Psychological Development and Education ›› 2025, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (5): 692-700.doi: 10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2025.05.09

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College Students’ Academic Contingent Self-worth and Academic Involution Behaviors: Analyses Based on Latent Growth Modeling

WEI Jun1, YI Cong1, ZHOU Xiting1,2   

  1. 1. Institute of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084;
    2. School of Public Administration, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu 611130
  • Published:2025-09-15

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Abstract: This study examined the potential influence of academic contingent self-worth on academic involution behaviors among Chinese college students, and distinguished this influence between urban- and rural-origin students. Based on a three-wave longitudinal design, this study conducted two-group latent growth modeling to analyze the data. Beginning from one month after college enrollment, a total of 1183 college freshmen (Mage = 18.61 years at Wave 1; 39% boys; 48% urban) reported on their academic contingent self-worth and academic involution behaviors three times over a year with 6-month intervals between waves. Three sets of findings were revealed. First, rural (vs. urban) college students generally showed higher academic contingent self-worth and more academic involution behaviors. Second, a higher initial level, but not the change rate, of academic contingent self-worth predicted more increases in academic involution behaviors over time. Third, the predictive effects of academic contingent self-worth on their academic involution behaviors were significant only among urban students. The findings highlight academic contingent self-worth as an important psychological driving factor for academic involution behaviors among college students, and provide insights for improving the prevailing involution culture and establishing a more positive and healthy education ecology in Chinese universities.

Key words: academic contingent self-worth, academic involution behavior, college students, latent growth model

CLC Number: 

  • G442
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