Measuring Test Anxiety in Primary and Middle School 					Children

Abstract. The increasing use of tests to assess academic competences has been associated with higher levels of test anxiety (TA) in children, underlining the importance of identifying this emotional problem and sustain academic achievement. This study aimed to contribute to the extant literature on the assessment of TA by examining the psychometric properties of the Test Anxiety Questionnaire for Children (TAQ-C), in primary and middle school children. In Study 1 ( N = 123), we selected 24 items from a wider initial pool, dividing them into scales measuring Thoughts, Autonomic Reactions, Off-Task Behaviors, and Social Derogation, to develop the TAQ-C. In Study 2 ( N = 899), the psychometric properties of this set of scales were assessed in students attending primary and middle school. Analyses supported the bifactor latent structure of the TAQ-C, invariance across educational levels and gender, concurrent and convergent validity, and test–retest reliability. Overall, the TAQ-C is a promising tool for assessing TA in primary and middle school students. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.

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Awareness on harmful effects of smoking in middle school children

International Journal of Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences ◽

10.26452/ijrps.v11ispl3.3039 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (SPL3) ◽

pp. 866-869

Author(s):

Nithyanandham Masilamani ◽

Dhanraj Ganapathy

Keyword(s):

Middle School ◽

Middle School Students ◽

Peer Influence ◽

School Children ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Parental Influence ◽

School Students ◽

Middle School Children ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Harmful Effects

Consumption of cigarettes and similar tobacco items and tobacco smoking are the world's largest common preventable of death. Multiple studies have observed that the overall life expectancy of a person dying from tobacco-related illnesses is 15 years quicker than those dying from natural deaths. Hence this study was done to assess the awareness on harmful effects of smoking in middle school children. This was a questionnaire-based cross-sectional type of study comprising 100 middle schools aged between 10-15 years in Chennai. A self-administered questionnaire containing 10 questions eliciting information on the awareness of the harmful effects of smoking among middle school students were circulated. The collected responses were tabulated and analysed.95% of students are not smokers and 5% smoke to get pleasure. 94% of students are not aware that smoking causes cancer and it is injurious to health. 68% feel the parental influence and 32% feel peer influence to be the reasons for smoking. 86% were not aware of smoking cessation therapy. The results of this study illustrate the need to increase understanding of the health consequences of smoking in middle school students. In order to promote quitting, especially in rural areas, where rates of education and health literacy are lower and where health services are less available, educational programs are an essential way to increase awareness.

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Use of Interactive Health Communication to Affect Smoking Intentions in Middle School Students: A Pilot Test of the “Headbutt” Risk Assessment Program

American Journal of Health Promotion ◽

10.4278/0890-1171-19.5.334 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 19 (5) ◽

pp. 334-338 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Ross Shegog ◽

Alfred L. McAlister ◽

Shoahua Hu ◽

Kentya C. Ford ◽

Angela F. Meshack ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Middle School ◽

Study Design ◽

School Children ◽

Sixth Grade ◽

Smoking Prevention ◽

Tobacco Prevention ◽

Negative Consequences ◽

School Students ◽

Middle School Children ◽

Interactive Health Communication

Purpose. Developing and disseminating innovative and effective approaches for smoking prevention among middle school children remains a public health priority. This pilot study evaluates the use of a Web-based tobacco prevention program, Headbutt, to change intentions of middle school children to smoke tobacco. Methods. Headbutt was implemented with the use of a single-group pretest-posttest study design in sixth grade classes of nine middle schools in Texas (student n = 2227). The program assesses cognitive determinants of smoking and provides intervention feedback tailored to the child's responses. Results. Headbutt significantly affected smoking intentions, prosmoking attitudes, self-efficacy expectations, and knowledge of negative consequences (all p ≤ .001) measured with scales adopted from the Texas Tobacco Initiative Survey. Change in prosmoking attitudes had the greatest predictive effect on smoking intentions (p < .001). These results were moderated by ethnicity and age of students. Conclusion. Findings need to be interpreted in the light of study design limitations. However, strong associations between the Headbutt program and intention change suggests that a more rigorous effectiveness trial is indicated.

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Sleep Habits of Elementary and Middle School Children in South Texas

Sleep Disorders ◽

10.1155/2015/179103 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2015 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Salim Surani ◽

Sean Hesselbacher ◽

Saherish Surani ◽

Sreevidya Sadasiva ◽

Zoya Surani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Middle School ◽

Elementary School ◽

School Children ◽

Sleep Onset ◽

South Texas ◽

Sleep Habits ◽

School Students ◽

Middle School Children ◽

Sleep Abnormalities ◽

Elementary And Middle School

Background.Sleep difficulties, including insufficient sleep and inadequate sleep hygiene, have been prevalent among children. Sleep deprivation can lead to poor grades, sleepiness, and moodiness. We undertook this study to assess the prevalence of sleep abnormalities among elementary and middle school students in South Texas and how the groups compare with one another.Method.After approval from the appropriate school district for a sleep education program, a baseline survey was taken of elementary and middle school students, using the Children’s Sleep Habit Questionnaire-Sleep Self-Report Form, which assessed the domains of bedtime resistance, sleep onset delay, sleep anxiety, sleep duration, night awakening, and daytime sleepiness.Results.The survey was completed by 499 elementary and 1008 middle school children. Trouble sleeping was reported by 43% in elementary school, compared with 29% of middle school children. Fifty percent of middle school children did not like sleeping, compared with 26% in elementary school. Bedtime resistance, sleep onset delay, and nighttime awakening were more common among elementary school students. Daytime sleepiness was more common among the middle school children when compared to elementary school children.Conclusions.Sleep abnormalities are present in elementary school children with changes in sleep habits into middle school.

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Middle School Students’ Approaches to Reasoning about Disconfirming Evidence

Journal of Educational and Developmental Psychology ◽

10.5539/jedp.v8n1p28 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 28 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Keisha Varma ◽

Martin Van Boekel ◽

Sashank Varma

Keyword(s):

Middle School ◽

School Children ◽

Scientific Reasoning ◽

Motivational Orientation ◽

Empirical Science ◽

School Students ◽

Middle School Children ◽

Short Run ◽

Disconfirming Evidence ◽

Theoretical Science

This study investigated differences in how middle school children reason about disconfirming evidence. Scientists evaluate hypotheses against evidence, rejecting those that are disconfirmed. Although this instant rationality propels empirical science, it works less for theoretical science, where it is often necessary to delay rationality – to tolerate disconfirming evidence in the short run. We used behavioral measures to identify two groups of middle-school children: strict reasoners who prefer instant rationality and quickly dismiss disconfirmed hypotheses, and permissive reasoners who prefer delayed rationality and retain disconfirmed hypotheses for further evaluation. We measured their scientific reasoning performance as well as their cognitive ability and motivational orientation. What distinguished the groups was not overall differences in these variables, but their predictive relation. For strict reasoners, better scientific reasoning was associated with faster processing, whereas for permissive reasoners, better scientific reasoning was associated with more deliberate thinking – slower processing and broader consideration of both disconfirmed and alternate hypotheses. These findings expand our understanding of “normative” scientific reasoning.

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