Goal Orientation Profiles, Academic Achievement and Well-Being of Adolescents in Greece

Adolescents differ in the way they motivate themselves, and the way they choose, perceive, and approach their goals. Goal orientations have been proposed to be a significant aspect of individual differences. In general, some students aim at gaining a higher level of skills, whereas other students aim at showing a high level of performance in relation to their classmates. This chapter aimed at exploring the links between goal orientation profiles and psychological well-being in adolescent students in Greece. Using a sample of 576 high-school students (Mage = 15.2, 44% girls), person-centered analyses were performed on goal orientations scales whereas GPA, self-esteem and symptoms were used to measure adaptation and psychological well-being. Four profiles emerged, on the basis of the scores on the four goal orientation dimensions. Statistically significant mean differences were found between the four groups on all measures of adaptation. Mastery-oriented students were found to show the best adaptation, overall. The results support the notion that approaching learning tasks for the sake of learning and the resulting personal development is a strong indicator of positive adaptation.