German Institute for International Educational Research.
Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education.
J Pers. 2018 Apr;86(2):283-295. doi: 10.1111/jopy.12312. Epub 2017 Apr 21.
Although optimism's beneficial role for various life areas is well documented, previous findings regarding its significance for students' achievement at school are inconclusive. This study examined the relation between optimism and academic achievement in early adolescents. It investigated the functional form of this relation, addressed whether the initial achievement level moderates this association, and compared this with effects on self-esteem.
We used a large German sample (N = 6,010; 53.2% females; baseline M = 14.1) with two measurement points over a period of 5 months (middle and end of 7th grade). Estimating LOESS curves and latent change-regression models revealed three main findings.
(a) Optimism showed a nonlinear association with subsequent changes in academic achievement: Optimism promoted academic achievement, but this positive association reached a plateau in above-average optimism ranges and a minimum value in below-average ranges of optimism. (b) The achievement level at t moderated this relation so that high optimism exerted a more positive effect for high-achieving adolescents. (c) By contrast, optimism had an overall positive effect on self-esteem.
The results therefore broaden the evidence on benefits of optimism by linking optimism to academic success in early adolescents but indicate only small and nonlinear associations.
尽管乐观情绪对各种生活领域都有有益的作用已得到充分证实，但之前关于其对学生学业成绩重要性的研究结果尚无定论。本研究考察了乐观情绪与青少年早期学业成绩之间的关系。它研究了这种关系的函数形式，探讨了初始成就水平是否调节这种关联，并将其与对自尊的影响进行了比较。
我们使用了一个大型的德国样本（N=6010；女性占 53.2%；基线 M=14.1），在 5 个月的时间内进行了两次测量（7 年级中期和期末）。通过估计 LOESS 曲线和潜在变化回归模型，我们发现了三个主要结果。
（a）乐观情绪与随后的学业成绩变化呈非线性关联：乐观情绪促进学业成绩，但这种积极的关联在平均以上的乐观范围内达到了一个平台，在平均以下的乐观范围内达到了一个最小值。（b）在 t 时的成就水平调节了这种关系，因此高成就的青少年的高乐观情绪会产生更积极的影响。（c）相比之下，乐观情绪对自尊有整体的积极影响。
因此，这些结果通过将乐观情绪与青少年早期的学业成功联系起来，拓宽了乐观情绪有益作用的证据，但表明关联是微小的且非线性的。
