A Meta-Analysis of the Relationship Epistemological Beliefs and Academic Performance

Over the past two decades, many researchers have examined the relationship between epistemological beliefs and academic performance, which yielded different results. Thus, it is essential to use meta-analysis study to resolve discrepancies and present a general result.  The aim of this research is a meta-analysis of the relationship epistemological beliefs and academic performance.

The method of this research is meta-analysis. The populations were available related studies between 1379-1398 and 1993-2018. For gathering data, was used the Mesrabadi research proposal check lists (1389). 99 effect sizes were being investigated based on inclusion and exclusion criteria on 31 primary researches. Sensitivity analysis, fixed and random effects models and the heterogeneity analysis with CMA software was used for data analysis.

The findings indicated that the mean of the total effect of the studies were 0.035 for the fixed effects model and 0.041 for the random effects model. As the effect sizes were heterogeneous, gender and type of sample were examined as the mediating variables. The results indicated that the effect size of relationship between epistemological beliefs and academic performance in researches that used of female sample is more than to the other researches. Also the results indicated that in researches the subjects of the research were first middle school students the effect size of relationship between this two variable is more than to the other researches. The results indicated that the relationship between epistemological beliefs and academic performance in factor of omniscient authority is more than to the other factors of epistemological beliefs.

The findings showed relationship between epistemological beliefs and academic performance.