Interconnected trajectories of achievement goals, academic achievement, and well-being: Insights from an expanded goal framework

Abstract

Research on achievement goals has primarily focused on mastery and performance goals. This four-year study used an expanded goal framework to compare the prevalence, trajectories, and influence of mastery, performance, outcome, and work-avoidance goals across and beyond the middle school transition. Participants were 1072 Finnish students assessed annually from Grades 6 to 9 (ages 13–16). Across all waves, outcome goals were most strongly endorsed, and work-avoidance goals were more strongly endorsed than performance-avoidance goals. Latent growth models revealed that mastery goals declined across the school transition, but outcome goals remained high. Importantly, these five goals demonstrated distinct associations with student achievement, life satisfaction, and burnout. Outcome goals were linked to higher grades, mastery goals to greater well-being, performance-approach and performance-avoidance goals to lower well-being, and work-avoidance goals to lower grades and well-being. Findings underscore the importance of studying salient goals that students distinguish in authentic classrooms. Educational relevance statementThis study investigated a broad array of academic goals pursued by students, including the desire to learn, attain good grades, outperform others, avoid appearing incompetent, and minimize effort. Findings suggest that educators may support “doing well” and “being well” among students by nurturing certain goals and discouraging others. Students who strived for good grades tended to perform better, while those who expressed a strong desire for learning tended to experience greater well-being. In contrast, goals oriented toward outperforming others or avoiding failure were associated with reduced well-being. Interestingly, the goal of minimizing effort was linked to both lower academic achievement and lower well-being.