Academic self-concept and academic achievement: relations and causal ordering

Experiences of Autistic College Students in Higher Education and Their Relations with Faculty

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to investigate the various factors that may contribute to the academic self-concept of autistic college students, including the potential influence of academic success.

METHODS

A sample of autistic participants (n = 12) were interviewed regarding autistic college students' experiences. Transcripts were analyzed using a modified grounded theory approach.

RESULTS

Most students had a positive academic self-concept due to factors like major selection based on passion and interest, following family values, personal motivation to do well, proving someone wrong, and striving for high academic achievement. Although accommodations were not the main focus of the study, they were found to affect student academic self-concept as well.

CONCLUSION

Post-secondary institutions should consider incorporating intervention and support programs that assist in improving neurodiverse students' self motivation and self regulation skills to encourage these students to be academically successful while maintaining their well-being. They should also provide professional development initiatives aimed at enhancing the capacity of faculty and staff to address the unique needs of autistic students and ensure the successful implementation of accommodations. This approach will contribute to a more inclusive and supportive learning environment for autistic college students, promoting their academic success and well-being.

Overcoming socioeconomic adversity: Academic resilience in mathematics achievement among children and adolescents in Ireland

Although socioeconomic disadvantage is linked with academic underachievement, many children from low-income backgrounds perform well in school. Which modifiable factors predict this academic resilience? We examine between- and within-person predictors of one important academic metric - mathematics performance - across adolescence in 1715 (796 male, 919 female) youth living in poverty in Ireland, using data from three waves (9, 13, and 17/18 years) of the Growing Up in Ireland study. Using linear mixed models, math performance was worse when adolescents had more socioemotional and behavioural difficulties, more child-parent relationship conflict, parents had lower expectations of the adolescent's educational achievement, and when primary caregivers had less education. Adolescents who had better intellectual self-concept and attended a non-disadvantaged school had greater math performance. This research adds to the growing body of work suggesting academic resilience is dynamic and multisystemic; it provides potential targets at multiple levels to promote such resilience.

Effect of intensity training block on anxiety state and performance in competitive swimmers

Background

An increase in training intensity could create changes in psychological and physiological variables in competitive athletes. For this reason, it is very relevant to know how an intensive training block could influence psychological variables in competitive swimmers. This study examined the effect of an intensive training block (HIT) for 2 weeks on the anxiety state and swimming performance compared to standard aerobic training.

Methods

Twenty-two male competition swimmers were randomly assigned to two groups: HIT group (n = 11; age = 16.5 ± 0.29 years) and control group following the standard training program (n = 11; age = 16.1 ± 0.33 years). Psychological status variables (cognitive anxiety, somatic anxiety and self-confidence) and swimming performance (100-m front crawl) were measured pre-and post-test.

Results

A significant effect of time was found for all psychological variables and swimming performance (F ≥ 17.6; p < 0.001; d ≥ 0.97). Furthermore, a significant group × time interaction effect was found in cognitive (F = 14.9; p < 0.001; d = 0.62) and somatic anxiety (F = 5.37; p = 0.031; d = 0.55) were found. Only a significant group effect was found in somatic anxiety (F = 27.1; p < 0.001; d = 1.2). Post hoc comparison revealed that both groups increased their cognitive anxiety and swimming performance, and decreased their self-confidence from pre to post test. However, cognitive anxiety increase significantly more in the HIT group compared to the control group. Furthermore, only the HIT training group significantly increased somatic anxiety over time, while somatic anxiety did not change significantly over time in the control group.

Conclusion

Our findings indicated that a sudden increase in training intensity increased state anxiety more than standard training, but both conditions similarly enhanced swimming performance. Although the current level of psychological state is not affecting swimming performance negatively over this period, it should be regularly monitored by psychologists as it over a longer training period perhaps could have a negative influence on swimming performance.

Developmental links between well-being, self-concept and prosocial behaviour in early primary school

BACKGROUND

Well-being is a key aspect of children's education, yet measurement issues have limited studies in early primary school.

AIMS

The current 12-month longitudinal study assesses the temporal stability of child- and parent-reported school well-being and examines developmental links with academic self-concept and parent-rated prosocial behaviour.

SAMPLE(S)

We tracked a sample of 206 children across the transition from the first (T1) to the second (T2) year of primary school (T1 child Mage = 5.3, SD = .46, 54.3% girls) and gathered ratings of well-being, prosocial behaviour and academic self-concept at both timepoints.

METHODS

We used cross-lagged analyses to investigate developmental links between these three constructs.

RESULTS

Parent and child reports of children's well-being showed similar temporal stability and converged over time, such that informants' reports showed a modest but significant correlation at T2. Girls reported greater well-being than boys at both timepoints and received higher parental ratings of well-being than boys at T2. For both girls and boys, associations between the constructs were asymmetric: early well-being predicted later self-concept and prosocial behaviour, but the reciprocal associations were not significant.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings support the validity of young children's self-reported well-being, highlight the early onset of gender differences in school well-being and demonstrate that early well-being heralds later prosocial behaviour and positive academic self-concepts.

A healthy breakfast each and every day is important for students' motivation and achievement

Breakfast is often cited as the most important meal of the day and vital for students' academic functioning at school. Although much research has linked students' breakfast consumption to better achievement, there has been debate about why and how breakfast has academic benefits. The present study of 648 Australian high school students investigated (a) the role of breakfast consumption and breakfast quality in students' self-reported motivation and their achievement in a science test, (b) the role of motivation in mediating the link between breakfast consumption and quality and students' achievement, and (c) the extent to which breakfast consumption effects are moderated by the quality of breakfast (e.g., more vegetables, fruit, dairy/protein, wholegrains, cereals, water; less sugary drinks, processed meat, fast take-away, unhealthy snack foods). Findings indicated that beyond the effects of personal, home, and classroom factors, breakfast consumption predicted higher adaptive motivation (p < .05), breakfast quality predicted lower maladaptive motivation (p < .05), and in turn, students' adaptive (positively, p < .01) and maladaptive (negatively, p < .01) motivation predicted their achievement. Moreover, adaptive motivation significantly mediated the relationship between breakfast consumption and achievement (p < .05). The effect of breakfast consumption was moderated by the quality of breakfast such that consuming a high-quality breakfast in the morning was associated with the highest levels of adaptive motivation (p < .01) and achievement (p < .05) later in the day. Findings have implications for educational practice and policy seeking to promote a healthy start to the school day to optimize students' motivation and achievement.

