Executive functioning difficulties as predictors of academic performance: Examining the role of grade goals

Concepts related to self-regulation have emerged repeatedly in research on college academic achievement. We hypothesized that self-reported executive functioning (EF) deficits would predict academic performance and investigated whether grade goals could account for this relationship. In Study 1 we obtained data on the Barkley Deficits in Executive Functioning Scale (BDEFS) and self-reported GPA from co-educational university students (N = 250). In Study 2, we collected BDEFS and GPA goals from students at a women's college (N = 229) and obtained grades from the registrar. EF deficits predicted GPA concurrently and prospectively even when controlling for prior grades. Self-motivation problems were most consistently related to grades and mediation analysis revealed a significant indirect effect via lower grade goals. However, goals did not fully account for this relationship. While our results suggest potential value for goal-setting interventions, additional measures to improve self-regulation are likely needed to help struggling students with self-motivation problems.