S u m m a r y

 

Vahtera S (2007)

High-performing optimistic senior high school students

 

Psykologia 42: 248&endash;262. Vammala ISSN 0355-1067.

This study focused on investigating senior high school students' well-being and academic performance. The aims were to examine: 1) what kinds of achievement and social strategies and goal orientations senior high school students deploy and 2) whether the deployment of these strategies and goal orientations predicts students' academic performance and well-being. The participants were asked to fill in a questionnaire measuring achievement and social strategies, motivation and well-being as senior high school students (n=210). Matriculation examination grades were collected after graduation. It seemed that most of the students deployed adaptive cognitive strategies and optimal goal orientations. Academic performance in the matriculation examination was most strongly predicted by former academic performance and self-efficacy. Well-being was associated with self-efficacy, functional cognitive strategies and avoiding dysfunctional strategies and goal orientations.

 

Key words: Achievement and social strategies, goal orientations, well-being, academic performance, adolescents.

 

Sirpa Vahtera, Lic. Psych., student councelor, Helsingin Suomalainen Yhteiskoulu, Isonnevantie 8, 00320 Helsinki, Finland. sirpa.vahtera@edu.hel.fi