The Contribution of Learning and Mental Health Variables in First-Year Students' Profiles

Conceptual Utility Model for the Management of Stress and Psychological Wellbeing, CMMSPW™ in a university environment: theoretical basis, structure and functionality

This article describes and introduces the Conceptual Utility Model for the Management of Stress and Psychological Wellbeing, CMMSPW™ Its purpose is to assess, evaluate and treat stress and psychological wellbeing. First, the theoretical assumptions of the model are presented. This model is an application of the 3P Model, Theory of Internal vs. External Behavioral Regulation and the Model of Competency for the Management of Stress and Psychological Wellbeing. Second, the conceptual structure of the model is presented. This model allows the structural and functional determination of the variables and predictive, mediating and final factors for stress and psychological wellbeing. Third, the functional structure is presented. For predictive factors, the internal and external self-regulation theoretical model allows us to assess levels of internal and external regulation of the individual and their context, as well as other personal and contextual factors involved in self-regulation. For mediating factors, the model of competence for the management of stress and wellbeing allows us to analyze conceptual (concept and principles), mediating (skills and metaskills) and attitudinal (attitudes, values and habits) variables. Finally, in relation to factors that condition outcomes, we can determine levels of response to stress and psychological wellbeing. Finally, limitations and conclusions are presented. The model also allows us to determine predictive relationships between those three types of variables and is functionally transferable to other contexts, including contexts proper to the psychology of education, clinical practice and healthcare, and psychosocial, organizational and technological contexts.

The Relationship Between Defenses and Learning: The Mediating Role of Procrastination and Well-Being Among Undergraduate Students

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the relationship among defense styles and learning through academic procrastination and psychological well-being. The sample comprises 628 social science students from a Greek university. Path analysis is used to explore associations and interactions among the variables. The results show that academic procrastination and psychological well-being mediate the relationship between defense styles and approaches to learning, indicating the expected direct and indirect effects. Defense styles are directly related to approaches to learning. Mature defense styles are associated with learning through psychological well-being in a positive way, and immature defense styles are associated with learning through academic procrastination in a negative way. This study supports the current line of research in associations between defense styles and learning and the importance of linking mental health variables with learning.

The transition to university in a sample of Italian students: the role of integrative memories of high school transition

Grounded in literature on school transitions and autobiographical memory, this study focuses on the personal memories of a sample of 112 young Italian adults facing their transition to university. Participants were asked to recall five memories of their high school transition experience and, subsequently, the students were assessed in terms of resilience, future orientation, academic motivation, university transition experience, and subjective well-being since attending university. The memories were coded for narrative themes, structure, and integrative meaning. The results, consistent with prior studies on school memories, indicate that memory narratives are, on average, specific and focused on interpersonal relationships. Tension, redemption sequences, and autobiographical integration were other important dimensions of most of the memories. The number of integrative memories (i.e., those that connect a certain memory with a broader meaning) is correlated with important individual factors that influence university transition (resilience, future orientation, and academic intrinsic motivation) and predict both perceived difficulty in the university transition and subjective well-being. Results are discussed in light of prior studies on autobiographical memory and school transitions.