Hope- and Academic-Related Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis

Adverse Childhood Experiences, maladaptive coping behaviours and protective factors in undergraduate students: A cross-sectional study

Objectives: The purpose is to examine the relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), protective factors, and select maladaptive coping behaviors in postsecondary students. Participants: Undergraduate students attending Dalhousie University. Methods: An online anonymous survey was conducted. Zero order one-tailed correlations were computed to measure relationships between ACEs, levels of maladaptive coping behaviors and protective factors. A structural equation mediation model examined direct and indirect pathways between measures. Results: 42.5% of respondents (n = 327) reported ≥3ACEs. Higher ACEs were associated with higher expression of maladaptive coping behaviors. Respondents with high ACEs and low levels of protective factors reported lower levels of hope and forgiveness and higher levels of stress and rumination. Conclusion: Higher levels of protective factors were associated with lower levels of maladaptive coping behaviors in students with high ACEs.

Hope for the Future and Its Associated Factors Among Adolescents in Tanzania: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction Hope is a universal, multidimensional psychological construct related to an individual's expectation that they will achieve desirable outcomes by setting realistic objectives. The study aims to investigate the factors associated with hope among adolescents in Tanzania. Methods Baseline characteristics were collected from 2,058 adolescent girls and 1,770 adolescent boys at 41 primary and 13 secondary schools in Korogwe District, Tanzania. The level of hope was measured using the Herth Hope Index. The associated hope factors were analyzed using multiple linear regression models based on sex. Results The results of multiple regression analyses indicated that secondary school students demonstrated significantly higher levels of hope for the future than primary school students among both adolescent girls and boys [95% CI]: 2.34 [1.53 to 3.15], 1.69 (0.98 to 2.41). Both Christian adolescent girls and boys had significantly higher levels of hope than their Muslim counterparts. Adolescent girls who intended to enrol in secondary school or obtain employment exhibited significantly higher levels of hope than those who were uncertain about their post-school plans.  Conclusions This study showed common and distinct factors associated with hope for the future ofadolescent girls and boys in Tanzania. This suggests that there are potential avenues for identifying target subpopulations of adolescent girls and boys and developing sex-specific interventions to enhance their hope for the future. Future research must focus on elucidating the methods for assessing and measuring hope in various populations in order to understand the essence of this concept based on strengths within particular cultural contexts.

Bayesian analysis of psychological capital in peruvian university students: Differences by sex and age

Psychological capital (PsyCap) constitutes a positive personal resource that enhances better well-being and academic performance in university students. Initially addressed in the organizational realm and recently in the academic one. This study aimed to establish the differences in PsyCap according to gender and age in Peruvian university students. A quantitative, comparative, non-experimental, and cross-sectional study was conducted with 708 students (77.4 % women and 22.6 % men), aged between 18 and 61 years (M = 22.1; SD = 5.95), selected in a non-probabilistic manner, who completed the Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ-12). The results indicate very strong evidence supporting the existence of significant differences between different age groups, suggesting that the observed variations are not due to chance but reflect real differences between ages. Regarding gender, the data do not provide enough information to confidently assert whether there are significant differences between men and women in relation to psychological capital (PsyCap) and its dimensions. This implies that we cannot confirm whether gender influences these variables. These findings highlight the need to consider age when assessing and intervening in PsyCap in university students.

The Relationship between Parental Educational Involvement and Learning Engagement among Chinese Middle School Students: The Mediating Effect of Gratitude and Hope

Despite the extensive body of literature on the correlation between family dynamics and academic achievement among students, there remains a notable gap in research investigating the influence of parental educational involvement on student learning engagement. Based on the developmental-ecological model of student engagement and relevant theoretical frameworks, this study used the quantitative analysis method to construct a chain mediation model to test the relationship between parental educational involvement and the learning engagement of middle school students, as well as the potential mediating role of gratitude and hope. This study employed a cross-sectional study using whole-cluster random sampling to measure middle school students aged 11-18 years old in two schools over a one-week period. Through the use of self-reporting surveys, this study assessed the levels of parental educational involvement, gratitude, hope, and learning engagement among 754 middle school students (48% female; Mage = 14.83, SD = 1.65) in Hubei Province, China. The mediation effect was analyzed using regression analysis and the chained mediation model and tested via the Bootstrap method. The findings suggested that parental educational involvement significantly positively related to learning engagement among middle school students, while gratitude and hope serve as partial mediators in the relationship between parental educational involvement and learning engagement. These findings revealed the psychological mechanisms underlying the relationship between parental educational involvement and learning engagement among middle school students, providing valuable insights for enhancing their level of learning engagement.

