Dissertation: Omivale 2009

Omivale, Mariam (1/09) The relationship between attachment and academic achievement (Gary Kose, Ph.D.; Nicholas Papouchis, Ph.D.; Joan Duncan, Ph.D.)

Academic achievement was studied within the framework of attachment theory. Specifically, various aspects of academic achievement (achievement goal orientations, achievement motives, academic self-efficacy beliefs, motivation, cognitive and metacognitive strategies, and Grade Point Average) were explored in relation to attachment. Participants were 122 undergraduate students, who completed seven self-report measures assessing: attachment style, achievement goal orientations, achievement motives, self-efficacy, motivation, learning strategies, and GPA.

The study found that securely attached students exhibited a high need for achievement and low fear of failure, whereas insecurely attached students displayed less need for achievement and demonstrated more fear of failure. Secure students were not found to be characterized by the adoption of any one particular goal orientation. Preoccupied-ambivalent students demonstrated a tendency to adopt performance-approach goals and a lack of mastery-approach goals. Dismissive-avoidant students were found to adopt mastery-avoidance goals. Fearful-avoidant and dismissive-avoidant students were also found to adopt mastery-approach goals. Insecurely attached students displayed low self-efficacy beliefs across many academic self-efficacy domains as well as a lack of utilization of effective learning strategies. Secure students exhibited high self-efficacy beliefs in regard to their ability to attain higher grades.