Emotions and music through an innovative project during compulsory secondary education

This article presents the results and main conclusions of a quasi-experimental study after the implementation of an innovative project extended as a multi-year programme, called 'MusMotion', applied in compulsory secondary education, which is based on the relationship between music and emotions, as well as its effects on the academic performance of adolescents. The research analysed and tested an educational innovation project that improves students' academic performance, as well as the classroom climate between teachers and students (N = 444). A key strand of this research concerns the use of music to support students' emotional development and awareness. As we will explain, the results of this research have shown positive outcomes that have direct implications for pedagogy and classroom practice. The results confirm that there is a relationship between emotions and students' academic performance, and the innovative educational programme MusMotion can help to improve students' academic performance and the classroom climate by improving their state of mind. Educational systems, through the management of emotions via music, could help many children who today may have difficulty with their emotions.

Parental Stress and Chinese American Preschoolers' Adjustment: The Mediating Role of Parenting

Family contexts, such as parental stress and parenting practices, play critical roles in preschoolers' adjustment. However, these processes have been understudied in Chinese American families. The present study examined the associations between Chinese American mothers' experiences of two types of stress (i.e., general/contextual stress and parenting stress) and their preschoolers' socio-emotional and behavioral adjustment problems; in addition, the mediating roles of maternal psychologically controlling parenting and maternal warmth in these associations were assessed. Participants included 207 first-generation Chinese American mothers (Mage = 37.78 years, SDage = 4.36) and their 3- to 6-year-old children (Mage = 4.50 years, SDage = 0.90; 52% boys). Mothers reported on their levels of stress, psychologically controlling parenting, and warmth practices; teachers reported on child adjustment in the school setting. The results revealed that higher levels of general/contextual stress and parenting stress were each uniquely associated with more maternal psychologically controlling parenting practices, which in turn was associated with fewer socio-emotional and behavioral adjustment problems in children. Our findings can inform parenting intervention programs designed to improve Chinese American preschoolers' adjustment.

Executive functions are important for academic achievement, but emotional intelligence too

Finding predictors of academic achievement has caught the interest of many educational researchers in the last decades. Two of the variables that have received considerable attention are emotional intelligence (EI) and executive functions (EF). However, only a few studies have considered their influence in the primary school stage. The aim of this study is to identify which EI components and specific EF are most related to academic achievement and to explore if these relationships vary among subjects. The sample comprised of 180 students between 8-11 years old. We administered the BarOn EI Inventory, tasks of EF and tests of mathematic and linguistic competences. The results showed that EF are better predictors of school performance than EI. Inhibition and working memory were the EF most associated with achievement while adaptability emerged as the EI dimension most linked to it. This study suggests that EI and EF should be consciously developed in classrooms.

Informal STEM Learning for Young Children: A Systematic Literature Review

Studies show that children spend considerable time engaged in informal learning outside of educational settings. Informal educational settings such as museums can provide a variety of opportunities to engage children in STEM learning and scientific discovery, which can increase school readiness. Research has also determined an achievement gap in students from low socio-economic backgrounds and in students who are dual language learners. The literature shows that this gap begins even before children enter formal schooling. This systematic review serves two purposes: to explore the impact of informal STEM learning (ISL) on school readiness and to examine the relationship between ISL and children’s social-emotional development, particularly in children who are dual language learners. Using PRISMA procedures, we identified 36 eligible studies in this systematic review. The findings illuminate the important role of parents and/or caregivers and the quality of design and interventions used at ISL sites, such as museums and zoos, on how ISL can impact school readiness for preschoolers. No research was found to specifically address the impact of ISL on school readiness for children who are dual language learners. The implications from the findings suggest that further research is needed on ISL for young children, particularly considering the dearth in research on young dual language learners. The implications further suggest that parents, ISL site designers, facilitators, and educators can benefit from learning about the impact of ISL on school readiness.