Hope and its associations with academic-related outcomes and general wellbeing among college students: the importance of measurement specificity

BACKGROUND

Hope has been extensively studied as a predictor of college students' academic success. Most previous studies used domain-general, global hope measures to gauge the association between hope and academic performance among college students. However, a few studies have suggested that hope is domain-specific and domain-specific academic hope measures should be included in related research to better assess the influence of hope on academic outcomes. In this study, we aimed to further examine this issue to ascertain if there is value in including academic hope measures when studying the link between hope and academic outcomes in college students.

METHODS

Two samples of Hong Kong college students (total N = 1321) were recruited. Each participant completed a set of self-reported online questionnaires.

RESULTS

In both samples, global hope and academic hope emerged as related but separate factors in confirmatory factor analyses. Academic hope had consistently stronger unique explanatory power on academic performance and goal setting than global hope did. On the other hand, global hope explained more variance in general wellbeing than academic hope did, but its explanatory role in academic performance was not significant.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings support domain-specificity and show that hope measures explain more variance in outcomes in the matched domains. Therefore, academic hope measures should more routinely be included in related research to better evaluate the role of hope in academic pursuit among college students. Possible implications for hope interventions are also discussed.

Developing a hope-focused intervention to prevent mental health problems and improve social outcomes for young women who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET): A qualitative co-design study in deprived coastal communities in South-East England

Young women who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET) experience poorer health and social outcomes compared to non-NEET young women and to NEET young men, especially in deprived areas with intersecting inequalities. The evidence on effective public health approaches is scarce. Interventions that target hope, which NEET young women notably lack, offer a promising theory-driven and intuitive means to prevent mental health problems and improve social outcomes. Hope can be defined as a goal-focused mindset comprising self-agency (motivation and self-belief) and pathways (identifying routes to achieving goals). Hope is implicated in a variety of evidence-based psychosocial interventions for young people, but is not directly targeted by existing prevention programmes for NEET populations. The current study used a phased qualitative research design and participatory methods to model a hope-focused intervention for NEET young women. Phase 1 investigated population needs and intervention parameters through semi-structured interviews with 28 key informants living or working in disadvantaged coastal communities in South-East England. The sample comprised eight NEET young women, four family members, and 16 practitioners from relevant support organisations. Phase 2 refined intervention parameters and outcomes through co-design sessions with four NEET young women, followed by a theory of change workshop with 10 practitioners. The resulting intervention model is articulated as a mentor-supported, in-person psychosocial intervention that builds hope by enhancing positive sense of self and time spent in meaningful activities, before explicitly teaching the skills needed to identify, set, and pursue personally meaningful goals.

Promoting hope: preliminary investigation into a college-level hope curriculum

OBJECTIVE

Hope is a malleable, cognitive, motivational skill that supports college student outcomes. We evaluated a college-level curriculum that taught hope skills.

PARTICIPANTS

Using a voluntary response sampling method, a total of 50 participants were included in the present study with 25 in each the control and intervention group.

METHODS

All students completed surveys on hope at the beginning and end of the semester. The intervention group participated in a 10-week curriculum; students in the control group completed their regular introductory course.

RESULTS

The intervention group had a significant increase in hope over the semester. Completing the hope course predicted significantly higher end-of- -semester hope, accounting for the beginning-of- semester hope.

CONCLUSIONS

Hope can be taught via a classroom setting using a curriculum that requires limited financial and time resources. Improving college student hope has implications for their academic and well-being outcomes.

Feeling hopeful: development and validation of the trait emotion hope scale

While prominent measures of hope are largely cognitive in nature, many scholars and laypeople view hope primarily as an emotion. Although Snyder's Elaborated Hope Theory attempts to theoretically balance these two perspectives, no measure yet exists of hope as a purely emotional process, only as a cognitive process. Overlooking the emotional features of hope limits our ability to more fully and precisely understand this construct. As such, across three studies (N = 2,900), we develop and validate the Trait Emotion Hope Scale (TEHS). In Study 1, we report on item development and piloting of the TEHS, examining internal consistency as well as convergent and discriminant validity. Study 2 includes an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and further examines internal consistency and construct validity. Finally, in Study 3 we report a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to cross-validate the factor structure identified in Study 2 in a large, international sample. Importantly, we find that the TEHS accounts for significant unique variance beyond cognitive hope, indicating that the two constructs are distinct and not redundant. Taken together, these three studies demonstrate that the TEHS is psychometrically sound and provides a valid measure for those interested in examining hope as an emotion in their research.

