Cultural and Cognitive Predictors of Academic Motivation among Mexican American Adolescents: Caution against Discounting the Impact of Cultural Processes

This study examines the role of cognitive (i.e., grit, hope, academic skepticism) and cultural variables (i.e., generation status, familismo, ethnic identity, and bicultural stress) on academic motivation among 181 Mexican American adolescents. Results indicated that hope, grit, and familismo positively predicted academic motivation. Conversely, academic skepticism and bicultural stress negatively predict academic motivation. This study demonstrates that culture is important to consider above and beyond cognitive factors. Implications for practice and research are discussed.