Thematic analysis of open-ended responses from 485 Malaysian public-university students identified behavioral self-blame, characterological self-blame, shared responsibility and growth-oriented reinterpretation. Internal attribution could lead either to constructive motivation or helplessness.
Key findings
- Behavioral self-blame could support reflection, whereas characterological self-blame framed inadequacy as fixed and accompanied discouragement. Shared attribution and growth-oriented reinterpretation offered more balanced meanings.
Why this matters globally
Academic failure is widespread, and the findings caution against treating all self-blame as uniformly adaptive or harmful.
Thai researcher contribution
Fei Zhou and Chunyan Yang, linked to Shinawatra University, contributed to the cross-border team studying Malaysian students.
Limitations to consider
Single-time self-reports do not track mental health or academic outcomes. Themes are not prevalence estimates, and transferability beyond the sampled context is uncertain.