Date

5-20-2026

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)

Chair

Laura Rolen

Keywords

Keywords: perceived mattering, academic motivation, self-handicapping, academic performance, post-secondary students, gender interaction.

Disciplines

Psychology

Abstract

The study examined the role of perceived mattering in the academic experiences of post-secondary students, focusing on its association with academic motivation, self-handicapping behavior, and academic performance. Grounded in Rosenberg and McCullough’s mattering theory, and informed by the social cognitive theory, self-determination theory, attribution theory, the looking-glass self, and protective motivation theory, a quantitative research design was employed utilizing regression and two-way ANOVA analyses. The study hypothesized that higher perceived mattering would be positively associated with intrinsic motivation and negatively associated with extrinsic motivation, that higher perceived mattering would reduce self-handicapping, and that academic performance differences would exist across gender groups at varying mattering levels. Results indicated that perceived mattering significantly predicted both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, though only the intrinsic finding aligned with the hypothesized direction. Perceived mattering was a significant negative predictor of self-handicapping. A significant main effect of mattering level on GPA was observed, along with a significant gender-by-mattering interaction indicating that the positive association between perceived mattering and GPA was stronger for females. These findings position perceived mattering as a psychological construct that strengthens academic motivation, reduces self-handicapping, and contributes to academic achievement among post-secondary students. Implications for institutional practice and policies are explored.

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