Enhancing student motivation and engagement: The effects of a multidimensional intervention

Analysing the influencing factors of on-line studying engagement of preparatory international students: A case study of the science and technology Chinese course

With the rapid development of network technology, cross-regional on-line higher education is becoming one of the mainstream directions of distance education development. The effectiveness of on-line studying is significantly influenced by the level of learning engagement, and research on this topic can help learners by providing them with process-oriented learning support and targeted teaching interventions. Using the example of on-line Science and Technology Chinese Course for preparatory international students at four universities in China, this study collected self-reported data from 463 students using a survey method. The questionnaire was divided into two parts: the on-line studying engagement scale and the factors influencing on-line studying engagement. Descriptive statistical analysis and differential testing were conducted on the data using SPSS software, and the structural validity of the questionnaire was tested using AMOS software. With the assistance of Smart PLS, a model of the influencing factors of on-line studying engagement was constructed to explore the relationship between on-line studying engagement and its influencing factors. The study found that: The overall level of engagement in on line studying for preparatory international students is above average. In demographic factors, apart from gender, all other variables have a significant impact on on-line studying. Student-level factors will have a more significant positive impact on the degree of on-line studying engagement of preparatory international students. Among them, academic self-efficacy, basic psychological needs satisfaction, the difficulty of the on-line course, and completion of the assignment have a significant positive effect. The influence of teacher-level factors on behavioral engagement and emotional engagement is stronger than that of student-level factors. However, the emotional support of teacher-level factors, the on-line environment of environmental-level factors, and the perceived usefulness of technology of teacher-level factors have a certain negative impact on engagement in online studying. According to the research results, this paper puts forward the optimization strategies of accelerating the update frequency of Chinese learning materials, strengthening the input of on-line emotional support, and holding language learning activities with cultural characteristics. This study makes an in-depth analysis of the influencing factors of preparatory international students' on-line Chinese studying engagement, and puts forward the optimization strategies to improve the quality of on-line studying, to provide theoretical and practical reference for the development of cross-regional on-line higher education.

The mediating role of intention of learning behaviour in learning behaviour

Improving the quality of postgraduate study is one that must be addressed with the increase in the number of postgraduate students. This study aims to analyse the effects of learning attitude, learning motivation and self-efficacy on learning behaviour through the intention of learning behaviour, and the effect of learning behaviour on learning outcome. Measurements were made on 560 postgraduate students after the development of a scale. The scale was analysed for reliability and exploratory factor analysis using SPSS software. The date were then analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis techniques with path analysis and bootstrap methods. The results of the study showed that students' attitudes towards learning and self-efficacy had a significant indirect on learning behaviour through the mediating involvement of intention to learn behaviours, and learning behaviour had a significant effect on learning outcome. Therefore, there is a need to improve learning behaviour by improving students' intention to learn behaviour so that they can have good learning outcome.

EFL learners' engagement in online learning context: development and validation of potential measurement inventory

Research has proved learner engagement is a strong predictor of academic achievement, especially in the online learning environment. The lack of any reliable and valid instrument to measure this construct in the context of online education made the researchers of the current study develop and validate a potential measurement inventory to assess EFL learners' engagement in the online learning environment. For this purpose, a comprehensive review of the related literature and careful investigation of the existing instruments were carried out to find the theoretical constructs for learner engagement which led to the development of a 56-item Likert scale questionnaire. The newly developed questionnaire was piloted with 560 female and male EFL university students selected based on nonprobability convenience sampling. The results of the factor analysis indicated the reduction of items to 48 loaded on three main components, namely behavioral engagement (15 items), emotional engagement (16 items), and cognitive engagement (17 items). The results also revealed that the newly developed questionnaire enjoyed a reliability index of 0.925. The findings of the current study will undoubtedly help teaching practitioners assess EFL learners' engagement in the online learning context and make principled decisions when it comes to learners' engagement.