Impact of emotional intelligence and academic self-concept on the academic performance of educational sciences undergraduates

Over the last few years, the inclusion of psychosocial factors in the teaching and learning processes has become increasingly important due to their proven influence on students' academic performance, especially at the university stage. In this regard, the aim of this study is to analyse the impact of emotional intelligence and academic self-concept on the students' academic achievement. The results obtained revealed some differences according to gender in all the variables considered. Specifically, women presented higher levels of emotional attention, academic self-concept and performance, while men stood out in emotional clarity and emotional repair. The findings obtained show the importance of including psychosocial factors in university training plans.

Physical activity and school adaptation among Chinese junior high school students: chain mediation of resilience and coping styles

Background

As a crucial juncture in students' educational journey, junior high school presents challenges that profoundly influence well-being and academic performance. Physical activity emerges as a pivotal factor shaping the holistic development of junior high school students. Beyond its recognized impact on physical and mental health, engaging in regular physical activity proves effective in augmenting students' adaptability to school life. Despite its importance, the mechanisms through which physical activity influences school adaptation in junior high school students remain understudied in academic research.

Objective

In exploring the potential mechanisms, this study aims to validate the mediating roles of resilience and coping styles by examining the association between physical activity and school adaptation among junior high school students.

Methods

This study employed cross-sectional survey approach among junior high school students in China. Through the convenience sampling, 1,488 participants aged from 12 to 16 years old (Average age = 13.59, SD = 1.017) from two Junior high schools in Changsha City, Hunan Province were recruited to complete the Physical Activity Scale, School Adaptation Questionnaire for Junior High School Students, Resilience Scale for Adolescents, and Simple Coping Styles Questionnaire. For data analysis, the SPSS 26.0 and Amos 26.0 were used for statistical processing.

Results

The results showed that physical activity exhibited a significant correlation with school adaptation (r = 0.656, p < 0.001). Resilience, positive coping style and negative coping style played partial mediating roles between physical activity and school adaptation, with the effect size were 0.229, 0.170, 0.171. The chain mediation effect size of resilience and positive coping style was 0.042, while the chain mediation effect size of resilience and negative coping style was 0.050.

Conclusion

Physical activity positively predicts Chinese junior high school students' school adaptation through resilience and coping styles, suggesting that junior high school students should engage in regular physical activity, so as to improve their resilience and positive coping styles, mitigating negative coping styles, thus promoting their school adaptation.

Math self-concept in the transition to secondary school: Developmental trends, predictors, and educational implications among high-ability and average-ability students

This study examined the development of math self-concept during the transition to secondary school comparatively among high-ability and average-ability students in a largescale longitudinal sample in Flanders, Belgium (N = 5740 students; 49.5% males). Latent change models revealed that high-ability students, although maintaining higher relative levels of math self-concept, experienced steeper levels of math self-concept decline in the transition to secondary school than their average-ability peers, according to students' reports. Cognitive ability, measured with standardized intelligence tests, predicted steeper math self-concept decline within both ability groups, and in both groups stronger math self-concept decline was associated with (a) higher levels of teacher-reported underachievement in Grade 7 (r2 = 0.13, p < .001), (b) lower standardized math achievement in Grade 11 (r2 = 0.49, p < .001), (c) lower student-reported school well-being in Grade 7 (r2 = 0.13, p < .001) and Grade 11 (r2 = 0.04, p < .001), and (d) higher risk of grade repetition by the end of secondary school (r2 = 0.11, p < .001). These findings establish that the level of math self-concept and the degree in decline in math self-concept can have negative implications for educational outcomes, even when math self-concept level remains high relative to peers.

An experimental approach: Investigating the directive function of autobiographical memory

Why do we have autobiographical memory and how is it useful? Researchers have proposed a directive function; our experiences guide our behavior, particularly when faced with an open-ended problem. Two experiments (one between-participant and one mixed design) were therefore conducted to test whether success autobiographical memories - any experience when the participant felt successful and competent - are helpful for generating solutions to problem scenarios. One research aim was to experimentally test the directive function as current experimental evidence is limited and results are mixed. Consequently, it is unclear if and how autobiographical memory is helpful for open-ended problem solving. Another aim was to test whether self-efficacy is an important factor that supports open-ended problem solving and thus the directive function. Although success memories enhanced self-ratings of self-efficacy across both experiments, in samples of undergraduate students there was no experimental effect of success autobiographical memories on problem solving. Instead, some participants across the memory and control conditions in both experiments, even when not instructed, recalled autobiographical memories related to the problem scenarios presented in the problem-solving task, and these participants did better at problem solving than those who did not. This may hint to a directive function and is perhaps one reason why there is no experimental effect. Sample and experimental design differences are discussed as potential factors that may contribute to non-significant effects in this study but significant effects in others. Our results highlight the complexity of the directive function, and the difficulty of experimentally testing how autobiographical memory directs behavior.

Self-concept and academic achievement in children with chronic kidney disease

BACKGROUND

Within the pediatric population, a positive self-concept is associated with better academic achievement. Children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at risk for lower quality of life and academic underachievement. Little is known about self-concept among children with CKD and how self-concept influences academic achievement. The objectives of the present study were to (1) describe patient-reported self-concept among children with CKD and (2) evaluate the relationship between self-concept and academic performance.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 23 children, aged 6-16 years, with mild to moderate CKD (cause of disease due to congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract) and 26 age-matched comparators. Participants completed the Self-Description Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT-4). Linear regression models were used to evaluate self-concept as a predictor of academic achievement in the CKD cohort.

RESULTS

Self-concept ratings were comparable between children with CKD and non-CKD comparators; however, academic achievement trended lower for the CKD patients on measures of arithmetic (estimate =  - 0.278, 95% confidence interval (CI) [- 0.530: - 0.026], t(45) =  - 1.99, p = 0.053). All of the SDQ domains predicted WRAT-4 arithmetic performance, such that higher scores on the SDQ were associated with higher scores in mathematics. Kidney function did not have an effect on the relationship between self-concept and academic achievement.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the presence of a chronic disease, children with CKD endorse a positive self-concept. Positive self-concept may predict academic success in this population.

Assessment of multidimensional self-concept in the area of physical education: validation of a scale

Introduction

Self-concept is a person's perception of him/herself and how he/she performs in different situations. This aspect must be developed during the formative stages and Physical Education is a fundamental area due to its enormous methodological possibilities.

