Understanding the Link Between Epistemological Beliefs and Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analytic Review

ozturk E., Ozturk G.

International journal of educational studies and policy (Online), vol.7, no.1, pp.1-23, 2026 (TRDizin)

Abstract

This study synthesized prior research examining the relationship between epistemological beliefs (EB) and academic achievement across K–16 educational settings. A meta-analysis of 15 studies (N = 9,223) reporting correlational statistics yielded a small but statistically significant mean effect size (r = .19, SE = .01, p < .001), indicating a positive association between EB and academic performance. Moderator analyses using regression and ANOVA identified several variables that significantly influenced the strength of this relationship, including students’ demographic characteristics, measurement reliability, and contextual factors such as country and grade level. Notably, the effect size was larger in college samples and Western countries compared to secondary education and non-Western contexts. The findings underscore the importance of considering methodological and cultural variation in understanding how EB relate to achievement.