Does growth in the outdoors stay in the outdoors? The impact of an extended residential and outdoor learning experience on student motivation, engagement and 21st century capabilities

Introduction

Student motivation and engagement underpin educational success, and recent research has found they are lowest in middle high school, especially for boys. At the same time, education systems are recognizing that academic performance is necessary but not sufficient to prepare young people for the adult world, and so-called "21st Century skills" (communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity) have been suggested as critical capabilities across all employment sectors in the future. The Glengarry program is a 6-month residential and outdoor learning experience for Year 9 (14-15 years old) boys at an Australian independent school, The Scots College (TSC) Glengarry. Intentionally located during the lowest point of engagement in their adolescent student journey, the Residential and Outdoor Education experience was hypothesized to boost their motivation and engagement and develop 21st Century skills.

Methods

The Glengarry program involves students living in a boarding-style community for 20 weeks away from their families, participating in classes across all regular school subjects at a bush campus, and undertaking increasingly challenging outdoor education trips each week. The study aimed to measure how these factors transferred into students' traditional school environment after their Glengarry experience. Year 9 was split into two cohorts who both participated in the study: one of which completed the Glengarry program in the first half of 2019, and the other during the second half of the year.

Results

Self-reported quantitative and qualitative data supported the hypothesis that the Glengarry program did indeed, boost student motivation and 21st Century skills. While gains in 21st Century skills endured over the next 8-10 months, motivation and some engagement factors decreased upon return to the traditional school environment. Students described key factors in the Glengarry program which facilitated their development, including: an intense residential environment necessitating social growth, a closer connection with teachers in both school and community life, and an appreciation of learning in the natural environment. Recommendations are made for future research to strengthen these findings, and for how these mediating factors could be incorporated into the regular school environment.

Achievement Goal Theory Review: An Application to School Psychology

Achievement Goal Theory (AGT) is one of the most popular theoretical frameworks in motivation research. Despite its application to a variety of contexts, including, school, work, and sport, it has not yet been referenced in the field of school psychology. First, we review the theoretical underpinnings as told through the theory’s evolving models, explore its impacts on cognition, emotion, and behavior, and introduce a multiple goals perspective. Second, we outline the leading research supporting AGT, both in terms of structural and individual intervention studies. Third, we apply the principles of AGT to the primary tasks of school psychology professionals, including assessment, intervention, and consultation practices. The students we support can greatly benefit from gearing our approaches toward ones that foster self-improvement and interest.

Self-Handicapping in Chinese Medical Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Academic Anxiety, Procrastination and Hardiness

Background: In the face of the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) outbreak, Chinese medical students worried about their future studies which might make them more susceptible to academic anxiety. Previous studies have shown that academic anxiety is an important risk factor for self-handicapping, but there are few studies to explore the relationship between the two which may be mediated or moderated by other variables. Therefore, this study investigated how Chinese medical students' academic anxiety is correlated to their self-handicapping in time of COVID-19 epidemic, and explored the moderating and mediating effects of hardiness and procrastination. Methods: In this study, 320 Chinese medical students' psychological traits were measured with Academic Anxiety Questionnaire, Self-Handicapping Scale, General Procrastination Scale and Hardiness Scale to explore the potential associations between these variables. Results: The most obvious finding to emerge from this study was that self- handicapping had a positive correlation with academic anxiety and procrastination, but had a negative correlation with hardiness; hardiness had a negative association with academic anxiety and procrastination; and academic anxiety and procrastination were positively correlated. In addition, the relationship between academic anxiety and self-handicapping of Chinese medical students was not only partially mediated by procrastination, but also moderated by hardiness. Furthermore, medical students who had lower hardiness had stronger direct effect, while the indirect effect was strong at high and low conditions of hardiness. Conclusion: In time of the COVID-19 epidemic, the academic anxiety and self-handicapping of medical students are influenced by procrastination and hardiness to a great extent. Thus, in addition to suggesting that more attention should be paid to the academic anxiety and procrastination of medical students, in the future, more attention should be paid to cultivating the hardiness of medical students and exerting its interventional role in self-handicapping.

Exploring the mediating effect of academic engagement on math and reading achievement for students who have experienced maltreatment

BACKGROUND

Students who experience maltreatment tend to underperform academically relative to their peers, requiring an understanding of academically-related mechanisms that are potential intervention targets. Academic engagement, a multidimensional construct that is influential in students' investment in learning and the school context, is one such mechanism that has been associated with positive academic outcomes and develops through interactions between students and their environment.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to examine how maltreatment experiences and trauma symptoms were indirectly associated with academic achievement in adolescence through academic engagement.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

The study was conducting on a subsample of 583 youths from the National Study of Child and Adolescent Wellbeing II (NSCAW II) cohort.

