Early Adolescent Temperament and Academic Competence: Tests of "Direct Effects" and Developmental Contextual Models

Abstract

Using data from the Pennsylvania Early Adolescent Transitions Study (PEATS), temperament and measures of academic competence were interrelated to test two alternative models: The "direct effects" model stresses intraorganism, non-contextually mediated links, while the "developmental contextual" model emphasizes social interactional processes between students and teachers. In support of the developmental contextual notion, results of LISREL analyses at the end of Grade 6 (elementary school), and the end of Grade 7 (junior high school) indicated that significant paths existed between second-order temperament factors and teachers' ratings of students' academic competence; these ratings were related to students' self-rated competence, to Grade 6 and 7 grade point averages, and to Grade 6 achievement scores. Findings are discussed in regard to the alternative models of the role of organismic individuality in adolescent development and the possible role of temperament in adolescent stress and coping.