Students' self-handicapping strategies in a mathematics course

Abstract

Self-handicapping strategies can be defined as individuals’ behaviors or statements, which happen before an important task is performed and work as an excuse to justify a likely poor performance. The use of these strategies can harm the academic performance of students at all levels. The current article presents a case study about the use of self-handicapping strategies carried out with twenty undergraduate Mathematics students from a Brazilian public university. Data collection was based on the application of a Likert-type scale and on a focus group conducted with students. Scale data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, whereas group discussions were subjected to qualitative analysis. Results have shown that most students do not significantly engage in self-handicapping behaviors. Difficulties to manage time and to prepare for academic activities, such as tests, were the reasons most often presented as justification for such an engagement. Data have also pointed out the need of rethinking the role played by teachers and by the atmosphere they promote in the classroom as factors that can contribute to the use, or not, of these strategies by students. Future research may help improving knowledge on these matters.