The manifestation of willpower in pupils based on academic achievement and type of extracurricular activities

This article presents the quantitative and qualitative results of a study on pupils’ willpower in relation to academic achievement and the types of extracurricular activi­ties they engage in. The study conducted on involved 304 pupils, aged between 12 and to 19 years, from four secondary education institutions in the Republic of Moldova. The results revealed statistically significant differences in several areas: self-assessment of willpower based on academic achievement; the general index of volitional self-control and self-mastery based on the type of extracurricular activities; the volitional qualities of responsibility, initiative, and independence based on academic achievement; and the qualities of initiative, determination, persistence, energy, attention, and perseverance based on the type of extracurricular activities (such as sports, music, dance, painting, volunteering).