METHODS

Structural equation modeling was used to examine the indirect effect engagement on the relationship between maltreatment and trauma symptomology and academic achievement.

RESULTS

Academic engagement significantly mediated trauma symptoms and later standardized reading (β = -0.02; 95 % CI [-0.04, -0.0004]) and math (β = -0.02; 95 % CI [-0.05, -0.0003]) achievement test scores. However, similar mediating effects were not found for engagement on maltreatment and later standardized reading (β = -0.01; 95 % CI [-0.03, 0.01]) and math (β = -0.01; 95 % CI [-0.03, 0.01]) achievement test scores.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that variability in academic outcomes was indirectly associated with engagement but only for students who exhibited trauma symptoms rather than experiencing maltreatment alone. The findings suggest future researchers should consider engagement should as an academically-related mechanism to help students who were maltreated succeed academically.

A Functional Review of Research on Clarity, Immediacy, and Credibility of Teachers and Their Impacts on Motivation and Engagement of Students

The interpersonal communication behaviors of teachers have been substantiated to affect motivation, engagement, and success of students in the academic arena. Aiming to provide a systematic review of some teacher-related constructs in this domain, the present article was a bid to explain the crucial pillars of clarity, credibility, and immediacy of teachers in juxtaposition with theories and models of motivation and engagement of students. More particularly, this article presents some theoretical underpinnings to justify its claims using the ideas of positive psychology, the broaden-and-build theory, the rhetorical/relational goal theory, social cognitive theory, the attachment theory, some popular motivational theories, and the engagement theory. These theories signify the importance of clarity, credibility, and immediacy of teachers in the classroom and depict their association and impact on motivation and engagement of students. Later, the arguments are defended through a quick glance at the available empirical studies on each of the constructs. Afterward, the findings and implications of this review article are discussed. Finally, research gaps and future directions are presented for avid researchers to make new explorations.

A future time perspective of secondary school students' academic engagement and disengagement: A longitudinal investigation

Students' conceptions of their academic futures, such as completing secondary school, have been found to play a significant role in their current behavior. Indeed, research regarding future time perspectives (FTP) indicates that students with extended FTPs are likely to be more engaged and less disengaged over time. Extended FTPs comprise two critical motivating elements: the cognitive (i.e., importance value) and the dynamic (i.e., school completion aspirations). Although these elements are hypothetically reciprocally related and without temporal limitation to their motivational effects, these claims have largely gone untested. These claims were examined via longitudinal structural equation modelling with cross-lagged panel analysis and invariance testing in a sample of 1327 Australian secondary school students. Findings indicated that importance value is directionally salient over school completion aspirations (such that it may precede school completion aspirations), both are associated with higher engagement and lower disengagement over time, and evidence of temporal limitations on the motivational benefits of the elements of extended FTPs was not found. School-based interventions that focus on improving importance value and school completion aspirations are discussed.

Math Is for Me: A Field Intervention to Strengthen Math Self-Concepts in Spanish-Speaking 3rd Grade Children

Children's math self-concepts-their beliefs about themselves and math-are important for teachers, parents, and students, because they are linked to academic motivation, choices, and outcomes. There have been several attempts at improving math achievement based on the training of math skills. Here we took a complementary approach and conducted an intervention study to boost children's math self-concepts. Our primary objective was to assess the feasibility of whether a novel multicomponent intervention-one that combines explicit and implicit approaches to help children form more positive beliefs linking themselves and math-can be administered in an authentic school setting. The intervention was conducted in Spain, a country in which math achievement is below the average of other OECD countries. We tested third grade students (N = 180; M _age = 8.79 years; 96 girls), using treatment and comparison groups and pre- and posttest assessments. A novelty of this study is that we used both implicit and explicit measures of children's math self-concepts. For a subsample of students, we also obtained an assessment of year-end math achievement. Math self-concepts in the treatment and comparison groups did not significantly differ at pretest. Students in the treatment group demonstrated a significant increase in math self-concepts from pretest to posttest; students in the comparison group did not. In the treatment group, implicit math self-concepts at posttest were associated with higher year-end math achievement, assessed approximately 3 months after the completion of the intervention. Taken together, the results suggest that math self-concepts are malleable and that social-cognitive interventions can boost children's beliefs about themselves and math. Based on the favorable results of this feasibility study, it is appropriate to formally test this novel multicomponent approach for improving math self-concepts using randomized controlled trial (RCT) design.

