Profiles of self-handicapping and self-esteem, and its relationship with achievement goals
Abstract
The present work aims to deepen the knowledge of academic self-handicapping. This study has two objectives: a) to identify different profiles of students according to the combination of self-handicapping (behavioral and claimed) and self-esteem; and (b) to analyze the differences between these profiles in the use of achievement goals (learning, performance-approach, performance-avoidance, and work-avoidance). 1,028 university students participated in the research. Latent profile analysis was applied to obtain the profiles. We conducted a MANCOVA to examine the differences between profiles in achievement goals. Gender and course were estimated as covariates. Five student profiles were obtained: LSE/HSH (low self-esteem and high self-handicapping); LSE/HCSH (low self-esteem and high claimed self-handicapping); LSE/HBSH (low self-esteem and high behavioral self-handicapping); MSE/MSH (medium self-esteem and medium self-handicapping); and MSE/LSH (medium self-esteem and low self-handicapping). These profiles differed significantly from each other in terms of their achievement goals. The results of this study contribute to understanding the motivational characteristics of self-handicappers students. Given the dysfunctional nature of these strategies, some psychoeducational guidelines are proposed for the prevention of academic self-handicapping.
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References
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