Academic Motivation and Engagement across Three Generations of Latino/a Junior High School Students

Abstract

ABSTRACTA significant body of research has now established the critical importance of academic engagement and motivation in determining adolescents’ academic outcomes. Researchers have also begun examining how these factors may differentially impact different ethnic groups, such as Latinos. However, few studies have examined the combined, and potentially interactive, effects of engagement and motivation within Latino/a adolescent populations, and none have done so taking generational status into account. The present study used a multiple groups analysis to model the associations of academic engagement and motivation on academic achievement across three generations of Latino/a adolescents. Results indicate that academic motivation may drive engagement and its effects on academic performance. However, the impact of different types of engagement operate differentially across the three generations of Latino/a students in this sample.