Longitudinal Changes of Grit, Academic Engagement, and Academic Achievement among Adolescents

Abstract

This study examined the changes of grit, academic engagement, and academic achievement of adolescents in the 1st(year 2018) to 3rd(year 2020) data of KCYPS 2018. We also investigated how growth factors of grit and academic engagement would predict academic achievement directly and indirectly. Multivariate latent growth modeling was used to analyze data. Results demonstrates that growth rates of grit and academic engagement were not statistically significant, meaning that they were stable from first to third years. However, the growth rates of academic achievement was statistically significant. Happiness predicted 1st year’s grit, which in turn, positively affected academic engagement. Students who had higher initial status of academic engagement had higher academic achievement. Lastly, the mediating effect of academic engagement between grit and academic achievement was statistically significant.