Students' Goal Orientations and College Adjustment Abstract

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine whether students with different achievement goal orientation profiles differ in terms of academic, emotional and social adjustments to college, as well as in terms of value of studying and academic achievement. By means of latent profile analysis, three groups of students were identified: dominant emphasis on work avoidance goal orientation (Work avoidance), joint, yet average emphasis on work avoidance, performance and mastery goal orientation (Indifferent), and emphasis on mastery goal orientation (Mastery). Students who dominantly display mastery tendencies showed the most adaptive pattern of outcomes. Although Mastery and Indifferent group students demonstrated equivalent levels of academic achievement, Mastery group expressed higher levels of self-reported academic college adjustment as well as higher levels of value of studying. Primary work avoidance oriented students yield the most maladaptive pattern of outcomes.