Cognitive and Motivational Variables in the Academic Achievement in Language and Mathematics Subjects: A Structural Model

This paper tests a structural model in terms of the cognitive and motivational variables that explain academic achievement in the subjects of Spanish Language and Mathematics, and which includes previous achievement, aptitudes, academic self-concept, causal attributions, goal orientations and learning strategies as predictor variables. A total of 341 students from the first academic year of compulsory secondary education in various schools in the Spanish province of Alicante took part in the study. Analysis of the structural equation modelling indicates that Spanish Language model has a better fit to the data, with statistical significance in practically all of the relationships considered. These include the determining power of previous performance over the model's motivational variables and final academic achievement, as well as the mediating role that motivational variables play in the effect that aptitudes have on final achievement. The results obtained and their implications for education are discussed.