Self-handicapping and self-esteem profiles and their relation to achievement goals Translated title: Perfiles de self-handicapping y autoestima y su relación con las metas de logro

Abstract

Abstract: The present work seeks to deepen the knowledge of academic self-handicapping. The two objectives of this study were (a) to identify possible profiles of students from the combination of self-handicapping (behavioral and claimed) and self-esteem and (b) to analyze the differences among these profiles in terms of their achievement goals (learning, achievement-approach, achievement-avoidance and work-avoidance). Participants in this study included 1028 university students. To obtain the profiles, a Latent Profile Analysis was conducted. The differences among profiles in the achievement goals were analyzed by means of a MANCOVA, using gender and the course as covariables. Five student profiles were obtained: LSE/HSH (low self-esteem and high self-handicapping), LSE/HCSH (low self-esteem and high claimed self-handicapping), LSE/HBSH (low self-esteem and high behavioral self-handicapping), MSE/MSH (moderate self-esteem and moderate self-handicapping), and MSE/LSH (moderate self-esteem and low self-handicapping). These profiles differed significantly from one another in terms of their achievement goals. The results of this work contribute to the understanding of the motivational characteristics of self-handicapping students. Given how dysfunctional these strategies are, some psychoeducational guidelines aimed at preventing self-handicapping in the academic context are outlined.

Translated abstract

Resumen: El presente trabajo pretende profundizar en el conocimiento del self-handicapping académico. Dos son los objetivos de este estudio: (a) identificar posibles perfiles de estudiantes a partir de la combinación del self-handicapping (conductual y alegado) y la autoestima; y (b) analizar las diferencias entre estos perfiles en cuanto a sus metas de logro (aprendizaje, aproximación al rendimiento, evitación del rendimiento y evitación del trabajo). Participaron en la investigación 1028 estudiantes universitarios. Para la obtención de los perfiles se realizó un análisis de perfiles latentes. Las diferencias entre perfiles en las metas de logro se analizaron mediante un MANCOVA, tomando como covariables el género y el curso. Se obtuvieron cinco perfiles de estudiantes: BA/ASH (baja autoestima y alto self-handicapping); BA/ASHA (baja autoestima y alto self-handicapping alegado); BA/ASHC (baja autoestima y alto self-handicapping conductual); MA/MSH (moderada autoestima y moderado self-handicapping); y MA/BSH (moderada autoestima y bajo self-handicapping). Estos perfiles se diferenciaron entre sí significativamente en cuanto a sus metas de logro. Los resultados de este trabajo contribuyen a la comprensión de las características motivacionales de los estudiantes self-handicappers. Dado lo disfuncional que resultan estas estrategias, se plantean algunas pautas psicoeducativas dirigidas a la prevención del self-handicapping en el contexto académico.