The Influence of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Factors on the Academic Achievement of Adolescent Boys in a Residential Home

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to research the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence the academic achievement of adolescent boys' age14-17 in· a residential home. The research was conducted at the Methodist Children's Home Society in Redford, MI. during the summer of 2011. A total of 23 adolescent boys were surveyed and 10 staff members. In addition, 15 field observations in the classroom were done. Among these findings arose several categories of themes. These categories included academics, attributions, motivation, home environment, child welfare system arid. behavior. The theme categories were complemented by the· boys' self-reported surveys which were sometimes found to be inconsistent or contrasted with the staff interviews. The results reported that the boys' were either not performing at grade level or more than one grade. level behind, which contrasts with the boys' self-reported rating of achieving an average of a grade B in school. However, the data corresponded in that both staff interviewees and the boys' tended to attribute failure to ability and attributed a lack of effort towards academics. The boys' were found to be internally motivated, yet there is disagreement in perception between staff and the boys' motive to achieve success and motive to achieve failure. The results also showed that home environment and the child-welfare system negatively influenced the boys' ability to achieve academically due to past trauma, lack of basic resources and instability.