Abstract
Due to the widespread benefits of self-control, more and more individuals consciously experience an eagerness to have more self-control to ensure achieving their goals. A new conception “desire for self-control” is proposed by Uziel and Baumeister (Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 43(5), 693–705, 2017). This current research firstly focused on the relationship between the desire for self-control and academic achievement, and extended the underlining mechanisms by investigating the potential mediating effects of learning engagement and self-efficacy in this relationship. To test the hypotheses, self-report measures of desire for self-control, learning engagement, self-efficacy and academic achievement were administrated to 465 sixth-grade students. Results revealed that the direct prediction of desire for self-control on academic achievement was significant. Mediational analysis showed that learning engagement exerted its indirect effect on academic achievement and the three-path mediating effect of self-efficacy via learning engagement. In addition, multi-group analysis showed that the hypothesized model was not moderated by gender. Implications for future research and limitations of the present findings are discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
Additional data and details from this study can be obtained by contacting us.
Code availability
Not applicable.
References
Ainley, M. (2012). Students’ interest and engagement in classroom activities. In S. L. Christenson, C. Wylie, & A. L. Reschly (Eds.), Handbook of research on student engagement (pp. 283–302). Springer Science.
Anderson, J. C., & Gerbing, D. W. (1988). Structural equation modelling in practice: A review and recommended two-step approach. Psychological Bulletin, 103, 411–423. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.103.3.411
Andrews, M., Ainley, M., & Frydenberg, E. (2004). Adolescent Engagement with Problem Solving Tasks: The Role of Coping Style, Self-Efficacy, and Emotions. Paper presented at the AARE Annual Conference, Melbourne, Australia. Retrieved from https://www.aare.edu.au/data/publications/2004/and04761.pdf. Accessed 25 Apr 2021.
Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84(2),191–215, 191. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.84.2.191.
Bandura, A. (1991). Social cognitive theory of self-regulation. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 248–287. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90022-L
Bandura, A. (1993). Perceived self-efficacy in cognitive development and functioning. Educational Psychologist, 28(2), 117–148. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15326985ep2802_3
Baroody, A. E., Rimm-Kaufman, S. E., Larsen, R. A., & Curby, T. W. (2016). A multi-method approach for describing the contributions of student engagement on fifth grade students’ social competence and achievement in mathematics. Learning & Individual Differences, 48, 54–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2016.02.012
Bassi, M., Steca, P., Fave, A. D., & Caprara, G. V. (2007). Academic self-efficacy beliefs and quality of experience in learning. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 36, 301–312. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-006-9069-y
Byrne, B. M., Shavelson, R. J., & Muthén, B. (1989). Testing for the equivalence of factor covariance and mean structures: The issue of partial measurement invariance. Psychological Bulletin, 105(3), 456–466. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.105.3.456
Caraway, K., Tucker, C. M., Reinke, W. M., & Hall, C. (2003). Self-efficacy, goal orientation, and fear of failure as predictors of school engagement in high school students. Psychology in the Schools, 40, 417–427. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.10092
Carter, C. P., Reschly, A. L., Lovelace, M. D., Appleton, J. J., & Thompson, D. (2012). Measuring student engagement among elementary students: Pilot of the student engagement instrument-elementary version. School Psychology Quarterly, 27, 61–73. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0029229
Chase, P. A., Hilliard, L. J., Geldhof, G. J., Warren, D. J., & Lerner, R. M. (2014). Academic achievement in the high school years: The changing role of school engagement. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 43, 884–896. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-013-0085-4
Chen, X., Huang, X., Chang, L., Wang, L., & Li, D. (2010). Aggression, social competence, and academic achievement in Chinese children: A 5-year longitudinal study. Development and Psychopathology, 22(3), 583–592. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579410000295
Chen, J., Huebner, E. S., & Tian, L. (2020). Longitudinal relations between hope and academic achievement in elementary school students: Behavioral engagement as a mediator. Learning and Individual Differences, 78, 101824. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2020.101824
Cheung, G. W., & Lau, R. S. (2008). Testing mediation and suppression effects of latent variables bootstrapping with structural equation models. Organizational Research Methods, 11, 296–325. https://doi.org/10.1177/1094428107300343
Clarke, T. (2020). Children’s wellbeing and their academic achievement: The dangerous discourse of ‘trade-offs’ in education. Theory and Research in Education., 18(3), 263–294. https://doi.org/10.1177/1477878520980197
Duckworth, A. L., Grant, H., Loew, B., Oettingen, G., & Gollwitzer, P. M. (2011). Self-regulation strategies improve self-discipline in adolescents: Benefits of mental contrasting and implementation intentions. Educational Psychology, 31(1), 17–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410.2010.506003
Duckworth, A. L., Gendler, T. S., & Gross, J. J. (2014). Self-control in school-age children. Educational Psychologist, 49(3), 199–217. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2014.926225
