Abstract
Research has indicated that there are many factors affecting academic performance of high school students, which in turn can have a significant effect on their future educational and occupational opportunities. While much international research has been done on cognitive and non-cognitive factors affecting academic performance, there seems to be a lack of empirical studies within the South African context, especially with regard to the effect of vocational interests, academic attitudes and study behaviours. The study investigated three hypotheses. Firstly, academic ability has a significant influence on school students’ academic performance; secondly, school students who show vocational interest patterns that correspond with specific subject content, perform academically better than school students who do not have interests that are in line with the subject content; and thirdly, school students with positive academic attitudes and study behaviours perform academically better than students with negative academic attitudes and study behaviours. The study included 285 Grade 10 students who completed the General Scholastic Aptitude Test, the Self-Directed Search and the Academic Behaviours and Attitudes Questionnaire. The results of multiple regression analyses revealed that academic ability, vocational interests, self-efficacy, achievement motivation, self-directedness in learning and avoidance of procrastination all contributed toward predicting academic performance. With regard to the role of vocational interests, the results also revealed that Investigative and Realistic interests had a significant effect on academic performance even when subject content did not match vocational interest patterns. An adjusted model, based on Social Cognitive Career Theory was formulated in order to conceptualise the study.
Dr. K. de Bruin