Publication Date
2025
Advisor(s) - Committee Chair
Steven Wininger, Qin Zhao
Degree Program
Department of Psychology
Degree Type
Specialist in Education
Abstract
Goal-setting and scaffolding, respectively, are practices that have been shown to have a multitude of positive effects. However, little research has been done to apply the concept of scaffolding to a goal-setting intervention program. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a scaffolding goal development intervention on overall academic achievement and goal attainment. It was hypothesized that students assigned to a scaffolding goal-setting group would display higher rates of academic achievement and goal attainment. Additionally, it was hypothesized that self-efficacy would positively correlate with academic achievement. Twenty undergraduate students at Western Kentucky University completed a pre-study screening questionnaire, weekly check-ins, a post-study questionnaire, and a review of a goal-setting education website, which assessed their overall academic achievement, rates of goal-attainment, and self-efficacy. Results indicated that none of the hypotheses proposed were supported and that there were no statistically significant relationships presented between the variables. Qualitative data gathered suggests that most participants continued to use goal-setting skills during and after the study, with a number of participants using them to guide daily studying. Discussion and implications are provided.
Disciplines
Education | Educational Psychology | Psychology | School Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences
Recommended Citation
Pence, Amy, "THE IMPACT OF A SCAFFOLDING GOAL-SETTING APPROACH ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE" (2025). Masters Theses & Specialist Projects. Paper 3812.
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/3812