Predicting Postsecondary Enrollment With Secondary Student Engagement Data

As the economic landscape changes, a college degree has become increasingly necessary for securing employment in an information-based society. Student engagement is an important factor in predicting and preventing high school dropout, and improving student outcomes. Although the relationship between secondary school engagement and high school completion is well supported in existing research, the relationship between secondary school engagement and postsecondary enrollment and persistence is unclear. In this study, we examined whether students’ engagement in high school predicts postsecondary matriculation and persistence in the first year after accounting for demographic and school-level variables. Results indicated secondary student engagement does predict postsecondary enrollment and persistence beyond academic and behavioral variables. Consistent with research among secondary students, the Future Goals and Aspirations Scale of the Student Engagement Instrument was the strongest engagement predictor. Results have implications for early warning systems and college retention efforts.

Associations between Profiles of Self-Esteem and Achievement Goals and the Protection of Self-Worth in University Students

The high demands of academia and the fear of failure lead some university students to prioritize defending their personal worth through the use of complex strategies such as self-handicapping or defensive pessimism. Adopting a person-centered approach, this study established two objectives: First, to analyze the conformation of different motivational profiles based on the combination of self-esteem and achievement goals (learning, performance approach, and performance avoidance); and second, to determine if the identified profiles differ from one another in the use of self-handicapping and defensive pessimism. A total of 1028 university students participated in the research. Four motivational profiles were obtained: (a) High self-esteem, low learning goals, high performance approach goals, and high performance avoidance goals; (b) high self-esteem, high learning goals, low performance approach goals, and low performance avoidance goals; (c) low self-esteem, low learning goals, high performance approach goals, and high performance avoidance goals; and (d) low self-esteem, high learning goals, high performance approach goals, and medium performance avoidance goals. Profiles (c) and (d) were significantly related to self-handicapping and defensive pessimism, respectively. These results suggest that students with low self-esteem are more vulnerable to self-protection strategies. Additionally, under self-handicapping and defensive pessimism, the achievement goals are slightly different.

Realist evaluation of faculty development for medical educators: What works for whom and why in the long-term

PURPOSE

Realism is a perspective in which entities exist independently of being perceived or independently of our theories about them. The realist framework with its principle of explanatory causation was used for an in-depth exploration of faculty development (FD) since, despite the widespread investment in FD, the evidence that it enhances the effectiveness of teaching in the long-term is still limited. The study aimed to develop realist theories that explain the connections between contexts (C), mechanisms (M) and outcomes (O) to find out what works for whom and why in FD.

METHODS

Purposive sampling was used to select two medical schools from each of the four UK regions (total 8 of the 33 UK medical schools) for interview of a faculty development coordinator and a medical educator at each school. Sixteen interviews were carried out. Data were coded and summarized under contexts, mechanisms, and outcomes (CMO) to derive realist theories.

RESULTS

We identified contexts that facilitated FD mechanisms of engagement, motivation, positive perception and professionalization, which led to educators' outcomes of improved confidence, competence, credibility and career progression.

CONCLUSION

Four realist theories, which support the effectiveness of FD in the long-term, were derived, enabling recommendations for FD stakeholders.

Academic achievements, behavioral problems, and loneliness as predictors of social skills among students with and without learning disorders

This study aimed to examine to what extent academic achievements, learning disorders, behavior problems and loneliness explain the variance of students’ social skills. The differences between students diagnosed with learning disorders and students without learning disorders in all four variables were examined. Participants were 733 elementary students (642 without LD; 91 with LD). Homeroom teachers assessed students’ academic achievements, behavior problems, and social skills. Students completed questionnaires regarding their loneliness feelings. Regression analysis showed that academic achievement and behavior problems explained approximately 70% of the students’ social skills variance, whereas LD did not, and loneliness explained social skills variance only among boys. These unexpected but encouraging findings are discussed in terms of the positive process of change that occurred since the announcement of the Israeli National Special Education Law of 1988, which made it possible for students with LD to be integrated in regular classes.

