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Casali N, Meneghetti C, Tinti C, MariaRe A, Sini B, Passolunghi MC, Valenti A, Montesano L, Pellegrino G, Carretti B. Academic Achievement and Satisfaction Among University Students With Specific Learning Disabilities: The Roles of Soft Skills and Study-Related Factors. JOURNAL OF LEARNING DISABILITIES 2024; 57:16-29. [PMID: 36790042 DOI: 10.1177/00222194221150786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the individual qualities sustaining students with and without specific learning disabilities (SLDs) is key to supporting their academic achievement and well-being. In this study, we investigated the differences between students with and without SLDs in terms of intraindividual factors (soft skills and study-related factors), academic and nonacademic outcomes (achievement, academic and life satisfaction), and the relationships between such intraindividual factors and the three outcomes. A total of 318 students (79 males; Mage = 22.7; SD = 3.56; age range = 19-45 years; 147 with SLDs) completed self-reported questionnaires and a measure of fluid intelligence. The results showed that students with SLDs reported higher creativity but lower academic self-efficacy, study resilience, and academic achievement, with small-to-medium effect sizes. In both groups, achievement significantly positively related to academic self-efficacy and negatively to creativity. Life satisfaction was positively related to study resilience; and academic satisfaction was related to critical thinking, curiosity, and academic self-efficacy. Nurturing such intraindividual factors can benefit students with and without SLDs.
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Yuan D, Yu H, Lin W, Zha L. Determinants of Residential Satisfaction During the Initial Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case of Xiangyang City, China. Int J Public Health 2023; 68:1606016. [PMID: 38090665 PMCID: PMC10713804 DOI: 10.3389/ijph.2023.1606016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives: To explore the impacts of psychological character strengths, self-efficacy, and the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on residential satisfaction at the initial stage of the COVID-19 pandemic in China. Methods: To achieve the study aim, we collected data from 281 observations from Xiangyang City, China, via an online survey. Data were analyzed using linear regression. Results: Character strengths and the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases significantly impacted residential satisfaction. While self-efficacy did not directly impact residential satisfaction, it moderated the relationship between the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and residential satisfaction. The control variables of social trust and shared value positively impacted residential satisfaction, and their influence on residential satisfaction was higher than that of character strengths. The sociodemographic variables of marriage, age, educational attainment, and housing area per capita also impacted residential satisfaction significantly. However, strong ties and weak ties became insignificant variables due to social distancing strategies. Conclusion: The study findings offer insights for local governments to enhance residential satisfaction in the community to avoid social panic during unpredictable threats or future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinghuan Yuan
- School of Public Administration and Emergency Management, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- Public Policy Institute, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haoyuan Yu
- School of Public Administration and Emergency Management, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenyi Lin
- School of Public Administration and Emergency Management, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- Common Prosperity and National Governance Institute, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lisi Zha
- School of Public Administration, Guangdong University of Finance and Economics, Guangzhou, China
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Brito AD, Soares AB. Well-being, character strengths, and depression in emerging adults. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1238105. [PMID: 37809290 PMCID: PMC10552671 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1238105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Emerging adulthood is a period of transition between adolescence and adulthood, during which individuals explore different roles and possibilities. This period is often characterized by high levels of stress and uncertainty, which can increase the risk of depression. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between emerging adulthood dimensions, well-being, character strengths and depression, as well as to verify the differences in the levels of these elements among different groups of depressive symptomatology. Methods Participants were 1,060 individuals (741 females, 305 males) between the ages of 18 and 30 years (M = 22.3, SD = 3.72). Spearman's correlation, linear regression, and Kruskal- Wallis with pairwise post-hoc analyses were used to analyze the data. Results There were significant positive correlations between emerging adulthood dimensions, well-being, and character strengths, and negative correlations between these variables and depression. There were also significant differences in the means of the evaluated constructs among the symptomm groups. Discussion The findings suggest that emerging adulthood dimensions, well-being, and character strengths are all associated with depression in emerging adults and have important implications for the provision of interventions in health and education for emerging adults. The study provides a deeper understanding of the factors influencing depression during emerging adulthood and emphasize the importance of promoting positive psychology elements and developing personalized interventions for emerging adults. This also suggest that public policies related to mental health and education should take into account the unique needs of emerging adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Almir Diego Brito
