Causal attributions, self-handicapping strategies and self-perceived performance in undergraduate students

Abstract

Intrapersonal causal attributions, self-handicapping strategies, and self-perceived performance are psychological constructs present in the academic routine associated with motivation to learn. This study investigated the functioning of these constructs in a sample of 532 Brazilian students from a private university in São Paulo State (Mage = 22.98; sd=5.12). The students answered the following instruments: the Causal Attribution Scale for Sucess and Academic Failure for Undergraduate Students, the Self-Handicapping Strategies Scale, and the Self-perceived Performance Questionnaire. Attributions of internal and controllable causes were found to be associated with less use of self-handicapping strategies. Younger students, women, and students with a high academic performance presented attributions of internal and controllable causes and less use of self-handicapping strategies. Causal attributions for success and self-handicapping strategies were predictors of self-perceived performance. We suggest further investigation of these constructs in higher education.