Structural Relationships between Cognitive Achievement and Learning-Related Factors among South Korean Adolescents

Abstract

This study aimed to differentiate between middle and high school students by investigating the structural relationships between academic self-efficacy, academic stress, learning motivation, and learning strategies—the learning-related factors of South Korean adolescents’ learning achievements. We obtained relevant information for 4051 middle school students and 4242 high school students from the Gyeonggi Institute of Education’s three-year panel data study (2016–2018). The results showed direct and indirect influential relationships between academic self-efficacy, academic stress, learning motivation, and learning strategy. Results of the analysis conducted by separating the structural equation model into middle and high school student groups showed that both models met the goodness-of-fit indices criteria; the difference between middle and high school student group models was significant. Hence, to promote academic achievement among middle and high school students, differential assistance is needed. Middle school students should be assisted so that they have a good command of learning strategy after reducing academic stress by increasing academic self-efficacy. For high school students, management of academic stress by increasing academic self-efficacy is the most important aspect.

Keywords

• cognitive achievement
• learning-related factors
• South Korea
• middle school students
• high school students