Self-efficacy, goal orientation, and fear of failure as predictors of school engagement in high school students

Lack of school engagement among adolescents in this country remains a problem that can have very serious consequences including increased risk for school dropout, substance use, teenage pregnancy, and criminal activity. Clearly, identification of psychological variables (self-variables) of individuals that facilitate or hinder adolescents' levels of school engagement would contribute greatly to the understanding of how to increase adolescents' psychological well-being and their achievement motivation and associated school engagement. The present study examined the degree of association of three specific self-variables (self-efficacy, goal orientation, and fear of failure) with school engagement for high school students. The results and implications for intervention and future research are addressed. (C) 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.