Duckworth, A. L., Gendler, T. S., & Gross, J. J. (2016). Situational strategies for self-control. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 11(1), 35–55. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691615623247
Dunlosky, J., & Rawson, K. A. (2012). Overconfidence produces underachievement: Inaccurate self evaluations undermine students’ learning and retention. Learning and Instruction, 22(4), 271–280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2011.08.003
Fredricks, J. A., Blumenfeld, P. C., & Paris, A. H. (2004). School engagement: Potential of the concept, state of the evidence. Review of Educational Research, 74(1), 59–109. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543074001059
Gollwitzer, P. M. (1999). Implementation intentions: Strong effects of simple plans. American Psychologist, 54(7), 493. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.54.7.493
Honicke, T., & Broadbent, J. (2016). The influence of academic self-efficacy on academic performance: A systematic review. Educational Research Review, 17, 63–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2015.11.002
Hu, L. T., & Bentler, P. M. (1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 6(1), 1–55. https://doi.org/10.1080/10705519909540118
Hu, J. H., & Hui, W. (2012). Examining the role of learning engagement in technology-mediated learning and its effects on learning effectiveness and satisfaction. Decision Support Systems, 53(4), 782–792. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dss.2012.05.014
Juergensen, J., & Demaree, H. A. (2015). Approach-motivated positive affect and emotion regulation alter global-local focus and food choice. Motivation and Emotion, 39, 580–588. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-015-9472-3
Kong, F., Zhao, J., & You, X. (2012). Emotional intelligence and life satisfaction in Chinese university students the mediating role of self-esteem and social support. Personality and Individual Differences, 53(8), 1039–1043. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2012.07.032
Lazowski, R. A., & Hulleman, C. S. (2016). Motivation interventions in education: A meta-analytic review. Review of Educational Research, 86(2), 34–35. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654315617832
Moffitt, T. E., Arseneault, L., Belsky, D., Dickson, N., & Caspi, A. (2011). A gradient of childhood self-control predicts health, wealth, and public safety. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(7), 2693–2698. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1010076108
Muijs, D. & Bokhove, C. (2020). Metacognition and SelfRegulation: Evidence Review. Education Endowment Foundation. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED612286.pdf. Accessed 23 Feb 2022.
Pennequin, V., Questel, F., Delaville, E., Delugre, M., & Maintenant, C. (2019). Metacognition and emotional regulation in children from 8 to 12 years old. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 1, 11–16. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12305
Phan, H. P. (2009). Relations between goals, self-efficacy, critical thinking, and deep processing strategies: A path analysis. Educational Psychology, 29(7), 777–799. https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410903289423
Ross, M., Perkins, H., & Bodey, K. (2016). Academic motivation and information literacy self-efficacy: The importance of a simple desire to know. Library & Information Science Research, 38(1), 2–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2016.01.002
Schunk, D. H. (1989). Self-efficacy and achievement behaviors. Educational Psychology Review, 1(3), 173–208. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01320134
Steinbeis, N., Bernhardt, B. C., & Singer, T. (2012). Impulse control and underlying functions of the left DLPFC mediate age-related and age-independent individual differences in strategic social behavior. Neuron, 73(5), 1040–1051. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2011.12.027
Sun, C. Y., & Rueda, R. (2012). Situational interest, computer self-efficacy and self-regulation: Their impact on student engagement in distance education. British Journal of Educational Technology, 43(2), 191–204. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2010.01157.x
Talsma, K., Schüz, B., & Norris, K. (2018). Miscalibration of self-efficacy and academic performance: Self-efficacy ≠ self-fulfilling prophecy. Learning and Individual Differences, 69, 182–195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2018.11.002
Uziel, L., & Baumeister, R. F. (2017). The self-control irony: Desire for self-control limits exertion of self-control in demanding settings. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 43(5), 693–705. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167217695555
Wilson, K., & Narayan, A. (2016). Relationships among individual task self-efficacy, self-regulated learning strategy use and academic performance in a computer- supported collaborative learning environment. Educational Psychology, 36(2), 236–253. https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410.2014.926312
Ye, B., Yang, Q., & Hu, Z. (2013). Effect of gratitude on adolescents’ academic achievement: Moderated mediating effect. Psychological Development and Education, 29(2), 82–89. https://doi.org/10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2013.02.009
Zhang, J. X., & Schwarzer, R. (1995). Measuring optimistic self-beliefs: A Chinese adaptation of the general self-efficacy scale. Psychologia, 38(3), 174–181. https://doi.org/10.1080/09515089508573160
Zimmerman, B. J. (2000). Self-efficacy: An essential motive to learn. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25(1), 82–91. https://doi.org/10.1006/ceps.1999.1016
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge Feng Kong, Jia Liu, Meilin Di and the editors and reviewers for their thoughtful comments and helpful suggestions on an earlier draft.
