Character Strengths Lead to Satisfactory Educational Outcomes Through Strength Use: A Longitudinal Analysis

Speaking up for the invisible minority: First-generation students in higher education

A first-generation college student is typically defined as a student whose biological parent(s) or guardian(s) never attended college or who started but did not finish college. However, "first-generation" can represent diverse family education situations. The first-generation student community is a multifaceted, and intersectional group of individuals who frequently lack educational/financial resources to succeed and, consequently, require supportive environments with rigorous mentorship. However, first-generation students often do not make their identity as first-generation students known to others due to several psychosocial and academic factors. Therefore, they are often "invisible minorities" in higher education. In this paper, we describe the diverse family situations of first-generation students, further define "first-generation," and suggest five actions that first-generation trainees at the undergraduate/graduate stages can engage in to succeed in an academic climate. We also provide suggestions for mentors to accommodate first-generation students' unique experiences and equip them with tools to deliver intentional mentoring practices. We hope that this paper will help promote first-generation student success throughout the academic pipeline.

Effects of positivity training on character strengths, time perspective, and self-awareness in women with depression

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Depression exerts significant negative impacts across various life domains, including social interactions, occupational functioning, and economic well-being. These effects permeate both personal and interpersonal spheres. However, it seems that character strengths, time perspective, and self-awareness play a critical role in promoting mental well-being. The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of positivity training on character strengths, time perspective, and self-awareness in depressed women.

METHOD

Purposive sampling was employed to select 50 participants with depression based on the cut-off point (a score of 20 or greater) in Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI-II). They were then randomly assigned to a control group (n = 25) and an experimental group (n = 25). This quasi-experimental research adopted a pretest-posttest control group design. The experimental group received eight weekly 90-min sessions of positivity training. The control group participants did not receive any specific intervention related to depression management. The character strength scale, time perspective scale, self-awareness scale, and BDI-II were used to collect data. Data analysis methods included descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (ANCOVA). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS software.

RESULTS

The study included a sample of 50 women diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). The participants' mean age was 38.03 years (SD = 7.96). Positivity training enhanced character strengths in women with depression. Moreover, the positivity intervention affected the time perspective factors of those women. It reduced "past negative" and "present fatalistic" and increased "past positive," "present hedonistic," and "future." Finally, positivity training significantly increased self-awareness in women with depression (p < 0.01).

LIMITATIONS

The sample size was relatively small, which limits the statistical inferences.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, this study provides promising initial evidence for the potential of positivity training as an intervention to improve character strengths, time perspective, and self-awareness in women with MDD. Further research is warranted to confirm and expand upon these findings, ultimately informing the development of more comprehensive treatment approaches for depression.

The influence of grit on life satisfaction of Brazilian undergraduate students: academic adaptation as a mediator

Introduction

In recent years, research in educational contexts has pointed to the role of grit as a variable related to various positive outcomes, including life satisfaction. Academic adaptation seems vital for the success of academic life in college students. Considering university as an important life context for people pursuing higher education, what is the mediating effect of academic adaptation? This study proposed a mediation model to examine the mediating effect of academic adaptation in the relationship grit and life satisfaction.

Methods

A sample of 413 undergraduate Brazilian students, age ranging from 18 to 71 years (M = 27.30; SD = 10.20). A correlation analysis was performed between the variables and the following mediation model was tested: Grit (independent variable), academic adaptation (mediating variables) and life satisfaction (dependent variables).

Results

Mediation analysis indicated that academic adaptation mediated around 46.80% for the factor of consistency of interests and 40.90% of the relationship with perseverance of effort. Thus, the greater the grit of the university student, the greater the grit, which leads to better satisfaction with life.

Discussion

In recent years, research in educational contexts has pointed to the role of grit as a variable related to various positive outcomes. The findings elucidated that grit in academic context could benefit students' adaptation process, and the university's responsibility to improve its students' softskills, not only for the future stage after university, but also during the student's schooling.