Adaptive Motivation and Emotion in Education

Students frequently experience various types of motivation and emotion that contribute to their engagement and learning. However, translating research on motivation and emotion into educational practice and policy has so far been limited. To facilitate greater synergy among research, practice, and policy, this overview addresses educationally relevant motivation and emotion. This summary discusses different forms of motivation or emotion, their relevant theoretical basis, evidence on how they relate to academic engagement and learning, and potential classroom supports for adaptive motivation and emotion. The article concludes with five instructional design principles that can guide educators and policymakers in promoting adaptive student motivation and emotion: (a) support students’ feelings of competence, (b) enhance autonomy, (c) use personally relevant and active tasks, (d) emphasize learning and de-emphasize social comparison, and (e) encourage feelings of belonging.

Class Anxiety in Secondary Education: Exploring Structural Relations with Perceived Control, Engagement, Disaffection, and Performance

The aim of this study was to assess the relationships between class-related anxiety with perceived control, teacher-reported behavioral engagement, behavioral disaffection, and academic performance. Participants were 355 compulsory secondary students (9th and 10th grades; Mean age = 15.2 years; SD = 1.8 years). Structural equation models revealed performance was predicted by perceived control, anxiety, disaffection, and engagement. Perceived control predicted anxiety, disaffection, and engagement. Anxiety predicted disaffection and engagement, and partially mediated the effects from control on disaffection (β = –.277, p < .005; CI = –.378, –.197) and engagement (β = .170, p < .002; CI = .103 .258). The negative association between anxiety and performance was mediated by engagement and disaffection (β = –.295, p < .002; CI = –.439, –.182). Anxiety, engagement, and disaffection mediated the effects of control on performance (β = .352, p < .003; CI = .279, .440). The implications of these results are discussed in the light of current theory and educational interventions.

Faculty development for educators: a realist evaluation

The effectiveness of faculty development (FD) activities for educators in UK medical schools remains underexplored. This study used a realist approach to evaluate FD and to test the hypothesis that motivation, engagement and perception are key mechanisms of effective FD activities. The authors observed and interviewed 33 course participants at one UK medical school in 2012. An observed engagement scale scored participants' engagement while interviews explored motivation for attendance, engagement during the course and perception of relevance/usefulness. Six months later, using the realist framework, 12 interviews explored impact on learning outcomes/behavioural changes, the mechanisms that led to the changes and the context that facilitated those mechanisms. The authors derived bi-axial constructs for motivation, engagement and perception from two data-sources. The predominant motivation was individualistic rather than altruistic with no difference between external and internal motives. Realist evaluation showed engagement to be the key mechanism influencing learning; the contextual factor was participatory learning during the course. Six months later, engagement remained the key mechanism influencing learning/behavioural changes; the context was reflective practice. The main outcome reported was increased confidence in teaching and empowerment to utilise previously unrecognised teaching opportunities. Individual motivation drives FD participation; however engagement is the key causal mechanism underpinning learning as it induces deeper learning with different facilitating contexts at various time points. The metrics of motivation, engagement and perception, combined with the realist framework offers FD developers the potential to understand 'what works for whom, in what context and why'.

Identifying the influence of gender on motivation and engagement levels in student physiotherapists

BACKGROUND

There is an increasing focus in higher education on the role of learner characteristics and their influence on academic performance. Educators are interested in how students engage with learning activities as they progress through the curriculum. A previous study highlighted gender effects in academic performance in student physiotherapists, despite comparable entry scores.

AIMS

The aim of this study was to determine variation in student motivation and engagement, across the four year levels of the physiotherapy program at The University of Notre Dame Australia while considering gender and age.

METHODS

A cross-sectional design was adopted surveying 233 students utilising the Motivation and Engagement Scale - University/College (MES-UC), to review motivational thoughts and behaviours influencing learning.

RESULTS

RESULTS identified gender effects with males having on average significantly lower scores for planning, task management and persistence; and higher scores for disengagement from their studies. Females displayed higher average scores for anxiety particularly in their first year and final clinical year. RESULTS were consistent with gender effects noted in academic performance throughout the program for previous student cohorts.