Find Joy in Sorrows: The Role of Hope in Buffering the Psychological Impact of COVID-19 on Chinese University Students in Hong Kong

The global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis has exerted significant psychological impacts on university students who have faced drastic changes in the learning mode and suspension of classes. Despite these challenges, many students maintained subjective well-being. In this study, we examined the role of "hope" as a potential protector to maintain their subjective well-being when facing adversity during this global crisis. Specifically, we explored the mediating role of two hope components (agency thinking and pathways thinking) on the association of positive emotions and life satisfaction among Chinese university students. We conducted an online survey at a local university and recruited a total of 315 undergraduates from the humanities, creative arts, and social sciences programs through convenience sampling. Participants confirmed their informed consent and completed a set of self-administered questionnaires measuring positive emotions, hope, life satisfaction, and demographic variables. The results of mediation testing indicated that, during a global crisis such as COVID-19, positive emotions indirectly influenced life satisfaction through agency thinking rather than pathways thinking. The findings highlight the importance of agency thinking among Chinese university students in adverse situations and provide valuable insights for psychological interventions during a crisis. The article concludes by discussing possible explanations and implications of the findings in a post-pandemic world.

The Relationships of Hope, Optimism, and Academic Motivation With GPA Among University Students in Hong Kong

Research demonstrates the relationship between dispositional hope and GPA, but mixed results regarding the relationship between dispositional optimism and GPA. Hope and optimism also have been shown to predict academic motivation. However, no study has yet investigated all of these factors together, and most research concerns only Western samples. In a cross-sectional sample of 129 Hong Kong university students, we administered measures of internal hope (hope regarding one's own capabilities), external-family hope (hope derived from family), optimism, and intrinsic and extrinsic academic motivation. We found significant zero-order correlations between internal hope and GPA, but not between external-family hope nor optimism and GPA. Mediation analyses showed that internal hope directly related to GPA, and did not appear mediated by academic motivation. Given our findings, future studies testing hope-based interventions in similar samples may be warranted. We discuss implications for culturally adapting hope interventions.

Five challenges for hope and resilience research

Twenty years after Snyder's seminar article on hope theory, research on hope has moved in many directions and has spanned multiple spheres of personal life and social life, including psychological adjustment, physical health, lifespan development, and interpersonal relationships. Given its importance for well-being, it is somewhat surprising that a close look at the literature reveals that the question of whether hope is a source of resilience is far from resolved, and key questions remain unanswered. Here, we outline five challenges for future hope and resilience research, including conceptualization, measurement, research design, modeling methods, and multidirectional and multidimensional perspectives on adaptation. Although each of these challenges has received some attention, additional work is needed to build a more cumulative science, thereby contributing important insights into what it means to be well in the face of adversity.

Online Learning Stress and Chinese College Students' Academic Coping during COVID-19: The Role of Academic Hope and Academic Self-Efficacy

Colleges around the world have adopted emergency online learning to continue with teaching and learning activities during COVID-19. Existing research has indicated that this teaching mode is perceived negatively by many college students. The difficulty students encounter in emergency online learning can adversely affect their mental health and academic performance. To shed further light on how emergency online learning may have impeded college students' academic functioning and adjustment, this study examined the association between online learning stress and academic coping and the mediating roles of academic self-efficacy and academic hope. It was conducted in early 2021, a year after the outbreak of the pandemic. Ninety-nine Chinese college students in Hong Kong were recruited and they completed an online questionnaire for this study. Results showed that online learning stress was negatively associated with approach academic coping and social support seeking, and the associations were mediated by academic hope. On the other hand, online learning stress was positively associated with avoidance academic coping, which was not mediated by academic hope. The mediation effects of academic self-efficacy were all non-significant. In sum, college students used more passive and maladaptive coping to handle academic problems when they experienced more online learning stress, and this was partly explained by lower levels of academic hope.

