Abstract:
This paper is three-fold in purpose. Firstly, the theoretical foundations of a developing model of goal theory, stress and performance will be discussed. Secondly, a pilot study examining the ways in which senior school students approach and deal with their final two years of schooling culminating in the NSW Higher School Certificate will be discussed with respect to the model. Variables of interest are context, goals, self-efficacy, self and other expectations, affective and somatic stress symptoms and temporal effects on these factors. Thirdly, results of the pilot study will be discussed in terms of the further development and testing of a predictive model using these and other variables including outcomes responses such as learning strategies and performance.