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Adolescents’ motivation for reading: group differences and relation to standardized achievement

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to extend the research on adolescents’ motivation for reading by examining important group differences and the relation of motivation to standardized achievement. Adolescents (N = 406) ranging from grade 7 to grade 12 completed a self-report survey that assessed 13 different aspects of their reading motivation including multiple forms of expectancy beliefs, value, achievement goals, and social goals. Group comparisons indicated important differences between readers who had struggled and those who were more adequate readers, but relatively few differences based on gender or grade in school. Regression analysis showed that the motivational beliefs as a group, and perceived control individually, were able to predict students’ performance on a standardized measure of reading comprehension.

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Acknowledgments

The research reported here was supported by the Institute of Education Sciences, US Department of Education, through Grant R305F100013 to the University of Texas-Austin as part of the Reading for Understanding Research Initiative. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent views of the Institute or the US Department of Education.

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  1. Department of Educational Psychology, University of Houston, 491 Farish Hall, Houston, TX, 77204-5029, USA

    Christopher A. Wolters, Mary J. York & David J. Francis

  2. Health Science Center, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA

    Carolyn A. Denton

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  1. Christopher A. Wolters
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Correspondence to Christopher A. Wolters.

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Wolters, C.A., Denton, C.A., York, M.J. et al. Adolescents’ motivation for reading: group differences and relation to standardized achievement. Read Writ 27, 503–533 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-013-9454-3

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