Funding
This study was supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities to Yang Bai [2019TS133].
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Ethics declarations
Ethics approval
The study was conducted according to the Declaration of Helsinki.
Consent to participate
The informed consent was obtained from the participants and their parents prior to the study.
Consent for publication
The publication consent was obtained from the headmaster and all individual participants included in the study.
Conflicts of interest/competing interests
All authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Additional information
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Supplementary Information
ESM 1
(CSV 34 kb)
Appendix 1
Appendix 1
The Desire for Self-Control Scale
Please mark your level of agreement with the following statements via a 5-point scale (1 = totally disagree, 5 = totally agree). In my life in general ...
-
1.
I want to be more self-disciplined.
-
2.
I want to be better able to concentrate on tasks.
-
3.
I wish I had more control over my responses in stressing situations.
-
4.
I want to be better able to resist temptations.
-
5.
I hope to be able to better suppress bad ideas.
-
6.
I hope I have better ability to change bad habits.
-
7.
I want to be able to control my feelings better.
-
8.
I want to be better able to persist in pursuing goals.
The Generalized Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale
Please mark your level of agreement with the following statements via a 5-point scale (1 = not at all in line with me, 5 = very much in line with me). In my school life, ...
-
1.
It is easy for me to stick to my aims and accomplish my goals.
-
2.
No matter what happens to me, I can handle it.
-
3.
I am confident that I could deal efficiently with unexpected events.
-
4.
I can always manage to solve difficult problems if I try hard enough.
-
5.
I take a positive attitude toward myself.
-
6.
I can solve most problems if I invest the necessary effort.
-
7.
I can remain calm when facing difficulties because I can rely on my coping abilities.
-
8.
When I am confronted with a problem, I can find several solutions.
-
9.
If I am in a difficult situation, 1 can usually think of something to do.
-
10.
If someone opposes me. I can find means and ways to get what I want.
The Learning Engagement Scale
Please mark your level of agreement with the following statements via a 5-point scale (1 = totally disagree, 5 = totally agree). In my school life in general ...
-
1.
If I do not understand a concept in my Chinese/Mathematics/English Class, I do something to figure it our.
-
2.
I try to look for Chinese/Mathematics/English course related knowledge on other resources, such as television, journal papers, magazines, etc.
-
3.
When I read the course materials, I ask myself questions to make me understand what it is about.
-
4.
I study at home even when I do not have a test.
-
5.
I read extra materials to learn more about things we do in my Chinese/Mathematics/English class.
-
6.
I like taking the Chinese/Mathematics/English class.
-
7.
I feel excited by my work at the Chinese/Mathematics/English class.
-
8.
The classroom is a fun place to be.
-
9.
I am interested in the work at the Chinese/Mathematics/English class.
-
10.
I feel happy when taking Chinese/Mathematics/English Class.
-
11.
I follow the rule of Chinese/Mathematics/English Class.
-
12.
I complete my Chinese/Mathematics/English homework on time.
-
13.
I check my Chinese/Mathematics/English homework for mistakes.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bai, Y., Wang, J., Huo, Y. et al. The desire for self-control and academic achievement: the mediating roles of self-efficacy and learning engagement of sixth-grade Chinese students. Curr Psychol 42, 21945–21953 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-03275-9
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-03275-9