LAUSR

The moderating effects of motivation, social control, and self-regulation in predicting academic achievement were examined in grades 11-12 for 3,281 7th 9th graders. Standardized assessments of college readiness and student self-reported measures of psychosocial factors were used in the study. The results showed that females in grades 7-9 scored higher than males for motivation and self-regulation. In predicting later achievement in grades 11-12, motivation and social control moderated prior achievement, while self-regulation moderated both sex and prior achievement. Particularly among female students, effects of self-regulation were positive for high-achieving females (percentile rank ≥ 95) and negative for low-achieving females (percentile rank ≤ 5) in predicting achievement in grades 11-12. The phenomenon known as the “Matthew Effect” and implications for classroom teachers and educational policymakers are discussed.