Achievement goal profiles and reading-related outcomes in elementary students with and without reading difficulties

Abstract

This study explored (a) achievement goal profiles among fifth-grade students, (b) whether reading difficulty (RD) status is predictive of achievement goal profiles, and (c) how different achievement goal profiles relate to achievement, motivation, and behavioral engagement in reading. Three profiles among fifth graders with RDs (n = 138) and typical readers (n = 109) emerged through the factor mixture model, with the High Mastery profile (46 %) being the most prevalent, followed by the High All profile (35 %) and the High Mastery/Performance-Avoidance profile (19 %). Students with RDs were twice as likely to be in the High Mastery/Performance-Avoidance profile as in the High Mastery profile. Results underscore the potentially deleterious effects of performance-avoidance and -approach goals. The High Mastery profile had better reading comprehension than the High Mastery/Performance-Avoidance profile and better behavioral engagement than the High All profile. Such patterns were held when the outcomes were compared within the RD group.

Educational relevance and implication

This study examined the achievement goals of upper elementary students, the unique goal profile for those facing reading difficulties, and their impact on reading-related outcomes. The findings reveal that most students possess mastery goals, albeit with varying degrees of performance-approach and performance-avoidance goals. Notably, students with reading difficulties are more inclined toward having both mastery and performance-avoidance goals, the profile associated with poorer reading comprehension outcomes. Furthermore, students with multiple goals exhibit lower behavioral engagement in class compared to those predominantly focused on mastery goals. These results underscore the potential negative impact of performance goals on reading-related outcomes and the critical need for creating learning environments that discourage social comparisons and competitive dynamics, which can foster performance-oriented goals.