instruction · doi:10.1016/j.learninstruc.2022.101680 · Cited by 21
A Gamified Experiential Learning Intervention for Engaging Students Through Satisfying Needs
David, L., & Weinstein, N. (2023) · Journal of Educational Technology Systems · doi:10.1177/00472395231174614 · Cited by 29
“Research suggests teachers do not consistently create need-satisfying contexts that foster academic well-being (Gillet et al., 2012; Gnambs & Hasfstingl, 2016; Gottfried et al., 2007; Lepper et al., 2005; Scherrer & Preckel, 2019).”
Background
Motivational Aspects of Students’ Amount of Reading and Affective Reading Experiences in a School Context: A Large-Scale Study of Grades 6 and 9
Winberg, M., Tegmark, M., Vinterek, M., & Alatalo, T. (2022) · Reading Psychology · doi:10.1080/02702711.2022.2118914 · Cited by 14
Sustainable Development of High School English Learners in China: Motivation and Its Impact on Their English Achievement
Jiao, S., & Liang, F. (2022) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su141912619 · Cited by 18
Bedeutung der wahrgenommenen Motivierungsqualität für intrinsische Motivation und Selbstkonzept von Grundschulkindern
Lepper, C., Stang‐Rabrig, J., & McElvany, N. (2021) · Unterrichtswissenschaft · doi:10.1007/s42010-021-00121-y · Cited by 15
Nature, implications and determinants of academic motivation profiles among upper elementary and secondary students
Šakan, D., Tóth‐Király, I., & Morin, A. J. S. (2023) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-023-04687-x · Cited by 17
“Generally, research has revealed changes in students’ levels of academic motivation between these two developmental periods (e.g., Grouzet et al., 2006; Scherrer & Preckel, 2019).”
Interconnected trajectories of achievement goals, academic achievement, and well-being: Insights from an expanded goal framework
Yu, J., Kreijkes, P., & Salmela‐Aro, K. (2023) · Learning and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.lindif.2023.102384 · Cited by 25
Error climate and alienation from teachers: A longitudinal analysis in primary school
Steuer, G., Grecu, A. L., & Morinaj, J. (2024) · British Journal of Educational Psychology · doi:10.1111/bjep.12659 · Cited by 11
Perceived quality of parental homework assistance and students' academic functioning in secondary school – Does grade level play a role?
Benckwitz, L., Kohl, K., Suárez, N., Núñez, J. C., & Guill, K. (2024) · Learning and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.lindif.2024.102422 · Cited by 13
Teacher autonomy support counters declining trend in intrinsic reading motivation across secondary school
Engler, L., & Westphal, A. (2024) · European Journal of Psychology of Education · doi:10.1007/s10212-024-00842-5 · Cited by 22
“…theories, the decline in IRM across secondary school may be due to adolescents gaining greater needs for autonomy and social acceptance, which are often not met in higher grades where less autonomy is given to students regarding their studies (for a similar suggestion see Scherrer & Preckel, 2019).”
Influential
Secondary students' emotions, perceptions of instructional quality, and achievement in Mathematics: A representative study with Swiss students towards the end of compulsory education
Hascher, T., Hagenauer, G., & Sacchi, S. (2024) · Contemporary Educational Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.cedpsych.2024.102295 · Cited by 18
Parental homework-help profiles throughout grades 6 – 9: Relations to motivation and mathematics skills
Kikas, E., Mädamürk, K., & Šilinskas, G. (2022) · Frontiers in Education · doi:10.3389/feduc.2022.914992 · Cited by 12
“Learning in middle school is challenging, and many children experience a decline in school performance and motivation (Scherrer and Preckel, 2019).”
Background
Mexican school students’ perceptions of inclusion: A brief report on students’ social inclusion, emotional well-being, and academic self-concept at school
Pozas, M., Trujillo, C. J. G., & Letzel‐Alt, V. (2023) · Frontiers in Education · doi:10.3389/feduc.2023.1069193 · Cited by 15
Student engagement declines across adolescence: A meta‐analysis of longitudinal studies
Symonds, J. E., Guo, J., Tang, X., Upadyaya, K., Yu, J., Vaccaro, N., Guigui, D., Ponce, S., Costello, N., & Salmela‐Aro, K. (2026) · Review of Education · doi:10.1002/rev3.70134 · Cited by 13
Gender differences in academic boredom and its development in secondary school
Feuchter, M. D., & Preckel, F. (2023) · Learning and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.lindif.2023.102379 · Cited by 14
Self-citation
Career Exploration as Social and Emotional Learning: A Collaborative Ethnography with Spanish Children from Low-Income Contexts
Rodríguez, S. R., Moreno‐Morilla, C., Muñoz-Villaraviz, D., & Resurrección-Pérez, M. (2021) · Education Sciences · doi:10.3390/educsci11080431 · Cited by 10
Academic outcomes in a national afterschool program: The role of program experiences and youth sustained engagement
Seitz, S., Khatib, N., Guessous, O., & Kuperminc, G. P. (2021) · Applied Developmental Science · doi:10.1080/10888691.2021.1993855 · Cited by 11
Heterogenität in motivationalen Entwicklungsverläufen in Mathematik und Deutsch in Abhängigkeit von Schulform und Geschlecht
Gaspard, H., Nagengast, B., Trautwein, U., Jaekel, A.-K., & Göllner, R. (2022) · Zeitschrift für Erziehungswissenschaft · doi:10.1007/s11618-022-01092-1 · Cited by 17
Influence of National Culture on Perspectives and Factors Affecting Student Dropout: A Comparative Study of Australia, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia
Singh, H. P., & Alhamad, I. A. (2022) · Archives of Business Research · doi:10.14738/abr.1011.13508 · Cited by 11
A Chip Off the Old Block: Do Reading‐Motivated Parents Raise Reading‐Motivated Children?
Cubillos, M. (2023) · Reading Research Quarterly · doi:10.1002/rrq.504 · Cited by 20
The long-term effects of emotional competencies and self-esteem on adolescents’ internalizing symptoms
Schoeps, K., Tamarit, A., Zegarra, S. P., & Montoya-Castilla, I. (2021) · Revista de Psicodidáctica (English ed ) · doi:10.1016/j.psicoe.2020.12.001 · Cited by 11
What reduces the adverse development of motivation at the beginning of secondary education: The relationship between student-perceived teaching practices and changes in students’ achievement goals
Janke, S., Daumiller, M. H., Praetorius, A., Dickhäuser, O., & Dresel, M. (2021) · Edition ZfE · doi:10.1007/978-3-658-31064-6_7 · Cited by 11
The role of students’ perceived teacher support in student motivation: A longitudinal study of student motivation profiles
Held, T., & Morinaj, J. (2024) · International Journal of Educational Research Open · doi:10.1016/j.ijedro.2024.100395 · Cited by 16
Motivational profiles among high-ability students from a self-determination perspective: Stability, antecedents, and comparisons with average-ability students
Ramos, A., Vansteenkiste, M., Lavrijsen, J., Soenens, B., & Verschueren, K. (2024) · Learning and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.lindif.2024.102620 · Cited by 11
Toward a Curiosity Mindset: Reframing the Problem of Student Disengagement from Classroom Instruction
Oliveira, A. W., & Lathrop, R. L. (2022) · The European Educational Researcher · doi:10.31757/euer.535 · Cited by 9
“%) reach a developmental level characterized by intrinsic motivation, attention, and effort (Lawson & Masyn, 2015; Scherrer & Preckel, 2018).”
Background
Developmental Trajectories of Adolescents’ Math Motivation: The Role of Mindset and Perceptions of Informal STEM Learning Site Inclusivity
Ozturk, E., Zhao, M., Hoffman, A. J., Joy, A., Marlow, C. S., Law, F., Deutsch, A. R., Mathews, C. J., McGuire, L., Balkwill, F. R., et al. (2024) · Journal of Youth and Adolescence · doi:10.1007/s10964-024-01949-0 · Cited by 12
“Scholars examining formal school settings highlight a continuous and marginal decline in math motivation in adolescence (Blackwell et al., 2007; Priess-Groben & Hyde, 2017; Scherrer & Preckel, 2019).”
Knowledge of Learning Strategies and Motivation to Use Them: Similarities and Differences between School Levels
Kikas, E., Puusepp, I., Granström, M., & Mädamürk, K. (2024) · Behavioral Sciences · doi:10.3390/bs14100889 · Cited by 16
“As to changes in students’ motivation during school years, in most countries, subject motivation has been shown to clearly decline throughout middle school [7,58].”
Background
Ten Practical Strategies to Motivate Students in Physical Education: Psychological Need-Support Approach
Manninen, M., & Yli-Piipari, S. R. (2021) · Strategies · doi:10.1080/08924562.2020.1867270 · Cited by 14

