Abstract
Recent studies highlight the effect of cognitive factors on academic achievement, ignoring motivational, emotional, and social factors. This provides the background for the present study, a meta-analysis on the relationship between academic achievement and motivational factors (motivation, self-concept, and self-esteem), emotional factors (emotional intelligence, emotional competence, and emotional well-being), and social factors (social intelligence, social competence, and social skills) in children aged 6–12 years (37 samples, n = 15,777). The methodology based on the PRISMA protocols was applied: phases of inclusion and exclusion of articles, analysis of effect size, heterogeneity, publication bias, and, finally, meta-regressions and moderation analysis. The results showed a moderate positive effect size (0.321) for motivational and social factors (0.210) and a small positive effect size (0.172) for emotional factors. The moderating effects of age (65% on social factors) and geographical area (52% on motivational factors, 17% on emotional factors, and 76% on social factors) were studied. These results highlight the importance of motivational and social factors regarding academic achievement. In addition, along with the moderating effect of age, that of geographical area emerges strongly given the diversity of contexts studied. Our results highlight the importance that these factors have on academic performance and, therefore, the need to design school plans that address the correct development of these variables.
Highlights
Educational authorities continually discuss factors that influence school failure or success and present management plans that aim to ensure an open and inclusive school environment to strengthen learning, social skills, motivation, and emotional well-being [1,2].For many years, educational research has focused on academic achievement as a sign of success, considering achievement as students meeting established learning objectives [3].The emergence of new concepts such as educational innovation, active learning methods, and changes in educational policies promoted by the Delors [4] have resulted in a clear change in research activity
The purpose of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis that integrates the predictive character of these variables classified into three groups motivational, emotional, and social) on academic achievement in students aged 6–12 years and the moderating effect of gender, age, and geographical area, variables that were reported by all the studies included in the meta-analysis and could provide relevant data on their moderating power
This section describes the characteristics of the studies included in this meta-analysis by describing their participants, age, gender, geographical area where the studies were conducted and including reference to the type of variable they address in relation to academic performance
Summary
Educational authorities continually discuss factors that influence school failure or success and present management plans that aim to ensure an open and inclusive school environment to strengthen learning, social skills, motivation, and emotional well-being [1,2].For many years, educational research has focused on academic achievement as a sign of success, considering achievement as students meeting established learning objectives [3].The emergence of new concepts such as educational innovation, active learning methods, and changes in educational policies promoted by the Delors [4] have resulted in a clear change in research activity. Educational authorities continually discuss factors that influence school failure or success and present management plans that aim to ensure an open and inclusive school environment to strengthen learning, social skills, motivation, and emotional well-being [1,2]. Educational research has focused on academic achievement as a sign of success, considering achievement as students meeting established learning objectives [3]. Concludes that in primary education, studies on executive functions, and their relationship with academic achievement predominate. It is necessary to conduct further comprehensive studies of motivational, emotional, and social factors [6,7,8] to expand and integrate existing knowledge about their effect on children’s academic achievement
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