Thinking and feeling matter: a second-order meta-analysis of student characteristics across developmental domains and their effect on academic outcomes

Student characteristics are widely recognized as significant correlates of academic achievement. Among these, attributes related to developmental domains—such as cognitive abilities, psychomotor skills, positive emotions, and positive personality traits—have been the focus of numerous meta-analyses. This study employed a second-order meta-analytic approach to synthesize findings from 29 first-order meta-analyses selected based on predefined quality criteria using the R-AMSTAR checklist, yielding a total of 71 effect sizes. Results revealed a medium-level overall relationship between student characteristics and academic achievement. Effect sizes varied significantly by educational level, with the strongest correlations observed in kindergarten, and moderate associations found at the elementary and secondary levels. Among the domains, cognitive abilities demonstrated the highest correlation with academic achievement, followed by positive personality traits and positive emotions, both showing moderate effects. The findings are discussed in light of existing literature, and practical implications for educational policy and practice are presented.