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Academic Profile Development: An Investigation of Differentiation Processes Based on Students' Level of Achievement and Grade Level

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Title: Academic Profile Development: An Investigation of Differentiation Processes Based on Students' Level of Achievement and Grade Level
Language: English
Authors: Moritz Breit (ORCID 0000-0002-5983-2691), Martin Brunner, Antoine Fischbach, Rachel Wollschläger, Ulrich Keller, Sonja Ugen, Franzis Preckel
Source: Journal of Educational Psychology. 2025 117(6):939-959.
Availability: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 21
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Grade 5
Intermediate Grades
Middle Schools
Grade 7
Junior High Schools
Secondary Education
Grade 9
High Schools
Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Profiles, Foreign Countries, German, French, Mathematics Achievement, Academic Records, Grade 5, Grade 7, Grade 9, Grade Level Differences, Grouping (Instructional Purposes), Secondary School Students, Longitudinal Studies, High Achievement, Low Achievement, Standardized Tests
Geographic Terms: Luxembourg
DOI: 10.1037/edu0000856
ISSN: 0022-0663
1939-2176
Abstract: The level and profile of academic achievements affect students' development in education and beyond. However, the utility of profile interpretation is a matter of debate and there is limited knowledge on the development of academic profiles. Conversely, for research of cognitive ability profiles, specifically differentiation processes, theories and statistical tools have already been developed. Taking advantage of the conceptual and theoretical framework as well as the methodological toolbox of differentiation research, we carried out two studies on academic profile formation. The academic achievement of Luxembourgish Students in German, French, and Math was assessed with standardized tests in both studies. Study 1 examined differentiation of academic achievement with longitudinal data of 1,848 students tested in Grades 5 and 7 (M[subscript ageT1] = 10.62, SD[subscript ageT1] = 0.66). We found more balanced academic profiles with increasing achievement level, more balanced profiles with increasing grade level, and a stronger grade level effect for higher achieving students. Study 2 analyzed cross-sectional data from 5,235 Grade 9 students (M[subscript age] = 14.97, SD[subscript age] = 1.04) who attended either an academic track or a vocational track to examine the effect of different educational contexts on differentiation. There were no substantial differences between the tracks regarding profile differentiation. The results overall indicate that academic profiles become more even over time, especially in high-achieving students.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1506958
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Academic Profile Development: An Investigation of Differentiation Processes Based on Students' Level of Achievement and Grade Level
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Moritz+Breit%22">Moritz Breit</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5983-2691">0000-0002-5983-2691</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Martin+Brunner%22">Martin Brunner</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Antoine+Fischbach%22">Antoine Fischbach</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rachel+Wollschläger%22">Rachel Wollschläger</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ulrich+Keller%22">Ulrich Keller</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sonja+Ugen%22">Sonja Ugen</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Franzis+Preckel%22">Franzis Preckel</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Educational+Psychology%22"><i>Journal of Educational Psychology</i></searchLink>. 2025 117(6):939-959.
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  Data: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 21
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+5%22">Grade 5</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Intermediate+Grades%22">Intermediate Grades</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Middle+Schools%22">Middle Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+7%22">Grade 7</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Junior+High+Schools%22">Junior High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+9%22">Grade 9</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22High+Schools%22">High Schools</searchLink>
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  Label: Descriptors
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+Achievement%22">Academic Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Profiles%22">Profiles</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22German%22">German</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22French%22">French</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematics+Achievement%22">Mathematics Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+Records%22">Academic Records</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+5%22">Grade 5</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+7%22">Grade 7</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+9%22">Grade 9</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+Level+Differences%22">Grade Level Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grouping+%28Instructional+Purposes%29%22">Grouping (Instructional Purposes)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Secondary+School+Students%22">Secondary School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Longitudinal+Studies%22">Longitudinal Studies</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22High+Achievement%22">High Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Low+Achievement%22">Low Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Standardized+Tests%22">Standardized Tests</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Luxembourg%22">Luxembourg</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1037/edu0000856
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0022-0663<br />1939-2176
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: The level and profile of academic achievements affect students' development in education and beyond. However, the utility of profile interpretation is a matter of debate and there is limited knowledge on the development of academic profiles. Conversely, for research of cognitive ability profiles, specifically differentiation processes, theories and statistical tools have already been developed. Taking advantage of the conceptual and theoretical framework as well as the methodological toolbox of differentiation research, we carried out two studies on academic profile formation. The academic achievement of Luxembourgish Students in German, French, and Math was assessed with standardized tests in both studies. Study 1 examined differentiation of academic achievement with longitudinal data of 1,848 students tested in Grades 5 and 7 (M[subscript ageT1] = 10.62, SD[subscript ageT1] = 0.66). We found more balanced academic profiles with increasing achievement level, more balanced profiles with increasing grade level, and a stronger grade level effect for higher achieving students. Study 2 analyzed cross-sectional data from 5,235 Grade 9 students (M[subscript age] = 14.97, SD[subscript age] = 1.04) who attended either an academic track or a vocational track to examine the effect of different educational contexts on differentiation. There were no substantial differences between the tracks regarding profile differentiation. The results overall indicate that academic profiles become more even over time, especially in high-achieving students.
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1506958
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        Value: 10.1037/edu0000856
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      – SubjectFull: Academic Achievement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Profiles
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      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
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      – SubjectFull: Grade 9
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