Academic Self‐Concept, Interest, Grades, and Standardized Test Scores: Reciprocal Effects Models of Causal Ordering

Reciprocal effects models of longitudinal data show that academic self‐concept is both a cause and an effect of achievement. In this study this model was extended to juxtapose self‐concept with academic interest. Based on longitudinal data from 2 nationally representative samples of German 7th‐grade students (Study 1: N =5,649, M age=13.4; Study 2: N =2,264, M age=13.7 years), prior self‐concept significantly affected subsequent math interest, school grades, and standardized test scores, whereas prior math interest had only a small effect on subsequent math self‐concept. Despite stereotypic gender differences in means, linkages relating these constructs were invariant over gender. These results demonstrate the positive effects of academic self‐concept on a variety of academic outcomes and integrate self‐concept with the developmental motivation literature.