Measurement structures of hope: A review of single-factor and two-factor models across hope scales

Snyder's theory of hope has been a cornerstone of hope research for over four decades. The original theory conceptualized hope as a two-factor model representing agency and pathways, however, recent studies have suggested a single-factor model may be the best fit for hope instruments. This has become more apparent as hope scales have been translated into different languages, across different cultures, and examining new domains. Currently, single and multiple factor models have been supported for most hope measures but will continue to be examined as we explore what hope means to unresearched populations and with new and varied contexts.

A multimethod examination of hope and adolescent STEM career expectancies

INTRODUCTION

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields are growing rapidly and understanding adolescent's interest and hope for pursuing a STEM career is essential for additional growth and opportunity collectively and individually. Hope is a cognitive-motivational construct that includes three components: hopeful future expectations (HFEs), intentional self-regulation (ISR), and connection, and is associated with academic achievement and career pursuit; it has not been examined in relation to STEM. This study fills a gap in the literature by taking a multimethod approach to understanding the association between adolescents' hope and STEM career interests.

METHODS

Participants were 639 middle- and high-school adolescents in the southwestern United States who quantitatively reported their hope and STEM career interests and provided qualitative descriptions of reasons for wanting to pursue a STEM career.

RESULTS

Quantitatively, HFEs significantly and positively predicted STEM career interest. Relations were examined by gender and school level. For middle-school girls, ISR significantly predicted STEM career interest, for middle-school boys and high-school girls, HFEs positively significantly predicted STEM career interest, but results of high-school boys were nonsignificant. Qualitatively, adolescents mentioned reasons aligning with HFEs and ISR as motivations for pursuing a STEM career, as well as prosocial motivations. Additionally, they discussed their interest in a STEM career as a way to pursue other goals such as financial stability.

DISCUSSION

Findings highlight the possibility of hope as a malleable motivation for STEM career pursuit. Our findings support the components of hope as a salient associate of early STEM career interest, with adolescents who have high HFEs and ISR being particularly apt to say they would like to pursue a STEM career. Our results support the active development of hope among US adolescents as a catalyst toward personal and global success.

Students' perceptions, educational challenges and hope during the COVID-19 pandemic

INTRODUCTION

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the lives of US students both at home and at school. Little is known regarding how adolescents perceive COVID-19 has impacted (both positively and negatively) their academic and social lives and how protective factors, such as hope, may assist with resilience. Importantly, not all pandemic experiences are necessarily negative, and positive perceptions, as well as potential protective factors, are key to understanding the pandemic's role in students' lives.

METHOD

Utilizing quantitative and qualitative approaches, the present study descriptively examined 726 6th through 12th grade (51% female, 53% White) students' perceptions of how COVID-19 related to educational and life disruptions, and positive aspects of their lives, within the United States. Analyses additionally explored the role of pre-pandemic hope in improving feelings of school connectedness during the pandemic.

RESULTS

Results showed that most students felt that switching to online learning had been difficult and their education had suffered at least moderately, with a sizeable proportion of students feeling less academic motivation compared with last year. When asked to share qualitative answers regarding perceived challenges and positive aspects of life, themes were consistent with quantitative perceptions. Students' pre-pandemic hope positively predicted students' feelings of school connectedness.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings paint a complex picture of youth's COVID-19 experiences and have implications for proactive ways to support students as COVID-19 continues to affect daily life and educational structures and practices.

The Implicit Achievement Motive in the Writing Style

Linguistic theories and research indicate that unconscious processes should influence the content, but moreover also the way how things are expressed. As the first is well researched and the second is almost neglected, I want to assess how the writing style of a person is related to the implicit achievement motive and its two components hope of success (HS) and fear of failure (FF). Therefore, thematic apperception test/picture story exercise responses of 2942 persons were analyzed regarding the three writing style features (1) syntax, (2) nominal/verbal writing, and (3) function words. According to the assumptions, the results of two independent measures (Stanford Parser and LIWC) show that a verbal fluent writing style with simple syntax is associated with HS, whereby FF-motivated people show nominal writing with interjections, conjunctions, and complex punctuations.