CONCLUSIONS

The application of the MES-UC early in course would highlight to educators the areas where intervention can be targeted. Early individualized intervention is recommended to address learner characteristics influencing performance.

Academic buoyancy and academic outcomes: towards a further understanding of students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), students without ADHD, and academic buoyancy itself

BACKGROUND

Academic buoyancy is students' capacity to successfully overcome setback and challenge that is typical of the ordinary course of everyday academic life. It may represent an important factor on the psycho-educational landscape assisting students who experience difficulties in school and schoolwork.

AIMS

This study investigated the role of academic buoyancy in the achievement and cognitive, affective and behavioural engagement of (1) students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and (2) 'regular' (or 'general') students residing in the same classrooms and schools. The study also sought to extend prior research into academic buoyancy by including previously neglected and potentially influential factors such as personality and socio-economic status.

SAMPLE

Participants were n = 87 high school students with ADHD, n = 3374 non-ADHD peers, and n = 87 randomly drawn non-ADHD students.

METHOD

Survey-based data were analysed using multigroup (ADHD, non-ADHD, randomly weighted non-ADHD) multivariate (multiple independent/covariate and dependent variables) path analysis.

RESULTS

The findings revealed a significant and positive association between academic buoyancy and outcomes for students with ADHD that generalized to non-ADHD groups. On occasion where academic buoyancy effects differed between the groups, effects favoured students with ADHD. Furthermore, academic buoyancy explained significant variance in outcomes for both groups of students after covariates (age, gender, parent education, language background, socio-economic status, personality) were entered.

CONCLUSION

It is concluded that there is merit in widely promoting and fostering academic buoyancy among ADHD and non-ADHD students alike - and that academic buoyancy explains variance in outcomes beyond major intrapersonal factors such as personality, socio-economic status, ethnicity, and the like.

The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for supporting people with intellectual disabilities: a narrative review

A number of studies have used mindfulness-based interventions to influence the behavior of people with intellectual disabilities, to improve their quality of life, and to reduce challenging behavior. The present review critically evaluates 18 studies and assesses the clinical and academic impact of their findings. Strengths identified included replicable methodological approaches, use of multiple baseline designs, strong construct and criterion validity, and consideration of the mechanisms by which mindfulness influences behavior change. Limitations included a lack of randomized controlled trials, inclusion of qualitative data without structured analysis, limited use of statistical analyses, and problems with sampling leading to difficulties generalizing findings. There was also a paucity of research investigating the impact of "Dialectical Behavior Therapy" and "Acceptance and Commitment Therapy" and the role of mindfulness within these approaches. Further research is warranted in this regard.

The Organizational Health of Urban Elementary Schools: School Health and Teacher Functioning

This study examined the factor structure of the Organizational Health Inventory-Elementary version (OHI-E; Hoy, Tarter, & Kottkamp, 1991) in a sample of 203 teachers working in 19 high-poverty, urban schools and the association of organizational school health with teacher efficacy, teacher stress, and job satisfaction. Results indicated a similar factor structure of the OHI-E as compared with the population of schools in the original sample (Hoy et al., 1991), and that specific components of organizational health, such as a positive learning environment, are associated with teacher efficacy, stress, and satisfaction. Overall, teachers' relations with their peers, their school leadership, and their students appear especially critical in high-poverty, urban schools. Recommendations for research and practice related to improving high-poverty, urban schools are presented.

‘Just Try Harder and You Will Shine’: A Study of 20 Lazy Children

Attributions of laziness, reflected in teacher comments such as ‘Just try harder and you will shine’, may mask specific cognitive, learning, attentional or emotional problems that could explain low motivation in some children. This paper reports findings from an investigation of 20 children, aged 7 to 10 years, who were regarded as lazy by their parents and teachers. Questionnaire measures provided evidence of low levels of motivation and classroom engagement. Psychometric assessments revealed the presence of a range of difficulties including phonologically based learning disabilities and significant problems with attention in 17 of the 20 children. The paper concludes that the special needs of an unknown number of children may be overlooked because they are simply presumed to be lazy.

