Engaged or just compliant? A person-centered investigation of the dimensionality and structure of student engagement

Abstract

Recent research has proposed agentic engagement as a fourth dimension of student engagement, alongside behavioural, emotional, and cognitive dimensions. The current study used latent profile analysis to examine patterns in how these four dimensions manifest in classroom learning. The modelling accounted for overall levels of engagement as well as their specific types using bifactor confirmatory factor analysis. Data were collected from 1,199 high school students. Three profiles were identified: (1) ‘disengaged’ (24% of the sample) with low engagement, where behavioural disengagement was most salient; (2) ‘compliant’ (32%) with below-average engagement, where positive behavioural engagement was most salient; and (3) ‘engaged’ (44%) with high engagement and a relatively even profile. Consistent with self-determination theory, the engaged profile showed the highest quality motivation, academic achievement, and future study intentions. Further, the engaged group uniquely reported greater agentic engagement, while the compliant and disengaged groups had similar scores for this dimension.