Modeling relationships of achievement motivation and physical fitness with academic performance in Japanese schoolchildren: Moderation by gender

• Published in: Physiology & behavior Vol. 194; pp. 66 - 72
• Main Authors: Ishihara, Toru, Morita, Noriteru, Nakajima, Toshihiro, Okita, Koichi, Sagawa, Masato, Yamatsu, Koji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.10.2018
• Subjects: academic achievement; Adolescents; body mass index; cardiorespiratory fitness; exercise; females; Gender specificity; learning; Learning habit; males; motivation; Obesity; questionnaires; school children; Screen time; socioeconomic status; Structural equation modeling; Obesity; Screen time; Learning habit; Structural equation modeling; Adolescents; Gender specificity
• ISSN: 0031-9384; 1873-507X; 1873-507X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.04.031

The aim of this study was to determine, using structural equation modeling, the comprehensive relationships of achievement motivation (self-fulfillment achievement motivation [SFAM] and competitive achievement motivation [CAM]), daily behaviors (exercise habits, screen time, and learning duration), body mass index [BMI], and cardiorespiratory fitness [CRF]) with academic performance among schoolchildren. Three hundred twenty-five schoolchildren (172 males and 153 females; 12–13 years old) were recruited. Academic performance was assessed using the total grade points in 8 academic subjects (GP8); CRF using the 20-m shuttle run; and achievement motivation, daily behaviors, and socioeconomic status using questionnaires. Socioeconomic status was included as a control variable. In males, two cascade associations of achievement motivation to GP8 were detected: (1) SFAM → screen time/learning duration → GP8, and (2) CAM → exercise habit → CRF → GP8 (χ2 = 8.72, p = .19, AGFI = .92). In females, two cascade associations were also detected: (1) SFAM → screen time/learning habit → GP8, and (2) exercise habit → BMI2 → GP8 (χ2 = 6.17, p = .41, AGFI = .93). Our results suggest that greater achievement motivation is associated with academic success via various physiological/behavioral factors, and that these associations differ by gender. •We examined how achievement motivation (AM) influenced academic performance (AP).•Competitive AM was positively related to AP via exercise and physical fitness.•Self-fulfillment AM was positively related to AP via learning duration.•These relationships showed some gender specificities.•Gender-specific strategies for AM are perhaps necessary to enhance AP.