Academic self-handicapping and achievement: A meta-analysis.

Abstract

Self-handicapping represents a frequently used strategy for regulating the threat to self-esteem elicited by the fear of failing in academic achievement settings. Several studies have documented negative associ ations between self-handicapping and different educational outcomes, inter alia academic achievement. However, studies on the relation between self-handicapping and academic achievement have yielded heterogeneous results, indicating the need to conduct meta-analytic investigations and to examine the relevance of several potential moderator variables. This meta-analysis integrates the results of 36 field studies with 49 independent effect sizes (N = 25,550). A random effects model revealed a mean effect size between self-handicapping and academic achievement of r = -.2 3 (p < .001, range: r = -.4 6 to r = .02). Moreover, moderator analyses showed that the type of self-handicapping scale, the school type (elementary, middle, high school, university), the level of mastery goals in the sample, and the reliability of the self-handicapping scale considerably influenced the mean correlation. Based on our findings, we conclude that educational interventions to enhance academic achievement should additionally focus on preventing self-handicapping.

Free Will Belief as a Predictor of Self-Handicapping

“…While evidence supports the notion that self-handicapping is a harmful strategy to use in the long-term (Zuckerman, et al, 1998;Zuckerman & Tsai, 2005;Schwinger et al, 2014), it does have psychological benefits immediately following performance.…”

“…Self-handicapping is, consequentially, a self-defeating strategy that has been associated with negative coping behaviors (Zuckerman, Kieffer, & Knee, 1998), increased substance use (Zuckerman & Tsai, 2005), and poorer academic achievement (Schwinger, Wirthwein, Lemmer, & Steinmayr, 2014). Understanding the antecedents to selfhandicapping would enable researchers to unpack the decision-making processes that result in this harmful behavior, and thereby to arm educators with interventions that might prevent the use of self-handicapping.…”

The relationships between self-handicapping tendency and narcissistic personality traits, anxiety sensitivity, social support, academic achievement

“…If he/she is unable to find a rational explanation for the incompetence, then he/she may refer to self-handicapping behaviors too protect his/ her self-respect. Therefore, students with low academic success may shoe self-handicapping behaviors such as leaving studying to the last minute, studying less, and postponing more than successful students (42,45).…”

Effectiveness of Meta-Cognitive Skills Training on Self-Handicapping and Self-Efficacy of Students

“…Meanwhile, cognition and self-evaluation play a determinant role and affect the individuals' perceptions regarding situations and measurements [35]. It is expected that training based on cognition are effective on these two variables.…”