Longitudinal Pathways From Math Intrinsic Motivation and Achievement to Math Course Accomplishments and Educational Attainment

Across 20 years, pathways from math intrinsic motivation and achievement (ages 9-17) to high school math course accomplishments and educational attainment (age 29) were analyzed. Academic intrinsic motivation was the theoretical foundation. To determine how initial status and change in motivation and achievement related to course accomplishments and educational attainment, a latent curve model was fit to data from the Fullerton Longitudinal Study. Levels of motivation and achievement at 9 had positive, direct, and mutually indirect paths to course accomplishments. Dual declines in motivation and achievement related to course accomplishments, directly for achievement, and indirectly for motivation via achievement. Greater decline corresponded to fewer course accomplishments which in turn predicted, and served as a mediator to educational attainment. Implications are discussed.