Authors: Scherrer, V., & Preckel, F.
Affiliations: Universität Trier (DE)
ORCID: Scherrer, Vsevolod
Preckel, Franzis
Venue: Review of Educational Research
Publisher: American Educational Research Association (AERA)
Published: 2018-12-21
Volume: 89
Issue: 2
Pages: 211-258
ISSN: 0034-6543 (ISSN-L)
1935-1046
DOI: 10.3102/0034654318819127
OpenAlex: W2905648709
Cited by: 251
References: 159
Citations by year: 2026: 22 · 2025: 40 · 2024: 44 · 2023: 43 · 2022: 41 · 2021: 33 · 2020: 24 · 2019: 3
FWCI: 2.38
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations: Review of Educational Research (publishedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Education, Achievement, and Giftedness
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports
Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Innovative Teaching and Learning Methods
Keywords: motivational factors, self-esteem, school careers, intrinsic motivation, academic self-concept, academic self-efficacy, achievement goals, mastery goals, performance-approach goals, performance-avoidance goals, transition to school, cross-national differences

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review

Development of Motivational Variables and Self-Esteem During the School Career: A Meta-Analysis of Longitudinal Studies

Abstract

Overview

Integrity signals

Verification

Claims the paper makes

Claims other papers make about this one

Citations

Cites

Cited by

Related

Metadata

Record

About these checks