Grade retention and academic self-concept : a multilevel analysis towards the effects of schools’ retention-composition

Ondertitel:Grade retention and academic self-concept : a multilevel analysis towards the effects of school retention composition

Previous studies on the impact of grade retention on academic self-concept suffer from inconclusive findings. There is no consensus if retention yields long term benefits that could offset its opportunity costs and, if so, under which conditions. Therefore, this article examines whether grade retention decreases academic self-concept and whether this relationship is mediated by sense of belonging. Moreover, we aim to contextualise retention research by accounting for school retention composition. Based on reference group theory, the effect of grade retention composition upon academic self-concept is expected to be twofold. Normative reference grouping leads to the assumption that students in high retention composition schools will exhibit lower levels of academic self-concept, because retainees’ values are more likely to spread across all students within the same school. Comparative reference grouping might lead to a moderation effect of retention composition on the relationship between grade retention and academic self-concept. Multilevel analyses on ISCY-data, consisting of 2,354 students in 30 secondary schools in Ghent (Flanders) revealed a negative association between grade retention and academic self-concept, which was mediated by sense of belonging. Students in high retention composition schools had a significantly lower academic self-concept. At last, the impact of being retained upon academic self-concept is not affected by the number of retainees within a given context. Implications are discussed.

Jaar van publicatie:2021

Toegankelijkheid:Open