Aim

Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the factor structure and reliability of an instrument that allows to analyze the multidimensional self-concept of high school students in the context of Physical Education.

Method

The sample consisted of 1,155 secondary school students from public schools in the Autonomous Community of Extremadura, Spain. After the exploratory and confirmatory analyses, a structure composed of 30 items divided into 5 factors was.

Results

This design showed excellent goodness-of-fit indices as well as good internal reliability indicators (Cronbach's Alpha = 0.76 - 0.88).

Conclusion

Therefore, this scale can be considered as a tool to assess the self-concept of high school students in a quick and easy way.

Psychological wellbeing in Chinese university students: insights into the influences of academic self-concept, teacher support, and student engagement

Objective

This study investigates the complex interplay between academic self-concept, teacher support, student engagement, and psychological wellbeing among Chinese university students. We aimed to elucidate the mediating role of student engagement in these relationships.

Methods

A sample of 597 Chinese undergraduate students from diverse universities participated in the study. We employed structured questionnaires to assess academic self-concept, teacher support, student engagement, and psychological wellbeing. Confirmatory factor analyses and structural equation modeling were used to test our hypothesized model.

Results

Structural equation modeling indicated that the partial mediation model, which considered both direct and indirect effects, outperformed full mediation and direct effect models. Student engagement significantly mediated the relationships between academic self-concept, teacher support, and psychological wellbeing. Importantly, teacher support demonstrated a direct impact on psychological wellbeing, even when accounting for the mediating role of student engagement.

Conclusion

This study underscores the pivotal role of student engagement as a mediator in the relationship between academic self-concept, teacher support, and psychological wellbeing among Chinese university students. While student engagement plays a substantial mediating role, our findings also recognize the persistent direct influence of teacher support on psychological wellbeing. These insights have implications for educators and policymakers aiming to enhance the wellbeing of university students by fostering positive academic self-concept and teacher support while recognizing the importance of student engagement.

Effects of Perceived Parent-Child Relationships and Self-Concept on Creative Personality among Middle School Students

This study investigated the impact of perceived parent-child relationships on creative personality in middle school students according to self-concept, focusing on environmental (parent-child relationships) and individual (self-concept) factors that can influence these students' creative personalities. To this end, this study verified the moderation effect using sixth-year data (third year of middle school students) from the Seoul Longitudinal Educational Study 2010 Panel, utilizing SPSS 26.0 and the PROCESS macro. The results revealed that the self-concept of middle school students moderated the influence of parent-child relationships on creative personality. Specifically, it was found that as the level of self-concept increased above the average the positive relationship between parent-child relationships and creative personality strengthened. Based on the study's findings, theoretical and practical suggestions for creating a home and educational environment to promote creativity during adolescence were discussed.

Academic Self-Concept Wins the Race: The Prediction of Achievements in Three Major School Subjects by Five Subject-Specific Self-Related Variables

The importance of self-related constructs in predicting academic achievement has been increasingly emphasized in recent decades. Typically, bivariate associations of self-related variables with achievements have been reported. Research quantifying the combined predictive power of more than two self-variables has been scarce. Moreover, except for the academic self-concept, these variables have almost always been measured across domains, i.e., without considering the specifics of individual school subjects. The current study aimed to statistically predict academic achievement (operationalized via school grades) in three major subjects (Chinese (native language), mathematics, and English (foreign language)) by using subject-tied scales, namely academic self-concept, conscientiousness, need for cognition, perseverance of effort, and consistency of interest. The sample comprised 791 Chinese adolescents. Each scale was related separately to each of the three school subjects. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were run. The control variable, biological sex, accounted for 2% of Chinese grades and 8% of English grades, but not of mathematics grades. Adding subject-specific self-concept scales increased the explained variance to 7% (Chinese), 16% (mathematics), and 32% (English). Further additions to the other four self-related scales did not increase the variances that were accounted for. The discussion underlines the relevance of subject-specific academic self-concepts as predictors for subject-tied academic achievements.

A bibliometric analysis on adolescent social anxiety and psychoeducational variables in Web of Science 2002-2021

The aim of this bibliometric analysis was to analyze the scientific output on adolescent social anxiety and its relationship with 15 psychoeducational variables in peer-reviewed journals during the period 2002-2021. The goal was to provide a comprehensive overview of the state of the art on adolescent social anxiety and academic/school achievement, performance, self-concept, self-esteem, self-efficacy, self-attributions, goals, attachment, adjustment, engagement, refusal, absenteeism, anxiety, learning strategies, and self-regulated learning. A search of scientific literature was conducted using Web of Science, and 157 empirical studies were identified. Analyses were conducted using bibliometrix 3.1 to avoid the risk of bias. The results suggested progressive growth in the scientific output on this research topic mainly in the USA, China, Spain, and Canada, and revealed trending issues and scientific interest regarding the relationship between adolescent social anxiety and academic/school achievement and performance. Other variables, such as academic/school attachment and self-regulated learning did not emerge. The results provide implications for practitioners (i.e., educators, clinical and educational psychologists, and psychiatrists), supporting emerging lines of research. Limitations include a lack of a review protocol and a lack of comparison with other international databases, such as PsychInfo, Scopus, PubMed, or ERIC.

Physical Activity as a Means to Improve Subjective Vitality of University Students

Purpose: This study compared physical self-concept and subjective vitality of police, physical education, and psychology students. Moreover, the study investigated whether students who reported a higher level of physical activity differently rated physical self-concept and subjective vitality and whether physical activity was associated with subjective vitality. Methods: The study sample included 422 university students (249 females) from three state academic institutions: University of Criminal Investigation and Police Studies (n = 165), Faculty of Sport and Physical Education (n = 156) and Faculty of Psychology (n = 101). The mean age was 20.85 ± 3.59 years. They completed a physical self-description questionnaire, the subjective vitality scale, and a physical activity questionnaire using the Survey Monkey platform. Multivariate analysis of variance investigated the differences in physical activity, physical self and vitality, while regression analysis investigated the association of physical self and physical activity with subjective vitality. Results: Police students and physical education students reported higher levels of physical activity and perceived higher their own physical self and subjective vitality than psychology students. From the whole sample, students who were sufficiently physically active also scored higher on physical self-concept and subjective vitality. There was a significant association of physical activity level with subjective vitality. Conclusion: Physical activity was directly associated with students' subjective evaluation of their own health. It can be concluded that students should aim to attain a minimum of 150 min per week of physical activity. Students and faculties should be involved in the attainment of minimal levels of physical activity. This could improve students' subjective perception of self, along with objective measures of health and wellbeing.

