Enhancing Primary and Secondary Control in Achievement Settings Through Writing–Based Attributional Retraining

Abstract

Attributional retraining (AR) is a psychotherapeutic motivational intervention which consistently produces modest improvements in motivation and performance by encouraging controllable attributions for failure experiences. Research suggests that unsuccessful individuals high in primary control (PC) and low in secondary control (SC) are at risk of failure and may especially benefit from AR techniques. College students' (N= 255) primary and secondary academic control was assessed at the beginning of the first academic semester, after which half of the students received a writing–based AR intervention. Final grades and performance–related perceived success, affect, and attributions were assessed at the end of the academic year. Attributional retraining (No AR, AR) by secondary control (low/high) 2 × 2 ANCOVA analyses for high–primary–control students revealed significant improvements in performance, coupled with decreased perceived success and increased negative affect for unsuccessful, high–PC/low–SC students. The importance of primary and secondary control for development in achievement settings, and the underlying mechanisms of writing–based AR techniques (i.e., attributions, primary/secondary control) are discussed.