Factors Influencing Academic Achievement According to Students and Educational Stakeholders: A Systematic Qualitative Perspective

Abstract

In achieving targeted educational outcomes and identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the system in order to develop appropriate roadmaps, the most effective starting point is the monitoring and analysis of the factors contributing to success or failure. In determining these factors, the primary sources of data are, undoubtedly, the students themselves and other stakeholders within the educational system. The purpose of this study is to examine, through qualitative research that gathers data directly from these sources, the factors influencing the perceptions of academic success and failure among typical primary and secondary school students, as well as other educational actors. To this end, studies conducted between 2015 and July 2025 were retrieved from the Scopus, ERIC, and Web of Science databases. EndNote was employed for reference management, and the studies were compiled in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 reporting guidelines. The findings of nine studies deemed relevant to the research were thematically analyzed using MAXQDA. The analysis of the studies indicated that, in order of their impact on student performance, academic factors, personal factors, socio-cultural factors, and socio-economic factors emerged as the primary themes. According to the findings, the teacher factor stands out for achievement and a teacher’s professional competencies and the extent to which they are implemented are reported more frequently than other teacher-related reasons. Considering students’ individual differences is a valid expectation for all stakeholders. Students maintain their self-regulation through motivation arising from their individual characteristics, and accordingly, they demonstrate academic engagement behaviors. Family and peers influence academic achievement both academically and socially. Socio-cultural factors are mostly significant for motivational impact, whereas socio-economic factors are important both for motivational impact and for educational equity. In light of the themes, recommendations have been presented for practitioners, researchers, and stakeholders.

Keywords

• Academic Achievement
• Failure
• Student Success
• Academic Performance

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