Underachievement risks and profiles of psychological variables among high-ability adolescents from Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom

Lo, E. T. T. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5926-2430, van Weerdenburg, M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7655-7353, Williams, J. M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0324-0558, Jen, E., Hoogeveen, L., Chan, S. W. Y. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4088-4528, Sin, K. F. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8923-1443 and Cheung, H. N. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9333-7678 (2025) Underachievement risks and profiles of psychological variables among high-ability adolescents from Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education, 15 (9). 178. ISSN 2254-9625 doi: 10.3390/ejihpe15090178

Abstract/Summary

Background: High-ability students, despite their potential, may underachieve academically. The existing literature suggests the presence of subtypes, such as perfectionistic or creative high-ability students, who underachieve for different reasons. However, empirical work identifying these profiles and linking them to underachievement remains limited. Methods: We analyzed self-reported data by 930 high-ability adolescents across Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. We conducted a pre-registered confirmatory latent profile analysis on five dispositions theoretically relevant to underachievement: creativity, academic self-efficacy, self-regulation, perfectionistic standards, and self-criticism. We examined how these profiles related to underachievement risk, measured by academic performance and self-perceived underachievement. Results: Four profiles emerged. Two aligned with underachievement-related theories, namely the “self-satisfied” profile (low self-criticism, high self-regulation and creativity; prevalent in Asia) and the “maladaptively perfectionistic” profile (high self-criticism but low creativity, academic self-efficacy, and self-regulation; prevalent in Western Europe). Academic performance did not differ across profiles. However, adolescents in the “self-satisfied” profile were less likely to self-perceive as underachievers, while those in the “maladaptively perfectionistic” group were more likely. Interestingly, self-perception as underachievers in both profiles was positively linked with academic performance. Conclusions: These findings provide empirical evidence on subtypes among high-ability students that may differentially present underachieving risks.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/id/eprint/124317
Identification Number/DOI	10.3390/ejihpe15090178
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Interdisciplinary centres and themes > Charlie Waller Institute Life Sciences > School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences > Department of Psychology
Publisher	MDPI AG
Download/View statistics	View download statistics for this item