scholarly journals Predictive Influence of Executive Functions, Effortful Control, Empathy, and Social Behavior on the Academic Performance in Early Adolescents

2017 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 253-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan P. Zorza ◽  
Julián Marino ◽  
Alberto Acosta Mesas
Keyword(s):  
Academic Performance ◽  
Social Behavior ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Effortful Control ◽  
Social Preference ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Early Adolescents ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Mediating Role

In this study, we explored the predictive role of behavioral measures of Executive Functions (EFs) and a self-report measure of Effortful Control (EC) on the academic performance of early adolescents. We also analyzed the mediating role of self-reported empathy and social behavior rated by peers (i.e., prosocial behavior and social preference) and by the lead teacher (i.e., social competence). A sample of 244 adolescents aged between 12 and 13 years participated in the study. The resulting structural equation model indicated that EFs and EC predict academic performance in a complementary and independent way. Results also confirmed the mediating role of empathy and social behavior. The final model explained 64% of academic performance. We discuss the appropriateness of obtaining complementary measures of EFs and EC in predictions of academic performance as well as the importance of introducing activities involving self-regulation, empathy, and socioemotional skills in the school setting.

Depressive Symptoms and Loneliness in Early Adolescence: The Role of Empathy and Emotional Self-Efficacy

2020 ◽  
pp. 027243162091915
Author(s):  
Emanuela Calandri ◽  
Federica Graziano ◽  
Elena Cattelino ◽  
Silvia Testa
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Early Adolescents ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Analyze Data

Knowledge about the role of empathy, emotional self-efficacy, and loneliness on early adolescents’ depressive symptoms is scarce. The main aims of the study were to investigate the following: (a) the role of empathy and emotional self-efficacy (additive and interactive) on loneliness and depressive symptoms, taking into account gender differences and (b) the possible mediating role of loneliness in the relationship between emotional predictors and depressive symptoms. Three hundred forty-eight Italian early adolescents (48% girls; mean age, 13; SD = 0.3) completed an anonymous self-report questionnaire at two time points (1 year apart). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze data. Results indicated the following: (a) high empathy and low emotional self-efficacy were related to higher subsequent loneliness and depressive symptoms; (b) emotional self-efficacy moderated the relationship between empathy and loneliness and, only for girls, between empathy and depressive symptoms; (c) no mediation role of loneliness between emotional predictors (empathy and emotional self-efficacy) and depressive symptoms was found. Results are discussed in relation to preventive interventions targeting early adolescents.

scholarly journals For Whom Is Anti-Bullying Intervention Most Effective? The Role of Temperament

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 388 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annalaura Nocentini ◽  
Benedetta Palladino ◽  
Ersilia Menesini
Keyword(s):  
Effortful Control ◽  
Early Adolescents ◽  
Sixth Grade ◽  
Considerable Effect ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Intervention Effects ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Post Test

Studying moderators of the effects of anti-bullying universal interventions is essential to elucidate what works for whom and to tailor more intensive, selective, and indicated programs which meet the needs of non-responders. The present study investigated whether early adolescents’ temperament—effortful control (EC), negative emotionality (NE), and positive emotionality (PE)—moderates the effects of the KiVa anti-bullying program. The sample consisted of 13 schools, with 1051 sixth-grade early adolescents (mean age = 10.93; SD = 0.501), randomly assigned to the KiVa intervention (seven schools; n = 536) or to the control condition (six schools; n = 516). Adolescents reported bullying and victimization before the intervention (pre-test) and after (post-test). Temperament was assessed by a self-report pre-test. Findings showed that EC and NE moderated intervention effects on bullying, indicating that subgroups with high levels of EC, and with low and medium levels of NE were those who benefited most from the intervention. The low-EC subgroup showed a lower increase compared to the control condition, with a considerable effect size. Conversely, the high-NE subgroup did not show any positive effects compared to the control group. Regarding victimization, findings showed that early adolescents with high and medium levels of PE were the subgroups who benefited the most from the intervention, whereas the low-PE subgroup was the most resistant. The present study confirms the relevance of considering temperament as a moderator of intervention effects, since interventions tailored to early adolescents with specific traits might yield larger effects.

scholarly journals Mediating Role of Academic Procrastination between Emotional Intelligence and Academic Performance of Pakistani Youth

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-52
Author(s):  
Aqsa Wasim ◽  
Muhammad Adeeb ◽  
Mubeen Mateen
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Academic Performance ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Mediation Process ◽  
Academic Procrastination ◽  
Male Youth ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Mediating Role

The purpose of this research was to measure the mediating role of academic procrastination between emotional intelligence and academic performance in Pakistani youth. In total, 347 youth were selected using multi-stage random sampling from three major cities of Punjab province in Pakistan (Rawalpindi, Lahore, & Faisalabad). The average age remained [M (22.70+3.43)]. Two instruments were used; The Schutte Self Report Emotional Intelligence Test and Yockey Academic Procrastination Scale Short Form, while academic performance was calculated considering semester grade point average (SGPA). The results showed that emotional intelligence was significant positively correlated with academic performance. In mediation, Process Macro Hayes (2018) approach was used. The results showed that academic procrastination endured significant negative mediator in relationship of emotional intelligence and academic performance. The female youth were significantly higher in academic performance and emotional intelligence as compared to male youth, while male youth were significantly higher in academic procrastination. Emotional intelligence increases the academic performance and reduces academic procrastination among university students, while academic procrastination endured negative mediator between emotional intelligence and academic procrastination. Males have more prone towards academic procrastination and reported lower emotional intelligence and academic performance as compared to females. The limitations and future avenues were also discussed.