A Person-centered Approach to Violence Exposure in Postwar Colombian Youth: Demographic Covariates and Positive Youth Development Outcomes

While the negative impact of extensive exposure to community violence and armed conflict is known, less emphasis has been focused on outcomes supportive of resilience. It is critical to begin exploring these constructs to both promote healing from decades-long conflict and to inform targeted interventions that focus on positive youth development in contexts of adversity. This study thus utilized a person-centered approach to estimate violence exposure profiles among 3,443 Colombian youth to explore what demographic covariates and positive youth development outcomes, such as school engagement, hope, goals, social competence, future expectations, and barriers to education were associated with each violence exposure profile. Four profiles emerged: a low exposure profile, a high community violence profile, a some combined exposure profile, and a high combined exposure profile, each with various levels of community violence witnessing and victimization as well as armed conflict exposure. Demographic covariance results showed older, urban, male youth were more likely to be in the high violence exposure profiles compared to the low exposure group. Youth in the high combined exposure profile were more likely to have lower hope, educational expectations, and social competence compared to the low exposure group. Findings highlight that a person-centered approach provides a more multidimensional view of adolescent violence exposure. Demographic differences suggested the importance of tailoring violence prevention initiatives to the local context. Finally, results concerning positive youth development outcomes suggest that resiliency-oriented constructs, which can be instrumental toward youth's postwar healing and growth, should be emphasized among populations who experience high levels of co-occurring exposure.

Family and Friends Support and Hope in Chinese Adolescents: The Mediating Effects of Self-Esteem

Structural equation modeling was used to investigate presumed antecedents of hope in a community-based sample of Chinese adolescents. Specifically, we evaluated the mediating role of self-esteem in the link between social support from family and friends and individual differences in hope. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and Children's Hope Scale were administered to 1,654 adolescent students (781 boys and 873 girls) from Chinese senior high schools. Social support from family and friends correlated equally with hope levels of participants, demonstrating the importance of both sources of support. Self-esteem fully mediated the relationship between family support and hope and partially (23.6%) mediated the relationship between friends support and hope. Results support a social-cognitive model of the origins of hope among adolescents. Findings also suggest implications for the design of hope-promoting environments for adolescents that extend beyond a focus on the individual to incorporate more comprehensive systemic components, including social support from family and friends. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, xx(xx), xx-xx.].

Hope levels across adolescence and the transition to high school: Associations with school stress and achievement

INTRODUCTION

Feeling hopeful is an important condition for adolescents' health, well-being, and educational success and attainment, yet limited research has examined hope at different ages throughout adolescence. Information regarding hope levels across grade could help educators know when to capitalize on goal-setting behaviors, and when to intervene should hope levels be low. Additionally, hope could help with the middle to high school transition because it presents opportunities and challenges, including school-related stress, as students adjust to new environments and expectations.

METHODS

To investigate hope levels across adolescence, inter- and intra-personal analyses examined hope levels across grade-level in two cohorts of southwestern U.S. students (n = 1,018, 6th-10th grade students, 47% female, 55% White/45% non-White, (predominately Latinx)). The study used online self-report surveys to collect data. Next, longitudinal regression analyses across one year investigated relations of school stress and hope, and hope and achievement across the transition to high school.

RESULTS

Students in both cohorts reported relatively stable hope levels from 6th to 10th grade, except for large decreases in hope during 8th grade, which recovered during 9th grade. For longitudinal analyses across the high school transition, student stress about school performance primarily influenced 8th graders who had relatively low hope. Eighth grade hope predicted 9th grade academic achievement.

CONCLUSION

Findings regarding hope across adolescence show that hope is similar across grade, except for a large decrease in hope that may occur before the transition to high school. Longitudinal analyses showed that school performance stress may contribute to this decrease but may also assist in hope recovery after the transition. Findings support educational practices and policies that target student hope before the high school transition to potentially buffer student stress and promote high school achievement.

The 5Cs of Positive Youth Development, Purpose in Life, Hope, and Well-Being Among Emerging Adults in Malaysia

A substantial body of evidence supports Lerner and colleagues' 5Cs model of positive youth development (PYD) in the United States (U.S.). Nonetheless, it remains unclear whether the 5Cs can be used to identify positive development in the under-researched Asian contexts, such as Malaysia. Thus, this study examined the 5Cs of PYD (competence, confidence, character, connection, and caring) and their importance to purpose in life, hope, and well-being in a sample of emerging adult undergraduate university students in Malaysia. Data were collected from 400 participants from 15 Malaysian universities (132 males, 268 females; ages ranged from 18 to 26 years old, M = 22). A hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that two of the 5Cs of PYD (confidence and connection) as well as hope were important to explaining variation in well-being. The findings imply that there are strong links between PYD, especially confidence and connection, and well-being, while purpose in life and hope were indirectly related to the 2Cs (confidence and connection) of PYD and well-being. Therefore, mental health professionals are encouraged to review and redefine their treatment design to include confidence, connection, purpose in life and hope when working with Malaysian emerging adult university students.

