Perceptions of autonomy support, parent attachment, competence and self-worth as predictors of motivational orientation and academic achievement: an examination of sixth- and ninth-grade regular education students - Statistical Data Included

Adolescence, Summer, 2002 by Eugene H. Wong, Dudley J. Wiest, Lisa B. Cusick

A growing body of literature supports an association between students' motivation and socializing agents (i.e., parents and teachers). Specifically, numerous studies have shown that students' perceptions of positive relationships with parents and teachers contribute to success in academic settings. In general, higher achievement and motivation have been linked to such interpersonal variables as parent attachment (Jacobson & Hoffman, 1997; Learner & Kruger, 1997), parent involvement (Ginsburg & Bronstein, 1993; Grolnick, Ryan, & Deci, 1991; Grolnick & Slowiaczek, 1994), parental autonomy support (Ginsburg & Bronstein, 1993; Grolnick, Ryan, & Deci, 1991; Wiest, Wong, & Cusick, 1997), and teacher autonomy support (Grolnick & Ryan, 1987; Skinner, Wellborn, & Connell, 1990; Wentzel, 1997; Wiest, Wong, & Cusick, 1997). In addition, intrapersonal variables such as perceived competence (Harter, 1981; Stipek, 1988), perceived control (Connell, 1985; Skinner, Wellborn, & Connell, 1990), and perceived autonomy support ( Grolnick & Slowiaczek, 1994; Ryan, Stiller, & Lynch, 1994; Wentzel, 1997) have been shown to affect young adolescents' achievement and motivation. Finally, researchers have also identified systematic links between these interpersonal and intrapersonal variables (Grolnick, Ryan, & Deci, 1991; Grolnick & Slowiaczek, 1994; Wiest, Wong, & Cusick, 1997).

Parent Attachment

Attachment research has demonstrated that children's attachment to their primary caregiver provides a supportive framework from which they can explore the environment and master the challenges within that environment (Ainsworth, 1982; Bowlby, 1988). Further, there is evidence that attachment relationships beyond early childhood (i.e., adolescence) may continue to serve a similar purpose, providing a secure base from which the early adolescent can explore the environment (Armsden & Greenberg, 1987). These relationships become relevant in regard to young adolescents' academic achievement and motivation. For example, adolescents' secure parental attachment may allow them to achieve a sense of academic competence, as well as actual school achievement, by providing them with a secure emotional foundation. Early adolescents may also perceive themselves more positively, as well as more competent, by virtue of the strength and security of the attachment relationship (Eccles & Midgley, 1990; Paterson, Field, & Pryor, 1994).

Adolescence is popularly characterized as a life stage involving greater separation and independence from parents. However, Collins (1990) has suggested that the relationship between parents and early adolescents instead undergoes a transformation in which roles change. In this sense, the parent-adolescent attachment relationship is renegotiated rather than ended. Similarly, Paterson, Field, and Pryor (1994) found that early adolescents utilize their parents more often than friends for support, when compared to older adolescents. These researchers also found that, even as attachments to peers became more intense, both younger and older adolescents sought support from parents and continued to consider parents as important people in their lives.

Support from, and attachment to, parents can be especially beneficial when youths make the transition from elementary school to junior high school. This transition can generate new stresses and challenges, and having a secure base and a sense of emotional security may ease the difficulty of this process. However, few studies have examined the parent-adolescent attachment relationship during this transition. One study (Papini & Roggman, 1992) found that youths who reported strong attachment relationships with their parents also reported less physical and social anxiety during the transition to junior high school. In other words, the emotional and psychological support these early adolescents directly received from parents worked to buffer the anxieties created by this transition. Furthermore, stronger attachment relations with parents during this time were associated with greater perceived competence. In a more recent study, Jacobsen and Hoffman (1997) noted that early adolescents who were judged to have secure attachment relations showed greater attention-participation, decreased insecurity about the self, and a higher grade point average. Another study examined parent-adolescent attachment and academic motivation in high school and found that parent attachment was indeed positively related to students' motivation to succeed academically (Learner & Kruger, 1997).

Teacher Autonomy Support

Because teachers are the primary adult figures within the academic setting, their impact on students is also important. A growing number of studies have demonstrated significant associations among autonomy support from teachers, perceived competence, intrinsic motivation, and academic performance. For example, Ryan and Grolnick (1986) found that students who perceived their teachers as autonomy supportive were more likely to feel a greater sense of competence and to be more intrinsically motivated. In related work, Grolnick and Ryan (1987) found that conceptual learning can be improved when classrooms are designed to assist active and autonomous learners. Midgley and colleagues (1989) reported that students who moved from classrooms where they experienced high teacher support to classrooms where teacher support was lower showed a decrease in interest and more negative attitudes toward learning. Similarly, Goodenow (1993) found that perceived teacher support was significantly and positively associated with bot h academic effort and achievement in a sample of junior high school students. Finally, Wentzel's (1997) study of motivation in junior high adolescents provided strong evidence supporting the idea that students are more likely to be interested in classroom activities if they feel supported by their teacher. Taken together, these findings show that perceived support from teachers is a significant predictor of early adolescents' perceived competence, motivation, and academic achievement.