scholarly journals Loneliness as a partial mediator of the relation between low social preference in childhood and anxious/depressed symptoms in adolescence

2009 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 479-491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reid Griffith Fontaine ◽  
Chongming Yang ◽  
Virginia Salzer Burks ◽  
Kenneth A. Dodge ◽  
Joseph M. Price ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Functioning ◽  
Social Preference ◽  
Development Project ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Self Reports ◽  
Grade 3 ◽  
Peer Report ◽  
Depressed Symptoms

AbstractThis study examined the mediating role of loneliness (assessed by self-report at Time 2; Grade 6) in the relation between early social preference (assessed by peer report at Time 1; kindergarten through Grade 3) and adolescent anxious/depressed symptoms (assessed by mother, teacher, and self-reports at Time 3; Grades 7–9). Five hundred eighty-five boys and girls (48% female; 16% African American) from three geographic sites of the Child Development Project were followed from kindergarten through Grade 9. Loneliness partially mediated and uniquely incremented the significant effect of low social preference in childhood on anxious/depressed symptoms in adolescence, controlling for early anxious/depressed symptoms at Time 1. Findings are critical to understanding the psychological functioning through which early social experiences affect youths' maladjusted development. Directions for basic and intervention research are discussed, and implications for treatment are addressed.

scholarly journals Eye contact effect: The role of vagal regulation and reactivity, and self-regulation of attention

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alicja Niedźwiecka
Keyword(s):  
Executive Functions ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Eye Contact ◽  
Autonomic Regulation ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Contact Effect ◽  
The Individual

AbstractEye contact is a crucial aspect of social interactions that may enhance an individual’s cognitive performance (i.e. the eye contact effect) or hinder it (i.e. face-to-face interference effect). In this paper, I focus on the influence of eye contact on cognitive performance in tasks engaging executive functions. I present a hypothesis as to why some individuals benefit from eye contact while others do not. I propose that the relations between eye contact and executive functioning are modulated by an individual’s autonomic regulation and reactivity and self-regulation of attention. In particular, I propose that individuals with more optimal autonomic regulation and reactivity, and more effective self-regulation of attention benefit from eye contact. Individuals who are less well regulated and over- or under-reactive and who do not employ effective strategies of self-regulation of attention may not benefit from eye contact and may perform better when eye contact is absent. I present some studies that justify the proposed hypothesis and point to a method that could be employed to test them. This approach could help to better understand the complex mechanisms underlying the individual differences in participant’s cognitive performance during tasks engaging executive functions.

scholarly journals School Climate and Perceived Academic Performance: Direct or Resilience-Mediated Relationship?

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 68
Author(s):  
Naiara Escalante Mateos ◽  
Arantza Fernández-Zabala ◽  
Eider Goñi Palacios ◽  
Iker Izar-de-la-Fuente Díaz-de-Cerio
Keyword(s):  
Academic Performance ◽  
School Climate ◽  
Basque Country ◽  
School Adjustment ◽  
Specific Aspect ◽  
Mediation Model ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Resilience Scale ◽  
Climate Scale

Although there is a growing interest in identifying the variables that enhance student school adjustment, there is a lack of understanding of the mechanisms involved in it during adolescence. Despite there being works that confirm the positive relationship between school climate and academic performance, it is still unresolved which of the more specific aspects of climate are linked to this performance, as well as the degree to which an individual variable such as resilience can play a mediating role between both; these unknown factors constitute the objective of this study. A total of 731 students (mean age, Mage = 15.20 years; Standard Deviation, SD = 1.62) from the Basque Country participated; they completed the PACE-33 -school climate scale-, the CD-RISC10 -resilience scale- and the EBAE-10 -perceived academic performance subscale-. The full mediation model and the partial mediation model were tested. The results show that the model of choice is that of partial mediation: the resilience mediates the relationship between two specific aspects of the school climate (peer relationship and teachers’ ability to motivate) and perceived academic performance, and a third specific aspect (teachers’ expectations) has a direct relationship with perceived academic performance. These findings highlight the importance of attending to variables specific to the context in which the subject interacts, with the role of the teacher being especially important, in addition to promoting the development of resilience, due to the weight it has on the perception that students have about their school performance.

scholarly journals The mediating role of narcissism in the effects of regulatory mode on positivity

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Di Santo ◽  
Calogero Lo Destro ◽  
Conrad Baldner ◽  
Alessandra Talamo ◽  
Cristina Cabras ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Self Regulation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Motivational Orientation ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Regulatory Mode ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Reported Data

AbstractPositivity (i.e., the individual tendency to positively approach life experiences) has proven to be an effective construct applied in positive psychology. However, individuals’ self-regulation may have contrasting effects on positivity. We specifically examined whether positivity could be partially explained through two aspects of motivation concerned with self-regulation: locomotion (i.e., a motivational orientation concerned with movement) and assessment (i.e., a motivational orientation concerned with comparison and evaluation). Furthermore, based on previous literature that found a link between these aspects and narcissism, we examined whether “adaptive” and “maladaptive” dimensions of narcissism could mediate the effects of locomotion and assessment on increased or decreased positivity. Narcissism was defined by previous research as adaptive or maladaptive insofar as it leads or does not lead to increased psychological well-being. We estimated a mediation model with multiple independent variables and multiple mediators in a cross-sectional study with self-reported data from 190 university students. We found that both locomotion and assessment were associated with adaptive narcissism, which in turn was positively associated with positivity. However, assessment was also associated with maladaptive narcissism, which in turn was negatively associated with positivity. Relationships between aspects of self-regulation, narcissism, and positivity can have significant implications which will be discussed.

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