Influence of Personal, Academic, Social, and Level of Physical Activity Variables on Emotional Intelligence

In the diverse and complex society in which we live, the support that an appropriate emotional intelligence can provide to adolescents to achieve a satisfactory, balanced, and peaceful coexistence is increasing. The aim of this research was to determine whether personal, academic, and social variables influenced emotional intelligence in adolescent populations. A descriptive-inferential study was carried out with 964 students of compulsory secondary education (M = 14.18; SD = 1.28), applying the emotional intelligence scale Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS-24). The results show better emotional attention in boys who practice physical exercise and have good social skills; better emotional clarity in girls who practice physical exercise and have good social skills; and better emotional repair in girls under 13 years of age, who practice physical exercise, have a good academic record and good social skills. In conclusion, a solid and specific knowledge of the personal, academic, and social variables that may influence the development of emotional intelligence in the adolescent period allows helping students in the prevention or modification of undesirable aspects they may have in their relationships with society.

Does a Person-Environment-Fit Promote the Academic Achievement of Hearing-Impaired Students in Malaysian Polytechnics? The Mediating Effects of Satisfaction and Adjustment

(1) This study investigates the influence of a person-environment-fit on academic achievement and examines mediating effects of adjustment and satisfaction on this relationship; (2) Methods: Data were collected from a sample of 195 hearing-impaired students from five polytechnics in Malaysia that offered the Special Skills Certificate program; (3) Results: Results revealed that the two constructs of the person-environment approach: personality-major fit and needs-supplies fit were positively associated with academic achievement. The adjustment was found to mediate this relationship. Taken together, these results signal that the person-environment constructs contribute to the academic achievement of hearing-impaired students and that adjustment is instrumental in elucidating this relationship; (4) Conclusions: The finding adds to the data, indicating that the person-environment-fit is a possible model of inclusion for hearing-impaired students and also provides initial data about the functioning of hearing-impaired students in Malaysian polytechnics.

Motivational, Emotional, and Social Factors Explain Academic Achievement in Children Aged 6–12 Years: A Meta-Analysis

Recent studies highlight the effect of cognitive factors on academic achievement, ignoring motivational, emotional, and social factors. This provides the background for the present study, a meta-analysis on the relationship between academic achievement and motivational factors (motivation, self-concept, and self-esteem), emotional factors (emotional intelligence, emotional competence, and emotional well-being), and social factors (social intelligence, social competence, and social skills) in children aged 6–12 years (37 samples, n = 15,777). The methodology based on the PRISMA protocols was applied: phases of inclusion and exclusion of articles, analysis of effect size, heterogeneity, publication bias, and, finally, meta-regressions and moderation analysis. The results showed a moderate positive effect size (0.321) for motivational and social factors (0.210) and a small positive effect size (0.172) for emotional factors. The moderating effects of age (65% on social factors) and geographical area (52% on motivational factors, 17% on emotional factors, and 76% on social factors) were studied. These results highlight the importance of motivational and social factors regarding academic achievement. In addition, along with the moderating effect of age, that of geographical area emerges strongly given the diversity of contexts studied. Our results highlight the importance that these factors have on academic performance and, therefore, the need to design school plans that address the correct development of these variables.

Does Emotional Intelligence Have an Impact on Linguistic Competences? A Primary Education Study

The relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and academic achievement has received a lot of attention in the school environment. The objective of this study is to identify which EI components are more related to linguistic competences in primary education. One hundred eighty students between 8 and 11 years of age participated in the study. We administered the BarOn EI Inventory, the intellectual skills test (EFAI) to determine the intellectual abilities, and a test of basic linguistic competences. The results showed that the EI factors of adaptability and interpersonal had the strongest impact on linguistic competences. Specifically, adaptability was the EI component more related to reading comprehension, explaining 13.2% of the reading score’s variance, while adaptability and stress management were the best predictors of writing skills, accounting for 15.4% of the variance of the writing score. These results point to the need to consider emotional competences to help students reach academic success and personal well-being.