Is Academic Agency Relevant for the School-to-Work Transition of Lower Attainers? Evidence from Canada and England

Academic agency is recognized as an important predictor of higher education attainment among the general population during the school-to-work transition. However, there is little evidence on whether (a) academic agency is associated with higher education attainment among young people facing education difficulties (i.e., lower attainers), (b) academic agency is associated with a smooth entry in a meaningful job among lower attainers, and (c) these associations vary across educational contexts. This study draws on longitudinal data from lower attainers in the province of Québec (Mage = 16.31, SD = 0.98; 48% females) and in England (Mage = 15.86, SD = 0.72; 42% females), two regions with similar education systems, yet different vocational training provision. In both samples, fewer than one in four participants reach higher education by age 20. Also, in both countries academic agency is associated with a greater likelihood of being in higher education compared to other employment and education outcomes at age 20, but not with rapid entry into meaningful employment. Thus, focussing on higher education attainment and academic-related factors such as academic agency is of limited relevance for understanding lower attainers' success over school-to work transitions. For them, understanding this transition also requires considering rapid entry in meaningful employment, as well as non-academic forms of agency supporting such work-oriented outcomes.

Students' 2018 PISA reading self-concept: Identifying predictors and examining model generalizability for emergent bilinguals

Decades of research have indicated that reading self-concept is an important predictor of reading achievement. During this period, the population of emergent bilinguals has continued to increase within United States' schools. However, the existing literature has tended to examine native English speakers' and emergent bilinguals' reading self-concept in the aggregate, thereby potentially obfuscating the unique pathways through which reading self-concept predicts reading achievement. Furthermore, due to the overreliance of native English speakers in samples relating to theory development, researchers attempting to examine predictors of reading achievement may a priori select variables that are more aligned with native English speakers' experiences. To address this issue, we adopted Elastic Net, which is a theoretically agnostic methodology and machine learning approach to variable selection to identify the proximal and distal predictors of reading self-concept for the entire population; in our study, participants from the United States who participated in PISA 2018 served as the baseline group to determine significant predictors of reading self-concept with the intent of identifying potential new directions for future researchers. Based on Elastic Net analysis, 20 variables at the student level, three variables at the teacher level, and 12 variables at the school level were identified as the most salient predictors of reading self-concept. We then utilized a multilevel modeling approach to test model generalizability of the identified predictors of reading self-concept for emergent bilinguals and native English speakers. We disaggregated and compared findings for both emergent bilinguals and native English speakers. Our results indicate that although some predictors were important for both groups (e.g., perceived information and communications technologies competence), other predictors were not (e.g., competitiveness). Suggestions for future directions and implications of the present study are examined.

Mediation of self-concept and moderation of teacher support between SES and reading achievement: Evidence from China and the United States

BACKGROUND

Socioeconomic status (SES) is important in students' reading development. The mechanism of how they are linked, however, is underexplored.

AIMS

This research aimed to explore whether reading self-concept mediates the link between SES and reading achievement and whether teacher support moderates the direct and indirect link between SES and reading achievement.

SAMPLES

Using PISA 2018 database, we selected 17,346 15-year-olds from 537 schools in B-S-J-Z (China) and the United States (U.S.).

METHODS

Multilevel linear models were calculated to explore the potential mediation of self-concept and the potential moderation of teacher support between SES and reading achievement.

RESULTS

Results reveal that reading self-concept mediated the link between SES and reading achievement at student level both in China and the United States, and teacher support moderated the link between SES and reading self-concept both at student level and school level only in China, but not in the United States.

CONCLUSION

Our research highlights the importance of self-concept and teacher support in improving students' reading achievement, especially for students of low SES, which has important theoretical significance and practical enlightenment for reading instruction.

Good performance in difficult times? Threat and challenge as contributors to achievement emotions and academic performance during the COVID-19 outbreak

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has emerged as one of the most formidable global crises, leading to the disruptions to education systems worldwide and impacting learning attitudes and psychological well-being of various learner groups, including university students. In this context, students' appraisals of adverse learning situations play a key role. It is not just the learning situation, but rather students' appraisal of it which impacts their emotions, attitudes, and behaviors in academic context. The aim of the present study was to investigate how university students' challenge and threat appraisals were related to emotional learning experiences and learning outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the study focuses on the role of personal and external resources for learning in this context.

Methods

Altogether, 428 students, who attended a Psychology lecture at one Austrian university, filled in a questionnaire about their challenge and threat appraisals of learning circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic, achievement emotions they experienced during this time as well as gender, proneness to anxiety, academic self-concept, and learning resources. Additionally, students' performance in the examination was recorded.

Results

The structural equation model emphasizes a crucial role of challenge and threat appraisals for students' achievement emotions in learning and exam preparation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Challenge appraisals were the strongest predictor for pleasant emotions and threat appraisals were strongest predictor for unpleasant emotions. Proneness to anxiety was related to threat appraisal as well as to experience of more unpleasant and, surprisingly, to positive emotions in adverse learning situation. Academic self-concept and learning resources were identified as important resources for learning in adverse learning situation. Unpleasant achievement emotions were directly and negatively related to academic performance and may thus be seen as a critical variable and crucial obstacle to academic performance.

Discussion

The present study provides implications for learning and instructions which could be implemented by universities in order to support learning and learning attitudes among university students in adverse learning situations.

A longitudinal person-centered representation of elementary students' motivation: Do perceptions of parent and teacher achievement goals matter?

This study utilized a longitudinal person-centered approach to investigate how children's achievement goals combine with the goals held for them by their parents and teachers to form unique achievement goal profiles among a sample of 619 elementary school students (Mage = 9.782; 52.5% female; 79.2% first- and second-generation immigrants) from low SES ethnically diverse neighborhoods. Our results revealed four distinct profiles that proved to be identical from one school year to the next: (a) Low on all Goals, (b) High on all Goals, (c) Mastery-Oriented, and (d) Low Mastery Goals. Students' membership in these profiles was moderate to highly stable over time. Moreover, all profiles were marked by a correspondence between student, parent, and teacher goals, suggesting that elementary students may come to develop a global understanding of the various goal-related messages present in their environment. Higher perceived competence in core academic subjects was associated with membership into profiles characterized by high levels of mastery goals. The Mastery-Oriented profile fared best in terms of academic achievement and anxiety, whereas the Low Mastery Goals profile fared the worst. This Low Mastery Goals profile was unique to our study and represented the largest profile, which could be related to the socioeconomic status of our sample. Our findings provide information regarding the nature and stability of achievement goal profiles among elementary school students and offer new insights into how children interpret goal-related messages in their environment.

