The association between initial metacognition and subsequent academic achievement: a meta-analysis of longitudinal studies

In the present meta-analysis, we systematically examined the association between students’ initial level of metacognition and their academic achievement at least three months later. Using multilevel meta-analysis as well as meta-analytic structural equation modelling, we analysed data from 71,171 students provided by 28 independent studies. The findings indicated a positive relationship between initial metacognition and subsequent academic achievement (r = .22, 95% CI = [0.18, 0.33], p < .001). Meanwhile, age, gender, time lag, educational stage, culture, and the composition and measurement of metacognition were considered as potential moderating variables. Moreover, while previous research has typically viewed high levels of academic achievement as a consequence of high levels of metacognition, the self-determination theory (SDT) suggests that high levels of academic achievement may also be an antecedent of high levels of metacognition. Therefore, we conducted cross-lagged panel analyses, and after accounting for autoregressive effects, the results showed that students’ initial academic achievement was also a significant positive predictor of subsequent metacognitive levels. Finally, theoretical and practical implications are discussed.