- Department of Psychology, Salgado de Oliveira University, Niterói, Brazil
| | - Adriana B. Soares
- Department of Psychology, Salgado de Oliveira University, Niterói, Brazil
- Department of Psychology, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Kretzschmar A, Harzer C, Ruch W. Character Strengths in Adults and Adolescents: Their Measurement and Association with Well-Being. J Pers Assess 2023; 105:34-47. [PMID: 35298345 DOI: 10.1080/00223891.2022.2043879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Character strengths are assessed in adults and adolescents using different measurements. However, a comparison of character strengths across age groups requires the equivalence of these measurements. The present study examined the comparability of the two questionnaires most frequently used in research: The VIA Inventory of Strengths (VIA-IS) for adults and the VIA Inventory of Strengths for Youth (VIA-Youth). A sample of N = 170 high-school students in the age of about 18 years and up to two informants (N = 164 mostly parents; N = 156 mostly friends and partners) completed both character strengths questionnaires and several well-being questionnaires. The psychometric characteristics and the correlations with well-being scales were examined once exclusively on the basis of self-rating and once on the basis of combined self- and informant-ratings. Substantial differences between the questionnaires were found in each of the criteria examined (e.g., identification of signature strengths, or largest associations with well-being). The results indicate that VIA-IS and VIA-Youth measure character strengths differently, so that a comparison across age groups may lead to biased conclusions. Therefore, differences in character strengths between adults and adolescents should not be exclusively interpreted in terms of differences on the trait level as these differences may be caused by nonequivalent questionnaires.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Claudia Harzer
- Department of Psychology, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Willibald Ruch
- Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Casali N, Feraco T, Meneghetti C. Character strengths sustain mental health and post-traumatic growth during the COVID-19 pandemic. A longitudinal analysis. Psychol Health 2022; 37:1663-1679. [PMID: 34288790 DOI: 10.1080/08870446.2021.1952587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The COVID-19 pandemic has brought negative and positive changes in the general population, with some people experiencing post-traumatic growth after the first wave. Little research has focused, however, on personal factors potentially helping individuals cope with COVID-related difficulties. This study investigates the relations between character strengths, mental health, and post-traumatic growth. DESIGN Longitudinal (T1: April 2020; T2: December 2020-January 2021). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES 254 Italian adults (54 males; mean age = 36.05, SD = 14.04) completed questionnaires on character and mental health at T1, and on mental health and post-traumatic growth at T2. RESULTS General mental health was worse at T2 than at T1. Structural equation modelling showed that character, as a whole, had a significant direct effect on post-traumatic growth and mental health at T2, and an indirect effect mediated by post-traumatic growth. Furthermore, regression analyses evidenced that the virtue of transcendence was uniquely related to mental health at T2, while humanity was specifically associated with post-traumatic growth (after accounting for the other virtues). CONCLUSION Individuals' character strengths related to their mental health and post-traumatic growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, with evidence of post-traumatic growth mediating the relation between character and mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Casali
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Tommaso Feraco
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.,Pentathlon Srl, Naples, Italy
| | - Chiara Meneghetti