The Mediating Effects of Psychological Capital and Academic Self-Efficacy on Learning Outcomes of College Freshmen

This study was an investigation of the relationship between past and present learning experiences of first-year college students and of how the psychological capital and academic self-efficacy they had accrued from past learning experiences were correlated with their current learning engagement. Longitudinal data were collected to examine how students' learning experiences in high school impacted their learning in college. Structural equation modeling (SEM) and bootstrapping techniques were employed in data analysis. Results indicated that psychological capital and academic self-efficacy functioned as mediators between students' past learning experience and present learning engagement. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of these two psychological constructs and suggest that postsecondary institutions should provide learning environments that support these factors to ensure student success.

Testing the Reciprocal Effect between Value of Education, Time Investment, and Academic Achievement in a Large Non-Western Sample

Many theories of motivation suggest that motivation and academic achievement reinforce each other over time, yet few longitudinal studies have examined behavioral pathways that may mediate interplay from motivation to achievement. Moreover, empirical studies so far have mostly focused on Western countries. In this study, we first examined whether students' value of education, as a measure of motivation, is reciprocally related to achievement (class rank and self-rated performance) in a sample of junior high schoolers in an East-Asian country (N = 3445, Korean Youth Panel Study). We tested this reciprocity using different statistical models. Second, we investigated whether the relation between motivation and achievement was mediated by time invested in learning. Reciprocal effects between value of education and academic achievement were found in classic cross-lagged panel models, but only unilateral effects (from achievement to value of education) were found when we used random-intercept and random-curve cross-lagged panel models. Adding the time investment variable, the reciprocal effect between value of education, time investment, and academic achievement was found with the random intercept model. In conclusion, the reciprocity between of motivation and achievement are more elusive than previous research suggested; further studies should be dedicated to scrutinizing its existence with various statistical models.

Analysis of Psychological and Social Functioning in Undergraduate Students with a Specific Learning Disorder (SLD)

It is considered to be particularly interesting to enrich the scientific overview investigating the comorbidities of specific learning disorders (SLDs) in young adults. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the psychosocial and relational profiles associated with the presence of learning difficulties in a population of university students. The hypothesis is that young adults with SLDs have lower psychological and socio-relational functioning than their typical-development peers. We further hypothesized that the socio-relational difficulties of students with SLDs could be explained not only by referring to the presence of a learning disorder, but also by considering some variables that may follow the experience of students with SLDs. The results highlighted that students with SLDs, compared to their typical-development peers, have low self-efficacy, high academic anxiety scores, emotional problems, and issues with peers. We finally suggest considering these aspects as early as the diagnostic process to facilitate an effective treatment plan for learning disorders to prevent, in terms of developmental trajectory, the manifestation of these aspects in adulthood.

How to Continue? New Approaches to Investigating the Effects of Adaptive Math Learning Programs on Students' Performance, Self-Concept, and Anxiety

Math learning programs were expected to revolutionize students' learning, but their effects so far have mostly been disappointing. Following the debate about why to continue research on math learning programs, we aimed to reformulate this question into how to continue this research. Investigations to date have neither considered a sufficiently wide set of outcome variables nor differentiated between performance measures (e.g., measuring addition and subtraction performance separately) and affective-motivational variables. Moreover, as students can only benefit from a program if they use it, researchers need to take practice behavior into account. Thus, we investigated whether the adaptive arithmetic learning program Math Garden fostered students' addition and subtraction performance, their math self-concept, and a reduction of their math anxiety. We also investigated how practice behavior (practiced tasks/weeks) affected these outcomes. We used a randomized pretest-posttest control group design with 376 fifth-grade students in Germany. Students in the experimental condition practiced with Math Garden for 20.7 weeks and had an increase in math self-concept. The more subtraction tasks the students practiced, the more they improved their subtraction performance. We found no effects on math anxiety. The results are discussed in terms of providing a starting point for new directions in future research.

The contribution of personal investment theory of motivation in second language acquisition

As a multi-layered motivation theory, Personal investment theory involves learners in the process of learning, due to multiple components, namely sense of self, facilitative conditions, and perceived goals of behavior. Investment has been described as an essential contributor to the second language learning process along with motivation. It specifies 'how' the actual learning occurs in a learning situation in various contexts (e.g., academic and non-academic) both formally and informally. Despite the scarce adoption of Personal investment theory in second language research, one can pose the question of how this theory can contribute to mainstream second language theorizing. This article aims to provide second language researchers with a detailed description of the Personal investment theory. The theory adopts a multi-layered approach to understanding the reasons for learners' investment in a certain domain. The paper presents a general picture of the key principles of Personal investment theory, illuminating the interactions between this theory and research in language education.

Predicting Success: An Examination of the Predictive Validity of a Measure of Motivational-Developmental Dimensions in College Admissions

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, an unprecedented number of higher education institutions adopted test-optional admissions policies. The proliferation of these policies and the criticism of standardized admissions tests as unreliable predictors of applicants' postsecondary educational promise have prompted the reimagining of evaluative methodologies in college admissions. However, few institutions have designed and implemented new measures of applicants' potential for success, rather opting to redistribute the weight given to other variables such as high school course grades and high school GPA. We use multiple regression to investigate the predictive validity of a measure of non-cognitive, motivational-developmental dimensions implemented as part of a test-optional admissions policy at a large urban research university in the United States. The measure, composed of four short-answer essay questions, was developed based on the social-cognitive motivational and developmental-constructivist perspectives. Our findings suggest that scores derived from the measure make a statistically significant but small contribution to the prediction of undergraduate GPA and 4-year bachelor's degree completion. We also find that the measure does not make a statistically significant nor practical contribution to the prediction of 5-year graduation.

