Externalizing behaviour, task‐focused behaviour, and academic achievement: An indirect relation?

Background Although many studies have suggested that students’ externalizing (aggressive and rule‐breaking) behaviour is detrimental to their academic achievement, the underlying mechanisms have rarely been investigated. Aims We conducted a longitudinal investigation of whether the negative relation between externalizing behaviour and academic achievement operationalized as grades and test scores is mediated by students’ task‐focused behaviour...