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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Naddaf SA, Lavy S. Character Strengths' Change During COVID-19. JOURNAL OF HAPPINESS STUDIES 2022; 24:185-210. [PMID: 36373087 PMCID: PMC9638306 DOI: 10.1007/s10902-022-00575-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED The COVID-19 had negative effects on individuals and nations worldwide. However, based on literature suggesting that crises can trigger growth, we propose that it may have also triggered individuals' character strengths development, especially among those having experienced moderate levels of difficulty during the pandemic and having received social support. The participants' (N = 1700) 24 character strengths were assessed twice: before and during COVID-19. At the second assessment, participants also reported the level of impact COVID-19 had on their lives, and their perceived social support. MANOVA analysis revealed a general increase in character strengths, with significant - but mainly negligible or small - increases in 17 strengths: appreciation of beauty and excellence, bravery, prudence, creativity, curiosity, fairness, gratitude, honesty, hope, judgment, kindness, leadership, perspective, self-regulation, social intelligence, spirituality, and zest. Across the 24 strengths, the reported level of COVID-19's impact (i.e., low, moderate, or high) was not associated with different changes during the pandemic. Univariate analyses showed that such changes were significant only in curiosity, forgiveness and kindness. The multivariate effect of social support on changes in character strengths was significant. Specifically, it enhanced the increase in love, prudence, curiosity, forgiveness, gratitude, honesty, hope, judgment, leadership, humility and zest during COVID-19, although the interactions effect sizes were small. The results suggest that, in the time frame examined in this study, character development processes triggered by COVID-19 were evident, yet specific changes in strengths were relatively mild. Some of these processes may have been enhanced by social support. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10902-022-00575-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahar Amoury Naddaf
- Department of Leadership and Policy in Education, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Shiri Lavy
- Department of Leadership and Policy in Education, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
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McGrath RE. A Summary of Construct Validity Evidence for Two Measures of Character Strengths. J Pers Assess 2022; 105:302-313. [PMID: 36121305 DOI: 10.1080/00223891.2022.2120402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
The VIA Inventory of Strengths has become the most widely used instrument in the world for measuring the construct referred to character strengths. However, several limitations were noted in its original development. In response, the VIA Assessment Suite for Adults was developed as a battery of instruments intended to address those gaps. The suite includes two inventories providing dimensional measures of the character strengths: the VIA Inventory of Strengths-Revised and the Global Assessment of Character Strengths. Short forms were also developed for each. So far, five reasonably sized samples of adults (total N = 7,924) have provided evidence for the empirical validity of some subset of these instruments, making them the most thoroughly vetted measures of character strengths available today. This article aggregates previously available and new findings on their construct validity. Evidence concerning substantive validity, structural validity, and external validity is reviewed, and in some cases aggregated across samples. The findings generally support the construct validity of the instruments evaluated according to all three standards, with exceptions noted. Recommendations are offered for their use in research and applied settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert E McGrath
- School of Psychology and Counseling, Fairleigh Dickinson University
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The Role of General and Study-Related Intraindividual Factors on Academic Learning Outcomes under COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analysis. EDUCATION SCIENCES 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/educsci12020101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Little is known about the intraindividual dispositional factors related to cognitive, behavioral, and emotional academic learning outcomes under COVID-19. This study investigated (i) the associations of intraindividual factors, some related to studying (motivation to learn, self-regulated learning, and study resilience), others more general (soft skills, intolerance of uncertainty) with three situational academic learning outcomes (general distress, online self-regulated learning, study-related emotions), and (ii) the effect of time, intraindividual factors, online self-regulated learning, and study-related emotions on distress and achievement over the following three exam sessions. A total of 331 university students took part in the study during the first Italian nationwide lockdown (T1; March–May 2020). Of those, 121 also completed at least one follow-up (T2: August 2020; T3: September 2020; T4: February 2021). At T1, study-related dispositions and soft skills were positively associated with online self-regulated learning and study-related emotions, while study-related dispositions were also negatively associated with general distress. Intolerance of uncertainty was associated positively with general distress and negatively with study-related emotions. Longitudinal effects of T2 and T3 for intolerance of uncertainty and study-related emotions were observed for distress, while those for T4 were study-related dispositions for achievement. Nurturing intraindividual factors can help students cope with a prolonged stressful situation such as a pandemic.
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