Evaluating Rural Ethiopian Youths' Willingness and Competency to Promote Literacy Regarding G × E Influences on Podoconiosis

INTRODUCTION

Engaging youth as peer educators has yet to be considered to promote literacy concerning conjoint genetic and environmental (G × E) influences on health conditions. Whether youth living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) could and would be willing to serve as lay educators of G × E education is unclear.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey of youth living in Southern Ethiopia was conducted from August to September 2017. Trained data collectors administered the survey on 377 randomly selected youth who ranged in age from 15 to 24; 52% were female and 95% reported having some formal education. Self-reported willingness and a constructed competency score were assessed. Bivariate analyses tested for factors associated with willingness and competency to serve as lay G × E literacy builders.

RESULTS

Competency and willingness were significantly greater (p < 0.05) for youth who were male, had some formal education, and had civic or leadership experience. Differences in median willingness were significant for youth who scored as more competent versus those who scored as less competent (p < 0.001). There were no characteristics that moderated the association of competency with willingness.

CONCLUSION

Youth peer educator programs hold promise for disseminating improved G Χ E literacy and reducing stigma associated with deterministic misunderstandings. Thoughtful recruitment and training strategies will be needed to ensure that the broadest representation of youth in LMIC contexts has the opportunity to serve in this role, particularly girls and those without formal education.

Literacy skills seem to fuel literacy enjoyment, rather than vice versa

Children who like to read and write tend to be better at it. This association is typically interpreted as enjoyment impacting engagement in literacy activities, which boosts literacy skills. We fitted direction-of-causation models to partial data of 3690 Finnish twins aged 12. Literacy skills were rated by the twins' teachers and literacy enjoyment by the twins themselves. A bivariate twin model showed substantial genetic influences on literacy skills (70%) and literacy enjoyment (35%). In both skills and enjoyment, shared-environmental influences explained about 20% in each. The best-fitting direction-of-causation model showed that skills impacted enjoyment, while the influence in the other direction was zero. The genetic influences on skills influenced enjoyment, likely via the skills→enjoyment path. This indicates an active gene-environment correlation: children with an aptitude for good literacy skills are more likely to enjoy reading and seek out literacy activities. To a lesser extent, it was also the shared-environmental influences on children's skills that propagated to influence children's literacy enjoyment. Environmental influences that foster children's literacy skills (e.g., families and schools), also foster children's love for reading and writing. These findings underline the importance of nurturing children's literacy skills. HIGHLIGHTS: It's known that how much children enjoy reading and writing and how good they are at it correlates ∼0.30, but causality remains unknown. We tested the direction of causation in 3690 twins aged 12. Literacy skills impacted literacy enjoyment, but not the other way around. Genetics influence children's literacy skills and how much they like and choose to read and write, indicating genetic niche picking.

Gender-moderated effects of academic self-concept on achievement, motivation, performance, and self-efficacy: A systematic review

Although academic self-concept plays a crucial role in promoting students' education, there is a paucity of studies simultaneously exploring the gender-moderated effects of academic self-concept. This study aimed to explore gender-moderated effects of academic self-concept on achievement, motivation, performance, and self-efficacy. With Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocol (PRISMA-P) and STARLITE criteria, this study screened and assessed the retrieved literature, finally including 53 studies. It was concluded that academic self-concept exerted a positive influence on improving achievement, enhancing motivation, ameliorating performance, and boosting self-efficacy. It should also be noted that interrelations between academic self-concept and other educational constructs may be much more complicated than expected since gender disparities may moderate the effects of academic self-concept. Gender discrepancies in academic self-concept could account for the gap between male students and female students in subject-specific achievement, motivation, performance, and self-efficacy, especially in STEM courses. Teaching interventions and educational policies should be taken to enhance female students' STEM courses self-concept. Future studies should promote educational equality, highlight academic self-concept of special groups, and enhance academic self-concept in online learning.

Systematic review registration

https://osf.io/uxjnv/?view_only=b10db44d34154d96a361c159ca15a5b5.

Grade Retention Impact on Academic Self-concept: A Longitudinal Perspective

The long-term effects on academic self-concept of grade retention are unclear. The objective is to examine the progression of academic self-concept in relation to school performance for retained students and non-retained students. The academic self-concept of 5712 students (1381 retained students) was evaluated at the fourth and eighth grade of compulsory school. Academic performance was also examined at a third point: sixth grade. Latent Class Analysis and Latent Transition Analysis were used to examine the transitions between the latent groups of academic self-concept. A BCH-LTA estimation for a distal outcomes was used to examine the influence of academic self-concept on school performance. Three latent groups of academic self-concept were identified. The transitions indicated a reduction in academic self-concept over time which was greater in retained students. School performance fell over time and was related to academic self-concept. These findings have significant implications in relation to grade retention and its negative impact on students’ academic self-concept.

How Strong Is the Evidence for a Causal Reciprocal Effect? Contrasting Traditional and New Methods to Investigate the Reciprocal Effects Model of Self-Concept and Achievement

The relationship between students’ subject-specific academic self-concept and their academic achievement is one of the most widely researched topics in educational psychology. A large proportion of this research has considered cross-lagged panel models (CLPMs), oftentimes synonymously referred to as reciprocal effects models (REMs), as the gold standard for investigating the causal relationships between the two variables and has reported evidence of a reciprocal relationship between self-concept and achievement. However, more recent methodological research has questioned the plausibility of assumptions that need to be satisfied in order to interpret results from traditional CLPMs causally. In this substantive-methodological synergy, we aimed to contrast traditional and more recently developed methods to investigate reciprocal effects of students’ academic self-concept and achievement. Specifically, we compared results from CLPMs, full-forward CLPMs (FF-CLPMs), and random intercept CLPMs (RI-CLPMs) with two weighting approaches developed to study causal effects of continuous treatment variables. To estimate these different models, we used rich longitudinal data of N = 3757 students from lower secondary schools in Germany. Results from CLPMs, FF-CLPMs, and weighting methods supported the reciprocal effects model, particularly when math self-concept and grades were considered. Results from the RI-CLPMs were less consistent. Implications from our study for the interpretation of effects from the different models and methods as well as for school motivation theory are discussed.

Achievement, self-concept and anxiety in mathematics and English: A three-wave cross-lagged panel study

BACKGROUND

Many studies (especially cross-sectional ones) have shown signicant links between two of these three constructs-achievement, self-concept and anxiety.

OBJECTIVES

Unlike past longitudinal studies that examined only two of these three constructs, this study examines all three, grounded in self-determination theory, control-value theory and transactional theory of anxiety.

METHODS

Chinese secondary school students (N = 823) completed questionnaires across three time points covering one school year, and we collected data on their mathematics and second language (L2) English test scores.

