A short-term longitudinal study of stability and change in achievement goal profiles

Abstract

Using a person-oriented approach, this study examined the stability of undergraduates' (n=121) achievement goal profiles and their association with changes in academic achievement over a semester. Across three time points, we identified three profiles with similarly high levels of mastery: very-low, low, and moderate performance. Overall, 46–81% of individuals remained in the same profile between time points. Individuals were more likely to shift profiles at the beginning of the semester and less likely to shift from the moderate profile to the others. All three profiles were associated with declines in achievement, although the moderate and low profiles were associated with different patterns of change from one exam to the next. Findings suggest that achievement goal profiles display substantial, but not absolute, short-term stability. For academic achievement, findings also suggest there are neither benefits nor drawbacks to endorsing performance goals when also endorsing high levels of mastery goals.