Factors affecting academic achievement have been studied for years, showing that success depends on not only cognitive, but also psychological and social factors. Academic achievement is also assessed through international evaluations, and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which evaluates 15-year-old students from numerous countries, provides valuable findings on the psychosocial factors affecting academic performance. This study examined 13 psychosocial factors among Turkish students in PISA 2018 and their impact on achievement. Descriptive statistics for independent variables and achievement groups were presented, followed by analyses of differences and explanatory relationships. Regression analysis revealed that sense of meaning in life, fear of failure, and collaborative school environment had no significant effect and were excluded from the models. The remaining 10 factors explained 10.7% of the variance in academic achievement. Findings were discussed in light of the literature, and recommendations were provided.
PISA 2018, academic achievement, psychosocial factors, Türkiye’s results of PISA.