RESULTS

Cross-lagged panel models showed equal effect sizes in both pairs of time periods (T1-T2 and T2-T3). In both mathematics and L2 English, (a) achievement, self-concept and anxiety all showed moderate autoregression effects and hence, relative stability, (b) achievement and self-concept showed reciprocal positive effects and (c) self-concept negatively predicted subsequent anxiety. In mathematics but not L2 English, anxiety negatively predicted self-concept, and achievement negatively predicted anxiety, showing domain differences. Self-concept mediated achievement's negative effect on anxiety only in L2 English.

CONCLUSIONS

Distinguishing within domain and cross domain effects of achievement, self-concept, and anxiety in mathematics and L2 English deepen our understanding of the relationships among these three constructs.

Longitudinal self-concept development in adolescence

This longitudinal behavioral neuroimaging study tested two hypotheses concerning self-concept development in adolescence: domain-specific self-concept and similarity between own (direct) and perceived peers' (reflected) opinions of the self. Participants (N = 189; 10-24 years) evaluated their traits in academic, physical appearance and prosocial domains from direct and reflected perspectives in an functional magnetic resonance imaging session across three time points (TP1: n = 160; TP2: n = 151; TP3: n = 144). Behaviorally, we observed a mid-adolescent dip in self-concept positivity, which was strongest for the academic domain, showing domain differentiation in mid-adolescence. Self-evaluations were associated with activity in, e.g. medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and temporal-parietal junction (TPJ). mPFC showed an adolescent-emerging peak in activation, pronounced more for direct than reflected self-evaluations. TPJ activation was generally stronger for reflected self-evaluations, and activation linearly increased with age for both reflected and direct self-evaluations. Longitudinal prediction analyses showed that positivity of self-evaluations predicted increases in self-concept clarity and less fear of negative evaluation 1 and 2 years later, highlighting the developmental benefits of acquiring a positive self-concept. Together, we show that adolescent self-development is characterized by dissociable neural patterns underlying self-evaluations in different domains, and from reflected and direct perspectives, confirming adolescence as a formative phase for developing a coherent and positive self-concept.

Formation of academic self-concept and intrinsic value within and across three domains: Extending the reciprocal internal/external frame of reference model

BACKGROUND

The reciprocal internal/external frame of reference (RI/E) combines two models of academic self-concept formation, namely the reciprocal effects model (REM) and the internal/external frame of reference (I/E) model. The REM assumes reciprocal relations between achievement and academic self-concept. The I/E model assumes contrast effects between achievement and self-concept across math and verbal domains. The RI/E model can be extended to more school subjects than one math and one verbal domain, and to other motivational constructs.

AIMS

We examined an extended RI/E model considering achievement, academic self-concept, and intrinsic value related to math, German and English.

SAMPLE

The sample consisted of 1939 German secondary school students.

METHODS

The three measurement waves covered Grades 5 to 7. Cross-lagged panel models were used to analyse the data.

RESULTS

Within domains, there were reciprocal relations between achievement and academic self-concept but only unidirectional relations between former achievements and later intrinsic values. Across domains, there were significant negative relations between former math achievement and later self-concepts and intrinsic values in German and English, and between former German and English achievements and later self-concept and intrinsic value in math. These findings imply contrast effects across math and verbal domains. The pattern of relations among constructs was found to be generalizable across gender and school tracks and stable across measurement waves.

CONCLUSION

The study provides further support for the validity of the RI/E model and its extension to English as another school subject and intrinsic value as another motivational construct.

The stability of the twofold multidimensionality of academic self-concept: A study of Chinese secondary school students

Introduction

The present investigation examined the stability of the twofold multidimensional structure of academic self-concepts (ASCs) in three domains, namely Chinese, math, and general school using four-wave data collected over 2 years among 552 Chinese secondary school students.

Method

Adopting both a within-network and a between-network approach, confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) and factor correlations were performed in Mplus 8.2.

Results

The within-network results showed that CFA models wherein competence and affect dimensions were conflated generated unacceptable fit. In contrast, the CFAs in which competence and affect were modeled as separate latent factors consistently produced superior fit to the data. The between-network results demonstrated that in the Chinese and math domains and across the four-time waves, the competence components were more strongly related to the achievements in matching domains than the affect components were. Furthermore, both the competence and affect components of ASCs and achievements were positively correlated in the non-matching domains, which were somewhat contradictory to the internal/external frame of reference model predicting zero or negative relations.

Discussion

Such results seem to suggest more involvement in social comparison than in dimensional comparison of Chinese students, which might be attributed to the collectivistic Chinese culture and the common phenomenon of academic social comparisons among Chinese adolescents in schools.

Parental Socialization and Adjustment Components in Adolescents and Middle-Aged Adults: How are They Related?

Purpose

Classic studies mainly of European-American families broadly identify the benefits of parental strictness combined with parental warmth. However, current research tends to identify parental warmth as positive for adjustment, even without parental strictness. In addition, less is known about the relationship between parenting and adjustment beyond adolescence. The present study examined warmth and strictness and its relationship with self, sexism, and stimulation values. Self-esteem, academic-professional self-concept, benevolent sexism, and stimulation values were used to capture adjustment.

Patients and Methods

Participants (n = 1125) were adolescents and adult children of middle-age from Spain. The statistical analyses used were correlation analysis and multiple linear regression.

Results

In general, the relationship between parenting and adjustment was found to have a similar pattern for adolescent and middle-aged adult children, although more marked in adolescents. Parental warmth and strictness were predictors of adjustment, but in a different direction. Specifically, parental warmth positively predicted academic-professional self-concept and self-esteem, whereas parental strictness was detrimental as a predictor of higher benevolent sexism.

Conclusion

Overall, the present findings suggest that an effective socialization during the socialization years and even beyond can be positively predicted by parental warmth, whereas parental strictness might be unnecessary or even detrimental.

