Self-doubt relates differently to monitoring feedback and asking for it

Updated Sep 10, 2026

Reading feedback and asking for clarification are different behaviours. Qiang Guo and Yueting Xu’s study of 1,232 undergraduates finds that self-doubt relates to them in different ways.

What the study reports

Self-esteem was positively associated with both monitoring feedback and direct inquiry. Self-doubt was positively associated with monitoring but negatively associated with inquiry. The distinction suggests that visible questions are an incomplete measure of feedback-seeking.

In the statistical models, mastery goals mediated relationships with both behaviours. Performance-approach and performance-avoidance goals mediated relationships with inquiry only. More than half the sample belonged to a profile combining relatively low self-esteem and mastery goals with high self-doubt.

Statistical prediction and mediation do not by themselves demonstrate that self-doubt causes avoidance, or that changing goals will improve feedback use. The profile proportion describes this sample; it is not an estimate for UK undergraduates. Nor can the results diagnose why a particular student stays quiet.

Questions for assessment teams

Consider asking students separately whether they read feedback, understand it and feel able to seek clarification. That distinction could help a course team investigate its own feedback processes without inferring motivation from silence.

Short debriefs, question prompts or opportunities to discuss common queries are options to test with students. Their effectiveness was not established by this study. Define the outcome of a local pilot and assess whether students actually find clarification easier.

When reviewing assessment and feedback comments, preserve students’ explanations and avoid turning sentiment into an individual psychological label.

Reference

Guo, Q., & Xu, Y. (published online 2026). Exploring students’ feedback-seeking behavior: the roles of self-esteem, self-doubt, and achievement goals from a variable- and person-centered approach. Studies in Higher Education. DOI: 10.1080/03075079.2025.2612104.