The relation over time between achievement motivation and intelligence in young elementary school children: A latent cross-lagged analysis

Children undergo considerable change in both their intelligence and achievement motivation during their early elementary school years. Previous studies have already identified a significant correlation between the achievement motive and intelligence. However, it is still unknown whether and to which extent both variables might influence each other in their development. This study examined how hope for success and fear of failure were each linked over time with intelligence and vice versa. A sample of N = 157 first-graders (M = 6.67 years, SD = 0.50) was followed for 9 months. At two measurement occasions, the children were administered the Culture Fair Intelligence Test - Scale 1 and a questionnaire assessing achievement motivation. After establishing measurement invariance across time, latent cross-lagged analyses were applied. Results showed that base-level fear of failure negatively predicted development in intelligence (β = −0.26), especially in children with lower base-level intelligence, whereas there was no effect of hope for success. Results are discussed with regard to potential mediating factors and implications for instruction to foster both motivational and intellectual development in elementary school children.