Longitudinal evidence on the potential adverse impact of grade repetition on self-concept and grit

Abstract

Background

The impact of grade repetition on social-emotional skills is well-researched but somewhat inconclusive. Evidence suggests that lower competitive groups can boost self-concept through social comparison. Our main hypothesis is that measuring self-concept just before students are notified of repetition may capture unintended effects, leading to a “rebound effect”. The main objective is to compare the evolution of self-concept and grit between students who were promoted and those who began repeating in 6th grade using matched samples.

Method

The sample comprised 5999 students (49 % girls) who were assessed at two-time points, 4th and 8th grade, with mean ages of 9.78 years (SD = 0.29) and 13.91 years (SD = 0.44), respectively. The first assessment was conducted two years before the first possible grade repetition to avoid the impact on self-concept and grit from the threat of repetition. To control selection bias, the repeater group (n = 762) was matched with a promoted group using propensity score matching, including sociodemographic predictors, prior achievement, and pre-repetition. The potential adverse impact of repetition was estimated using a two-level hierarchical-linear-analysis.

Results

Adolescents experienced a clear drop in self-concept and grit over time. However, after accounting for sociodemographic differences, prior achievement, and school-level variables, the drop is significantly larger for grade repeaters compared to those who have been promoted. Moreover, grade repetition at later stages is associated with a more adverse impact.

Conclusions

Understanding the impact of grade repetition before students face the threat of repeating can help educators and policymakers develop strategies to prevent negative consequences for at-risk students.