The relationship between intelligence, working memory, academic self-esteem, and academic achievement

ABSTRACT

Academic achievement is crucial for life and long-term outcomes. The aim of the present study is to examine the joint role of cognitive (intelligence and working memory) and non-cognitive (academic self-esteem) factors in predicting academic achievement (mathematics and reading literacy) in a sample of Italian sixth and eighth graders. The results showed that within the cognitive factors considered, intelligence was the best predictor of achievement. As regards to non-cognitive factors, academic self-esteem was effective at predicting achievement after controlling for cognitive measures. Academic self-esteem was also found to have an indirect effect, mediated by intelligence, on academic achievement. Both theoretical and practical implications of the present results are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Intelligence (g)
• achievement
• working memory
• academic self-esteem
• children

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

David Giofrè http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1992-6271