The relationship between Chinese university students' learning preparation and learning achievement within the EFL blended teaching context in COVID-19 post-epidemic era: The mediating effect of learning methods

The effectiveness of the blended teaching model in improving university students' English learning achievement has been frequently reported in China in the post-pandemic era. However, such research has seldom explored the students' entire EFL (English as a foreign language) learning process and mechanism from the perspective of learners within this model. This study therefore used the 3P (presage, process and product) teaching and learning theory to explore the mediating role of learning methods (i.e., learning engagement and academic procrastination) in the relationship between learning preparation (i.e., academic self-concept and course experience) and learning achievement within the Chinese EFL blended teaching context from the perspective of learners. In this study, 942 Chinese university students (male: N = 447; female: N = 495) participated in a survey and completed electronic questionnaires on EFL-related academic self-concept, learning engagement, academic procrastination, and learning achievement. The data were analyzed using AMOS software and a structural equation modeling (SEM) technique. The results showed that both students' academic self-concept and course experience directly and positively predicted their English learning achievement. Moreover, students' academic self-concept of learning achievement was partially mediated by learning engagement and academic procrastination, whereas the effect of course experience on learning achievement was fully mediated by learning engagement and academic procrastination. After discussing these findings, suggestions as well as limitations for future studies will be given.

Exploring control-value motivational profiles of mathematics anxiety, self-concept, and interest in adolescents

In this study, we identified multidimensional profiles in students' math anxiety, math self-concept, and math interest using data from a large generalizable sample of 16,547 9th grade students in the United States who participated in the National Study of Learning Mindsets. We also analyzed the extent that students' profile memberships are associated with related measures such as prior mathematics achievement, academic stress, and challenge-seeking behavior. Five multidimensional profiles were identified: two profiles which demonstrated relatively high levels of interest and self-concept, along with low math anxiety, in line with the tenets of the control-value theory of academic emotions (C-VTAE); two profiles which demonstrated relatively low levels of interest and self-concept, and high levels of math anxiety (again in accordance with C-VTAE); and one profile, comprising more than 37% of the total sample, which demonstrated medium levels of interest, high levels of self-concept, and medium levels of anxiety. All five profiles varied significantly from one another in their association with the distal variables of challenge seeking behavior, prior mathematics achievement, and academic stress. This study contributes to the literature on math anxiety, self-concept, and interest by identifying and validating student profiles that mainly align with the control-value theory of academic emotions in a large, generalizable sample.

The Role of a Restorative Resource in the Academic Context in Improving Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation and Flow within the Job Demands-Resources Model

The perceived quality of the learning environment may influence both motivation and concentration. Little is known about how perceived characteristics of the learning environment, and specifically sub-dimensions of Perceived Restorativeness (being away, fascination, compatibility, and extent), can promote these positive effects in an academic context. We addressed, through a correlational study, the possibility that the characteristics of learning environments may promote concentration and involvement in activity (i.e., flow) via intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for academic study within the job demands-resources model. A total of 165 Italian university psychology classes in a 3-year degree course from two different universities context completed an online questionnaire made up of the construct considered in this study. Results in the hierarchical multivariate regression analyses confirm that the restorative quality of learning environments (i.e., being away, compatibility, extent) is positively correlated with flow. However, there is a non-significant relationship between extent and flow. Regression analyses show a significant indirect effect of compatibility, both through intrinsic and extrinsic student motivation. Furthermore, the results confirm a significant indirect effect of extent through intrinsic motivation and being away, and fascination through Extrinsic motivation. Furthermore, intrinsic motivation is a full mediator between the extent and flow relationship. The results underline the importance of considering the restorative quality of the environment for improving place design, concentration, and student learning motivation.

Parental Socialization, Delinquency during Adolescence and Adjustment in Adolescents and Adult Children

Although parental socialization has an influence on child development, current research is questioning which combination of parental strictness and warmth acts as protective or risk factors, especially during adolescence when the child is more vulnerable. The sample was 2125 participants, 58.7% female, divided into four age groups: adolescents (28.57%), young adults (28.38%), middle-aged adults (23.95%), and older adults (19.11%). The families were classified into four parenting styles: neglectful, indulgent, authoritative, and authoritarian according to their warmth and strictness scores. The psychosocial adjustment was measured by children’s scores on academic/professional self-concept, self-esteem, delinquency during adolescence, and benevolence values. A MANOVA 4 × 2 × 4 was applied with parenting styles, sex, and age group as independent variables. The results showed that, for adolescents and adult children, only parenting styles characterized by warmth (i.e., indulgent, and authoritative) were found to factor against delinquency during adolescence and benefit greater academic/professional self-concept, self-esteem, and benevolence values, while parenting without warmth (i.e., authoritarian, and neglectful) were identified as risk factors. Contrary to classical research, the present findings seriously question the universal benefits of strict parenting as the only optimal strategy to protect not only against delinquency, but also to foster an adequate self and the internalization of social values.

Gender and contextual variations in self-perceived cognitive competence

School performance and cognitive competence can be conceptualized as social and relational constructs. Thus, we expect their association to vary as a function of other socially-embedded variables which have proven meaningful in the academic domain. The present study takes a critical theory approach to assess gender-related and contextual variability in the association between peer-assessed school performance and self-perceived cognitive competence. The sample consisted of 719 preadolescents (M age = 9.5 years, range = 9 to 12.5 years) living in lower- and upper-middle-class neighborhoods in Montreal, Canada and Barranquilla, Columbia. Multigroup comparisons revealed that (a) peer-assessed school competence was more strongly associated with self-perceived cognitive competence for upper-middle-class than lower-middle-class participants from Barranquilla, whereas the opposite pattern was observed with Montreal participants, and (b) that the association between communal orientation and self-perceived cognitive competence was stronger for girls than for boys across the sample, especially in the upper-middle-class school in Montreal. These findings highlight the nuanced degree of gender differences in preadolescents’ perceived academic competence and emphasize the role of SES in shaping self-perceptions.

Self-concept, creativity and developmental dyslexia in university students: Effects of age of assessment

Educational experiences often influence self-concept. Thus, readers with dyslexia can have low self-esteem and self-efficacy, and perceive themselves as less intelligent than their peers. They may develop creativity to succeed despite their difficulties but findings are inconsistent and rarely consider the effect of age of assessment on self-perception. This study included 145 university students (Mage = 24.43 years), 72 with dyslexia; of these, 53% had been assessed in childhood (Mage = 11.89 years), 47% in adulthood (Mage = 27.38 years). A survey assessed self-esteem, self-efficacy, creativity and estimated intelligence. Students with dyslexia reported lower levels of self-esteem, self-efficacy and estimated intelligence. When assessment age was considered, those assessed early displayed lower self-esteem and self-efficacy but no difference in estimated intelligence. Those assessed late displayed lower estimated intelligence and self-esteem but no difference in self-efficacy. Findings highlight the importance of providing psychological support to students with dyslexia to enhance their self-perceptions.