Gender differences in causal attributions, self-regulation, achievement motivation, and academic performance following an intervention

This study examined whether male and female students differed in their responses to an intervention focused on causal attributions, self-regulation, and achievement motivation. Using a one-group pre-test-post-test quasi-experimental design with an embedded mixed-methods approach, 84 grade 10th students (37 male, 47 female) from Kafa Zone, Ethiopia, participated in an eight-session program targeting key non-cognitive learning factors. Quantitative analyses showed clear pre-test-post-test improvements across most psychological variables and in English academic performance; however, no statistically significant gender difference emerged at post-test, indicating that males and females demonstrated broadly comparable outcomes on standardized measures. Qualitative findings however highlighted distinct gender-related patterns in students’ experiences. Male students described shifting away from luck-based explanations and demonstrated improved behavioral regulation and more structured study habits, whereas female students reported reduced ability-related doubt, enhanced emotional regulation, and strengthened academic confidence. These complementary findings suggest that while the overall measured outcomes were similar across genders, the processes through which students engaged with and described changes in their learning behaviors differed. Taken together, the study contributes to understanding how male and female learners may experience psychological interventions in distinct ways, even when post-intervention performance levels appear equivalent.