Self-talk and academic performance in undergraduate students

Abstract

The self-talk of a group of undergraduate students, both in general day-to-day and academic situations, was compiled and the effect on students’ academic performances was analysed. The results show that: (1) there is a correlation between the valence of general self-talk and academic self-talk; (2) participants exhibit more positive than negative self-talk, although they report more negative self-talk when faced with a more difficult compared to an easier academic subject, while positive academic self-talk was higher in the easy than in the more difficult academic subjects; (3) the negative valence of self-talk (general and academic), is correlated with the negative results predicted by the students six weeks before doing the examination and (4) for the difficult academic subject, but nor for easier subject, students who suspend report using less positive academic self-talk and more negative academic self-talk than those who passes. These results to encourage for wondering about the utility of training in the use of appropriate self-talk for coping academic situations perceived as difficult and improve students performance in such situations