The Relationships between Grit and Academic Achievement: A Cross-lagged Longitudinal Study

Previous research investigating the relations between grit and academic achievement mostly relied on cross-sectional design, and less is known about the causal inferences of these effects. Based on social cognitive theory, this longitudinal study investigated the reciprocal relations between academic achievement and the two aspects of grit: perseverance of effort and consistency of interest, among193 Chinese primary school students. Results showed that the reciprocal effects existed between students’ perseverance of efforts and academic achievement even after taking into account students’ age, family SES, self-control and previous academic achievement. Consistency of interest failed to predict academic achievement, or the other way round. The findings revealed a mutually reinforcing pattern between perseverance of effort and academic achievement, and shed light on the socio-cognitive attribute of grit.