Examining the Mediational Role of Writing Motivation in the Writing Development of Elementary-Aged Students

<p>Motivational variables, such as writing self-efficacy and writing attitudes, are not emphasized in writing frameworks for developing writers. The purpose of this research study was to extend the research literature on elementary-aged students’ writing development by examining the potential mediational role of writing self-efficacy and writing attitudes between foundational academic skills (e.g., handwriting, spelling, and executive functioning/working memory skills) and written performance. Measures of spelling, handwriting, executive function/working memory skills, writing self-efficacy, writing attitudes, and written expression were administered to 140 third-grade and fifth-grade students. In this correlational research study, a parallel mediational analysis was conducted to examine whether writing self-efficacy and writing attitudes functioned as mediating variables between transcription skills (i.e., handwriting and spelling), executive functioning/working memory ability, and students’ subsequent writing performance. Results demonstrated that neither writing self-efficacy or writing attitudes mediated the relationship between variables associated with students’ writing development. Implications of this study and directions for future research of writing self-efficacy and writing attitudes within writing development are discussed.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Year

2020

Author dc:creator

• Eggleston, Brittany

Contributors dc:contributor

• Tanya L. Eckert

• elementary-aged students
• handwriting
• spelling
• writing attitudes
• writing self-efficacy
• written performance
• Social and Behavioral Sciences

Repository record dc:identifier

https://surface.syr.edu/etd/1207

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:surface.syr.edu:etd-2208