Clergy motivation and occupational well-being: exploring a quadripolar model and its role in predicting burnout and engagement

Clergy represent a salient group in Western communities, providing a variety of services aimed at supporting diverse members of those communities. Significantly, rates of attrition among clergy are high, suggesting the need to better understand their occupational well-being and factors relevant to it. The present study draws on the quadripolar need achievement framework to hypothesize motivational profiles among clergy and the extent to which these profiles predict occupational well-being, as indicated by low burnout and high engagement. K-means cluster analysis with 200 clergy confirmed a quadripolar motivational profile (success-oriented, overstriving, self-protecting, failure accepting). Using these group profiles as predictors, structural equation modeling identified significant effects on all burnout and engagement factors, with success-oriented, overstriving, self-protecting, and failure accepting groups each reflecting differential occupational well-being profiles. Substantive and applied implications of these findings are discussed.

Peer relationships and adolescents' academic and non-academic outcomes: same-sex and opposite-sex peer effects and the mediating role of school engagement

BACKGROUND

The literature has documented theoretical/conceptual models delineating the facilitating role of peer relationships in academic and non-academic outcomes. However, the mechanisms through which peer relationships link to those outcomes is an area requiring further research.

AIMS

The study examined the role of adolescents' perceptions of their relationships with same-sex and opposite-sex peers in predicting their academic performance and general self-esteem and the potentially mediating role of school engagement in linking these perceived peer relationships with academic and non-academic outcomes.

SAMPLE

The sample comprised 1,436 high-school students (670 boys, 756 girls; 711 early adolescents, 723 later adolescents).

METHOD

Self-report measures and objective achievement tests were used. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was performed to test the hypothesized model and its invariance across gender and age groups.

RESULTS

Perceived same-sex peer relationships yielded positive direct and indirect links with academic performance and general self-esteem. Perceived opposite-sex peer relationships yielded positive direct and indirect links with general self-esteem and an indirect positive link with academic performance, but mediation via school engagement was not as strong as that of perceived same-sex peer relationships. These findings generalized across gender and age groups.

CONCLUSION

Adolescents' same-sex and opposite-sex peer relationships seem to positively impact their academic performance and general self-esteem in distinct ways. It appears that school engagement plays an important role in mediating these peer relationship effects, particularly those of same-sex peer relationships, on academic and non-academic functioning. Implications for psycho-educational theory, measurement, and practice are discussed.

Physical activity motivation in late adolescence: refinement of a recent multidimensional model

Recent research (Martin et al., 2006) presented a new, multidimensional approach to physical activity motivation (using the Physical Activity Motivation Scale [PAMS]) operationalized through four factors: adaptive cognition, adaptive behavior; impeding/maladaptive cognition, and maladaptive behavior. The present study extends this early research by recruiting a larger sample of 705 young people, in late adolescence, using a shortened form of PAMS (PAMS-Revised), and including physical and nonphysical correlates as a means of better understanding its validity. Findings confirmed a sound four-factor framework comprising reliable factors. Findings also demonstrated hypothesized relations between physical activity motivation and physical correlates and, to a lesser extent, between physical activity motivation and more general life correlates.

Longitudinal modelling of academic buoyancy and motivation: do the '5Cs' hold up over time?

BACKGROUND

Academic buoyancy is students' ability to successfully deal with setbacks and challenges that are typical of academic life. The present study extends previous preliminary cross-sectional work that tentatively identified five motivational predictors of academic buoyancy - referred to as the '5Cs' of academic buoyancy: confidence (self-efficacy), coordination (planning), commitment (persistence), composure (low anxiety), and control (low uncertain control).

AIMS

The study seeks to more clearly ascertain the effects of motivation (and its mediating role) on academic buoyancy over and above prior academic buoyancy.

SAMPLE

The study comprised N=1,866 high school students from six schools.

METHOD

Longitudinal data were collected (1 year apart) and the hypothesized model exploring longitudinal effects was tested using structural equation modelling.

RESULTS

After controlling for prior variance in academic buoyancy, the 5Cs were significant predictors of subsequent academic buoyancy. Furthermore, over and above the direct effects of prior academic buoyancy on subsequent academic buoyancy, the 5Cs significantly mediated this relationship.

CONCLUSIONS

The study concludes with a discussion of the substantive, applied, and methodological implications for researchers and practitioners seeking to investigate and address the academic buoyancy of students who require the capacity to effectively function in an ever-challenging school environment.