Instruments for Measuring the Resilience of Indigenous Adolescents: An Exploratory Review

Introduction: Resilience is enabled by internal, individual assets as well as the resources available in a person's environment to support healthy development. For Indigenous people, these resources and assets can include those which enhance cultural resilience. Measurement instruments which capture these core resilience constructs are needed, yet there is a lack of evidence about which instruments are most appropriate and valid for use with Indigenous adolescents. The current study reviews instruments which have been used to measure the resilience of Indigenous adolescents in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States (the CANZUS nations). The aim is to provide guidance for the future use of instruments to measure resilience among Indigenous adolescents and provide recommendations for research to strengthen evidence in this area.

Method: Instruments were identified through a systematic search of resilience intervention and indicator studies targeting Indigenous youth from CANZUS nations. The studies were analyzed for information on the constructs of resilience measured in the instruments, their use with the targeted groups, and their psychometric properties. A second search was conducted to fill in any gaps in information. Instruments were included if they measured at least one construct of resilience reflecting individual assets, environmental resources, and/or cultural resilience.

Results: A total of 20 instruments were identified that measured constructs of resilience and had been administered to Indigenous adolescents in the CANZUS nations. Instruments which measured both individual assets and environmental resources (n = 7), or only environmental resources (n = 6) were most common. Several instruments (n = 5) also measured constructs of cultural resilience, and two instruments included items addressing all three constructs of individual assets, environmental resources, and cultural resilience. The majority of the reviewed studies tested the reliability (75%) and content or face validity (80%) of instruments with the target population.

Conclusion: There are several validated instruments available to appropriately measure constructs of resilience with Indigenous adolescents from CANZUS nations. Further work is needed on developing a consistent framework of resilience constructs to guide research efforts. Future instrument development and testing ought to focus on measures which include elements of all three core constructs critical to Indigenous adolescent resilience.

Association between emotional intelligence and academic success among undergraduates: A cross-sectional study in KUST, Pakistan

The study investigated the association between emotional intelligence and academic success among undergraduates of Kohat University of Science & Technology (KUST), Pakistan. A sample of 186 students who were enrolled during the semester Fall 2015 to Spring 2018 was selected through a random sampling technique. A cross-sectional, descriptive and correlational research methods were employed in this study. A standardized tool “Emotional Intelligence Scale” was employed for the collection of information from the undergraduates. Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of the students was considered as academic success. Data were collected through personal visits. Statistical tools i.e., simple percentage, mean, standard deviation, ANOVA, Pearson’s product-moment correlation and multiple linear regression were employed to reach the desired research outcomes. The findings revealed that there was a strong positive relationship (r = 0.880) between emotional intelligence and academic success among undergraduate students. The multiple linear regression analysis showed that self-development (Beta = 0.296), emotional stability (Beta = 0.197), managing relations (Beta = 0.170), altruistic behaviour (Beta = 0.145), and commitment (Beta = 0.117) predict academic success of undergraduates positively. The findings suggest that the emotional intelligence of the undergraduate students may be further improved so that their academic performance may further be enhanced.

The Role of Trait Emotional Intelligence in Academic Performance: Theoretical Overview and Empirical Update

Considerable debate still exists among scholars over the role of trait emotional intelligence (TEI) in academic performance. The dominant theoretical position is that TEI should be orthogonal or only weakly related to achievement; yet, there are strong theoretical reasons to believe that TEI plays a key role in performance. The purpose of the current article is to provide (a) an overview of the possible theoretical mechanisms linking TEI with achievement and (b) an update on empirical research examining this relationship. To elucidate these theoretical mechanisms, the overview draws on multiple theories of emotion and regulation, including TEI theory, social-functional accounts of emotion, and expectancy-value and psychobiological model of emotion and regulation. Although these theoretical accounts variously emphasize different variables as focal constructs, when taken together, they provide a comprehensive picture of the possible mechanisms linking TEI with achievement. In this regard, the article redresses the problem of vaguely specified theoretical links currently hampering progress in the field. The article closes with a consideration of directions for future research.