Perception of ability, trait affectivity, and self-handicapping behavior in adolescents

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between self-handicapping behavior, belief about the malleability of ability, and emotional traits in adolescent students attending 9th grade math classes. An additional goal of this study was to examine the effects of the relationship of these factors to academic outcomes.; A total of 623 ninth and tenth grade students attending 9th grade level math classes completed the demographic survey along with questions from the Theory of Ability scale, Academic Self-Handicapping scale from the Patterns of Adaptive Learning Scales, and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule scales.{09}Each of the four research questions was examined through the use of inferential statistical analysis.; Results indicated support for the hypothesis that there are differences in the self-handicapping behavior of students who have differing views of the nature of ability and emotional tendencies. Students who feel that their intelligence is fixed are more likely to use maladaptive academic strategies than those who feel that ability can be increased with effort. Likewise, students who are more prone to react with emotions associated with distress and unpleasantness are more likely to self-handicap than those who have low levels of negative affectivity. Students who react with high levels of positive affectivity are less likely to self-handicap than those who indicate sadness or lethargy.; When analyzing the relationships of maladaptive academic behavior, theory of ability, and trait affectivity to academic outcome, it appears that both math grade and general academic grades are significantly related to self-handicapping behavior and level of positive affectivity. Students with higher grades were significantly more likely to have lower levels of self-handicapping behaviors and higher levels of positive trait affectivity than those with lower grades. Some evidence was introduced to suggest that affective traits may moderate the effects of self-handicapping and theory of ability on academic performance.; Of the variables examined, the strongest predictor for self-handicapping behavior was general academic performance. Significant differences in self-handicapping behaviors and grades were noted between class types. Students in the more remedial classes had higher levels of self-handicapping behaviors and lower grades than those in the most difficult classes.