The role of task-avoidant and task-focused behaviors in the development of reading and mathematical skills during the first school year: A cross-lagged longitudinal study.

Abstract

The aim of the study was to examine whether children's achievement strategies would prospectively predict their improvement in reading and mathematical skills during the 1st school year, or whether it is rather the skills that predict the change in their achievement strategies. One hundred five 6-to 7-year-old children were investigated 3 times during the 1st school year. Each time, their reading and mathematical skills were tested, and their task-avoidant versus task-focused behaviors were rated by their classroom teacher. In addition, their overall cognitive competence was measured before entry into school. The maladaptive strategies children deployed in the classroom and their reading skills formed a cumulative developmental cycle. On the one hand, task-avoidant behaviors decreased subsequent improvement in reading skills, and on the other hand, a low level of reading skills increased subsequent task-avoidant behaviors. Although a low level of mathematical skills increased subsequent task avoidance, the mathematical skills were not influenced by it.It has been suggested that the achievement strategies (Cantor, 1990; Jones & BergJas, 1978), motivational styles (Pintrich, Roeser, & Dc Groot, 1994), and causal attributions (Diener & Dweck, 1978) children and adolescents display in classroom settings provide a basis for their low achievement and related problems at school (

The precursors of double dissociation between reading and spelling in a transparent orthography

“…However, it is also possible that task avoidance taps self-regulation or inattention that co-exists with reading and spelling disability (e.g., Willcutt et al, 2007). Previous studies have shown links between task avoidance and reading (e.g., Onatsu-Arvilommi & Nurmi, 2000) as well as between task avoidance and spelling (e.g., Georgiou et al, 2010;Liao et al, 2013). In this study, however, the RD group did not demonstrate task avoidance.…”

“…Several studies investigating student's motivation have also shown that task avoidance, the extent to which a child chooses to avoid approaching or completing a task rather than investing effort, particularly as task demands increase, is a unique predictor of reading (e.g., Georgiou, Manolitsis, Zhang, Parrila, & Nurmi, 2013;Onatsu-Arvilommi & Nurmi, 2000) and spelling (e.g., Georgiou, Manolitsis, Nurmi, & Parrila, 2010;Liao, Georgiou, Zhang, & Nurmi, 2013). Reading proficiency in Finnish can be achieved relatively effortlessly (Lerkkanen et al, 2004), but learning to spell poses more difficulties for children (Aro, 2004;in press).…”

The role of temperament in children's affective and behavioral responses in achievement situations

“…Boys have also been reported to score higher on task-avoidant behaviors (e.g., Onatsu-Arvilommi & Nurmi, 2000), whereas helpless behaviors or passive avoidance may be more common to girls (Dweck, 1986). In the present study, boys were rated higher on distractibility, negative emotionality, and task avoidance.…”

Parental Involvement in Math Homework: Links to Children’s Performance and Motivation

“…The motivation literature describes a few types of such achievement-related motivation. One such motivational construct is task persistence (as opposed to task avoidance), which can be characterized as a type of behavior that a child exhibits when completing learning tasks, such as by showing effort and staying determined when facing challenges (Onatsu-Arvilommi & Nurmi, 2000;Zhang, Nurmi, Kiuru, Lerkkanen, & Aunola, 2011). Task persistence in school tasks is a form of effortful control (e.g., Drake, Belsky, & Fearon, 2014) and has mainly been studied as a general construct, not subject-specific.…”