Abstract

INGLES, Cándido J et al. Academic Self-attributions: Gender and Grade Differences in students of Secondary Education. rev.latinoam.psicol. [online]. 2012, vol.44, n.3, pp.57-68. ISSN 0120-0534.

The analysis of academic self-attributions is an essential aspect of the affective and emotional component of the school motivation in students of compulsory secondary education. The aim of this study was to analyze, using a cross-sectional design, gender and grade differences and the predictive role of these variables on academic causal attributions of students measured by the general scales of the Sydney Attribution Scale (SAS). The questionnaire was administered to 2.022 students (51.08% boys) from grades 7 to 10. The range of age was from 12 to 16 year-olds (M = 13.81; SD = 1.35). Results derived from analysis of variance and effect sizes (d index) revealed that boys attributed their success significantly more to its capacity, whereas girls attributed to the effort. Regarding the attributions of academic failure, the results indicated that boys attributed significantly more to the lack of effort than girls. Additionally, grade level differences were found between for the most of the causal attributions examined. Logistic regression analyses indicated that gender and grade were significant predictors of academic causal attributions, although these results varied for each of the SAS scales. The results are discussed in relation to the need to design intervention programs that take into account the sex and grade level.

Keywords : adolescence; academic self-attributions; sex; grade level; secondary education.

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