Abstracts - Earli

A 1828 August 2007 15:00 - 17:00Room: 0.100CSymposiumAchievement goal orientations and well-beingChair: Markku Niemivirta, University of Helsinki, FinlandOrganiser: Markku Niemivirta, University of Helsinki, FinlandDiscussant: Monique Boekaerts, Leiden University, NetherlandsMuch of the individual variation in achievement behavior can be explained by the different goalorientations students hold or adopt in achievement contexts. Although a large body of research hasexamined how such orientations relate to various types of academic outcomes, surprisingly little isknown about how achievement goal orientations relate to students’ subjective well-being, anotherundoubtedly vital educational outcome. By looking at students’ well-being from several differentperspectives, this symposium seeks to enhance our understanding of the adaptiveness of adoptingcertain goal orientations. The presentations in this symposium share an overall framework butdiffer in terms of the level of specificity and the indices of well-being included. Sideridis and hiscolleagues examine the simultaneous contribution of goal orientations, feared states, andpersonality dispositions on the emotional experience and achievement of students with and withoutlearning problems. Barron and his colleagues present findings linking achievement goals andtheories of intelligence to various aspects of psychological well-being including personal growth,autonomy, purpose in life, environmental mastery, positive relations with others, and selfacceptance.The longitudinal study by Niemivirta, Salmela-Aro, and Tuominen demonstrates howchanges in students’ achievement goal orientations, general well-being, and school-related burnoutare related to each other across the transition from lower secondary to upper secondary school.Finally, Kaplan and Flum extend the perspective on academic orientations and well-being beyondthe domain of the school to general styles of coping with the developmental task of identityformation. The findings reported here evidence the importance of considering outcomes other thanachievements when evaluating the consequences of different goal orientations, and thus provide abasis for expanding our view on adaptive student motivation.Examining the moderating role of goal orientations, fear of failure, and hardiness for the affectiveexperience of students with and without learning problems: An application of the EmotionalStroop TaskGeorgios Sideridis, University of Crete, GreeceIoanna Tsigourla, University of Crete, GreeceEirini Fragioudaki, University of Crete, GreeceIoanna Hrakleous, University of Crete, GreeceMaria Shiakali, University of Crete, GreeceMaria Georgiou, University of Crete, GreeceAggelos Krypotos, University of Crete, GreeceThis study evaluated the moderating role of goal orientations, fear of failure, and hardinesstowards explaining the reaction to emotional stimuli of students’ with and without learningdisabilities. Participants were 340 elementary school students with and without learning problems(260 typical students and 80 with learning and attention problems assessed using both teacherratings and the Taylor Complex Figure). Goal orientations, fear of failure, and hardiness were– 54 –