Committee Chair

Cunningham, Christopher J. L.

Committee Member

O'Leary, Brian J.; Biderman, Michael D.; Elwell, J. Scott; Ainsworth, A. Jerald

Department

Dept. of Psychology

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Place of Publication

Chattanooga (Tenn.)

Abstract

The present study evaluated the incremental utility of a blended model of cognitive and non-cognitive variables versus a cognitive-only set of variables to predict academic success among new college students. Traditional cognitive predictors include high school grade point average and ACT scores. The non-cognitive factors of interest were grit, goal orientation, and academic self-efficacy. It was hypothesized that the blended model would demonstrate stronger predictive validity than cognitive predictors alone, grit would be associated with goal orientations and academic self-efficacy, and that academic self-efficacy would mediate the relationship between other non-cognitive predictors and academic success outcomes. The results from archival data (N = 8,742) and online survey collection (N = 624) suggest non-cognitive factors improve traditional prediction models, particularly through grit and academic self-efficacy. Self-efficacy also mediated the non-cognitive to academic success relationship. Higher Educational institutions could consider the implementation of blended models, using key non-cognitive predictors.

Acknowledgments

I would like to acknowledge the ample effort that my thesis committee members – Dr. Chris Cunningham, Dr. Brian O’Leary, and Dr. Michael Biderman, provided during the development of this project. Particularly the time and guidance my thesis chair, Dr. Chris Cunningham, provided. Thank you gentlemen for your expertise, advice, and unwavering support along the way. I would also like to thank the Office of Partnerships and Sponsored Programs for honoring me with a Provost Student Research Award, which ultimately made this project possible.

Degree

M. S.; A thesis submitted to the faculty of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Science.

Date

5-2014

Subject

Prediction of scholastic success; Academic achievement -- Psychological aspects; Self-efficacy

Keyword

Non-cognitive; Academic self-efficacy; Grit; Higher education

Discipline

Industrial and Organizational Psychology

Document Type

Masters theses

DCMI Type

Text

Extent

xi, 81 leaves

Language

English

Rights

https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en

License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/

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