Role of Grit in Secondary School Students’ Academic Engagement and Performance: A Meta-Examination

Grit is described as an individual’s ability to persevere in the face of challenges while still being passionate towards achieving personal long-term goals. An individual with grit would have the determination and tenacity to ensure that the goals are attained. Certain corroboration suggested that grit is positively linked to a range of academic results, and yet others contended that grit is not significant in defining academic performance. Hence, through meta-analysis, this study aims to determine if grit plays a significant role in secondary school students’ academic engagement and performance and which grit-related traits give them passion and perseverance to perform academically well. The meta-analysis of previous researches established that there is a significant link between grit and students’ academic engagement and performance. They are: (i) individuals’ priorities are determined by types of grit; (ii) school environment that emphasizes value of learning for learning’s sake may encourage students to stay interested and focused on certain long term goals; (iii) grit (perseverance of effort) significant impact in predicting academic performance and (iv) grit positively influences individuals taking professional and psychological courses where high levels of grit were demonstrated as they stay in the same course without changing goals for long-term purposes.