Engagement vs. Disaffection with Learning
Student-report
Behavioral Engagement
1. I try hard to do well in school.
2. In class, I work as hard as I can.
3. When I’m in class, I participate in class discussions.
4. I pay attention in class.
5. When I’m in class, I listen very carefully.
Behavioral Disaffection
6. When I’m in class, I just act like I’m working. (-)
7. I don’t try very hard at school. (-)
8. In class, I do just enough to get by. (-)
9. When I’m in class, I think about other things. (-)
10. When I’m in class, my mind wanders. (-)
Emotional Engagement
11. When I’m in class, I feel good.
12. When we work on something in class, I feel interested.
13. Class is fun.
14. I enjoy learning new things in class.
15. When we work on something in class, I get involved.
Emotional Disaffection
16. When we work on something in class, I feel bored. (-)
(When I'm doing work in class, I feel bored. (-))
(When my teacher first explains new material, I feel bored. (-))
17. When I’m in class, I feel worried. (-)
(When we start something new in class, I feel nervous. (-))
(When I get stuck on a problem, I feel worried. (-))
18. When we work on something in class, I feel discouraged. (-)
19. Class is not all that fun for me. (-)
20. When I’m in class, I feel bad. (-)
(When I'm working on my classwork, I feel mad. (-))
(When I get stuck on a problem, it really bothers me. (-))
(When I can't answer a question, I feel frustrated. (-))
Note. Items in parentheses can be used to obtain a more differentiated assessment of disaffected
emotions (i.e., bored, worried, and frustrated).
References
Furrer, C., & Skinner, E. (2003). Sense of relatedness as a factor in children’s academic engagement
and performance. Journal of Educational Psychology, 95, 148-162.
Patrick, B. C., Skinner, E. A., & Connell, J. P. (1993). What motivates children’s behavior and
emotion? The joint effects of perceived control and autonomy in the academic domain. Journal of
Personality and Social Psychology, 65 (4), 781-791.
Skinner, E. A., & Belmont, M. J. (1993). Motivation in the classroom: Reciprocal effects of teacher
behavior and student engagement across the school year. Journal of Educational Psychology, 85,
571-581.
Skinner, E. A. (1998). Strategies for studying social influences on motivation. In J. Heckhausen & C.
Dweck (Eds.), Motivation and self-regulation across the life span (pp. 216 - 234). Cambridge, UK:
Cambridge University Press.
Wellborn, J. G. (1991). Engaged and disaffected action: The conceptualization and measurement of motivation
in the academic domain. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Rochester, New York.
How I Feel About School
1. I try hard to do well in school.
A) Not at all true
B) Not very true
C) Sort of true
D) Very true
C) Sort of true
D) Very true
2. I enjoy learning new things in class.
A) Not at all true
B) Not very true
3. When we work on something in class, I feel discouraged.
A) Not at all true
B) Not very true
C) Sort of true
D) Very true
B) Not very true
C) Sort of true
D) Very true
B) Not very true
C) Sort of true
D) Very true
C) Sort of true
D) Very true
C) Sort of true
D) Very true
C) Sort of true
D) Very true
C) Sort of true
D) Very true
4. In class, I do just enough to get by.
A) Not at all true
5. Class is fun.
A) Not at all true
6. In class, I work as hard as I can.
A) Not at all true
B) Not very true
7. When I’m in class, I feel bad.
A) Not at all true
B) Not very true
8. When I’m in class, I listen very carefully.
A) Not at all true
B) Not very true
9. When I’m in class, I feel worried.
A) Not at all true
B) Not very true
10. When we work on something in class, I get involved.
A) Not at all true
B) Not very true
C) Sort of true
11..When I’m in class, I think about other things.
D) Very true
A) Not at all true
B) Not very true
C) Sort of true
D) Very true
12. When we work on something in class, I feel interested.
A) Not at all true
B) Not very true
C) Sort of true
D) Very true
C) Sort of true
D) Very true
13. Class is not all that fun for me.
A) Not at all true
B) Not very true
14. When I’m in class, I just act like I’m working.
A) Not at all true
B) Not very true
C) Sort of true
D) Very true
C) Sort of true
D) Very true
C) Sort of true
D) Very true
15. When I’m in class, I feel good.
A) Not at all true
B) Not very true
16. When I’m in class, my mind wanders.
A) Not at all true
B) Not very true
17. When I’m in class, I participate in class discussions.
A) Not at all true
B) Not very true
C) Sort of true
D) Very true
18. When we work on something in class, I feel bored.
A) Not at all true
B) Not very true
C) Sort of true
D) Very true
B) Not very true
C) Sort of true
D) Very true
B) Not very true
C) Sort of true
D) Very true
19. I don’t try very hard at school.
A) Not at all true
20. I pay attention in class.
A) Not at all true