Adolescent social media use: cultivating and constraining competence

According to self-determination theory competence is a basic psychological need that is crucial for wellbeing. Social contexts strongly influence whether competence is supported or thwarted. Given that social media is a pervasive social context within adolescents' lives, it can play a crucial role in competence development. Three qualitative methods were used to investigate mid-adolescents' perspectives of how their social media use impacts competence. Participants included 36 students aged 15 years from four Australian schools. All participants completed a rich picture mapping activity and focus group discussions. A sub-sample of 11 students participated in follow-up interviews. Reflexive thematic analysis generated two overarching themes. The first theme cultivating competence includes sub-themes; enhancing social competencies, mastery experiences and goal accomplishment, and social media expertise. The second theme constraining competence includes sub-themes; ineffectance within the social media environment, interfering with sleep, and hindering learning. Findings demonstrated that social media contributes to today's adolescents encountering unique experiences with regards to competence development. Furthermore, adolescents' interactions on social media have broad implications for competence within online and offline realms. This study identifies aspects of social media use that can be targeted to help adolescents engage with social media in ways that cultivate rather than constrain competence.

Employee Growth Mindset and Innovative Behavior: The Roles of Employee Strengths Use and Strengths-Based Leadership

This study aimed to investigate the relationship of employee growth mindset with innovative behavior and the mediating role of use of strength as well as the moderating role of strengths-based leadership in this relationship. Data with a sample of 244 employees working in diverse Chinese organizations were collected at two points in time. Results of bootstrapping analyses demonstrated that growth mindset is positively related to innovative behavior, employee strengths use partially mediates the positive relationship of growth mindset with innovative behavior, and strengths-based leadership strengthens the direct relationship between employee growth mindset and innovative behavior and the indirect relationship of employee growth mindset with innovative behavior via strengths use. This study advances growth mindset and innovative behavior theories and research.

Good Character at College: The Combined Role of Second-Order Character Strength Factors and Phronesis Motivation in Undergraduate Academic Outcomes

A renewed interest in the study of character and virtue has recently emerged in the fields of Education and Psychology. The latest research has confirmed the association between virtuous consistent behaviours and academic positive outcomes. However, the motivational dimension of character (the intentions underlying the patterns of observed behaviours) has received little attention. This research aims to extend the knowledge on this topic by examining the predictive relationships between the behavioural and motivational dimensions of character, with reference to academic engagement, career self-doubt and performance of Spanish university students. A total of 183 undergraduates aged 18–30 (142 of whom were women) from the north of Spain completed specific parts of self-report questionnaires, including the Values in Action VIA-72, a Spanish translated and validated version of the Moral Self-Relevance Measure MSR, and the Utrecht Work Engagement Student Scale UWES-S9. The collected data were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling. The behavioural dimension of character (character strength factors of caring, self-control and inquisitiveness) showed positive associations with academic engagement and performance. The motivational dimension of character (phronesis motivation), was negatively related to career self-doubt. For the first time, the present study has provided support for the contribution of both dimensions of character to undergraduate academic outcomes.

An Extended Evaluation of Academic Encouragement Scale for Adolescents

The Academic Encouragement Scale (AES) evaluates academic encouragement received from someone whom the student respects. This study reported the psychometric properties of the AES among 1602 Chinese adolescents. The results of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported a two-factor structure of the AES (i.e., challenge-focused encouragement (CFE) and potential-focused encouragement). Multigroup CFA indicated that the AES showed measurement and structural invariance across gender groups. Each factor of the AES showed adequate internal consistency reliability ( α > .84) and test–retest stability ( r > .75). Correlation analyses demonstrated that the AES subscales were significantly related to academic self-efficacy, hope, and social connectedness in the expected directions, which yielded evidence for the concurrent validity of the AES. Results indicated that the CFE factor significantly predicted academic achievement, but the potential-focused encouragement factor did not significantly predict academic achievement. Overall, the findings support the use of the AES among adolescents.