Validation and Prediction of the School Psychological Capital Among Chinese College Students

This study validated the school psychological capital (PsyCap) scale in the Chinese context and examined the predictive effect of PsyCap resources on academic engagement and achievement emotions. Self-report data for PsyCap resources, student engagement, enjoyment, anxiety, and boredom toward English learning were collected from 1,000 sophomores. Item-level analyses and confirmatory factor analysis were used to verify the validity of the school PsyCap scale, and structural equation modeling was applied to reveal the predictive effect of school PsyCap resources on academic engagement and achievement emotions. Results showed that the school PsyCap scale retained superior psychometric properties. Besides, PsyCap resources were demonstrated to have a positive relationship to academic engagement and enjoyment, and a negative relationship to anxiety and boredom. The effectiveness of the school PsyCap scale was verified among Chinese college students, and besides the traditional predictors, school PsyCap is also critically important for students’ academic engagement and achievement emotions. Limitations and implications are discussed.

School Connectedness, Academic Self-Efficacy, and Academic Performance: Mediating Role of Hope

The present study explored the effects of school connectedness and academic self-efficacy beliefs on academic performance among male and female high school students. It was hypothesized that hope would mediate the effects of school connectedness and academic self-efficacy beliefs on academic performance. The statistical population of the study included all high school students in a city of Iran, from whom 500 individuals were selected as the study sample using multistage random sampling. To collect the required data, three questionnaires - i.e., academic self-efficacy subscale from the Patterns of Adaptive Learning Scale by Midgley et al., Children's Hope Scale by Snyder et al., and Brown and Evans' School Connectedness Scale - were used. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was also applied to evaluate the proposed model, and the results indicated the statistical significance of all the path coefficients between the variables. The model showed the positive and significant relation of school connectedness, academic self-efficacy beliefs, and hope with academic performance and the relation of school connectedness and academic self-efficacy beliefs with hope. The fit indices showed that the model was well-fitted. Furthermore, the significance of all the indirect relationships was also confirmed. We concluded that, the high levels of school connectedness and academic self-efficacy are associated with high academic performance and hope seems to be an important mediator of these relationships.

Construção e Avaliação de uma Intervenção de Planejamento de Carreira para Estudantes Universitários

Resumo Este estudo tem por objetivo apresentar o desenvolvimento e a avaliação de uma intervenção em grupo na área de planejamento de carreira voltada a estudantes universitários, com base no modelo teórico Hope-Action Theory. Participaram 35 estudantes (22 do grupo de intervenção e 13 do grupo de comparação) com idades entre 19 e 48 anos (M = 23,46; DP = 5,38), de ambos os sexos. O grupo experimental apresentou mudanças mais robustas em termos de tamanho de efeito nas variáveis que avaliavam uma orientação positiva para o futuro (esperança e otimismo) e aspectos relativos à adaptabilidade de carreira. Discute-se acerca de intervenções voltadas para o público universitário e seus desafios, considerando a interface com a saúde mental, além da importância de intervenções pautadas em modelos teóricos consistentes e com instrumentos que possam avaliá-las.

A Potential Avenue for Academic Success: Hope Predicts an Achievement-Oriented Psychosocial Profile in African American Adolescents

In a sample of 117 African American students, we examined how well hope predicts five psychosocial variables—school belonging, academic self-concept, goal valuation, attitude toward teachers, and academic motivation/self-regulation—that altogether make up an achievement-oriented psychosocial profile. Results indicated that, after controlling for demographics and previous achievement, the subscales of hope accounted for a meaningful portion of all five psychosocial variables, ranging from 17.2% to 29.9%. The agency subscale of hope was a significant predictor of all five psychosocial variables, while pathways was only a significant predictor of goal valuation and academic self-concept. Given that several quick and effective universal hope interventions have been developed, these results suggest that hope may be a promising avenue to improve the achievement-related outcomes of African American students as well as aid in mitigating the achievement gap.