Examining dual meanings of items in 2 × 2 achievement goal questionnaires through MTMM modeling and MDS approach

In 2001, Elliot and McGregor proposed a 2 × 2 (mastery—performance × approach— avoidance) achievement goal frameworks and developed a questionnaire to measure four goals (mastery—approach, mastery—avoidance, performance—approach, and performance—avoidance goals).This study examines the dual meanings of items in 2 × 2 achievement goal questionnaires by confirmatory factor analysis with an uncorrelated-trait and uncorrelated-method model and multidimensional scaling technique. A total of 2,111 freshmen completed the Achievement Goal Questionnaire for General Academics, and a total of 1,014 university students in Taiwan provided their ratings on the Chinese Achievement Goal Questionnaire for Physical Education. Confirmatory factor analysis results show that the uncorrelated-trait and uncorrelated-method model is better than the 2 × 2 four-factor model, supporting the dual meanings of items. In addition, multidimensional scaling results show that items can be plotted on a two-dimensional (mastery—performance and approach—avoidance) map, in which four quadrants represent one type of goal. The evidence indicates that the items in the Chinese Achievement Goal Questionnaire for Physical Education have adequate construct validity in their dual meanings derived from the combinations of mastery— performance and approach—avoidance dimensions.