Apathy and Academic Failure among Students: Results of a Pilot Longitudinal Study

2021 ◽  
pp. 187-200
Author(s):  
A.A. Zolotareva ◽  

The current study was aimed to examine the impact of psychological adjustment / maladjustment on the academic performance of Russian university students. Previous studies have shown that academic performance is closely related to alienation from study, study engagement, academic motivation, perceived stress, academic control, and boredom proneness. Some researchers also have suggested that adolescent apathy may be the risk factor for academic failure among university students. In turn, the American psychologist R. Handelman defined adolescent apathy as a specific state of lack of goal-setting, energy and interest, indifference to changes and experience of difficulties in making decisions in young adults [27]. In September 2019, 103 students (73 females and 30 males) aged 16 to 21 years from several Moscow universities filled out instruments assessing adolescent apathy, alienation from study, study engagement, academic motivation, perceived stress, academic control, and boredom proneness. The study was conducted at seminars in psychological disciplines. All study participants received bonus points in these disciplines. In January 2019, based on the results of the examination session, an average score was calculated for each study participant. This score became a criterion for academic performance of university students. There were no statistically significant age and gender differences in the scores of psychological adjustment / maladjustment. The one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that adolescent apathy was the single indicator that affects the academic performance of university students. Thus, the higher scores of adolescent apathy university students showed at the beginning of the academic year, the lower the average scores they received for the first exam session. Based on these data, it was concluded that adolescent apathy is a risk factor for academic failure and can serve as a target for preventive and interventional measures related to academic failure among Russian university students. Currently, in foreign practice, programs and recommendations are being developed and implemented for teachers of higher educational institutions who are faced with the adolescent apathy outcomes. Perhaps this study, which has proved the importance of adolescent apathy in the context of academic failure among university students, will be the first step towards the development and implementation of similar programs and recommendations for Russian educational institutions.

SAGE Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 215824401990125
Author(s):  
Fatima Khalid ◽  
Sultan Sikandar Mirza ◽  
Chai Bin-Feng ◽  
Nighat Saeed

The objective of this study is to determine the relationship between learning engagement, academic motivation, and academic performance in undergraduate students and the importance of religion in determining the academic motivation and academic performance. A sample of 840 university students from different regions (provinces) of Pakistan is pooled through a convenient sampling technique. Engagement Versus Disaffection (EVD) and the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) are administered for learning engagement and academic motivation, respectively. After applying analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson product-moment correlation analysis, and hierarchical regression, the findings of this research reveal that learning engagement and academic motivation have significant relationships with academic performance. Furthermore, it is also found that, in religiosity, academic motivation for both Muslims and non-Muslims do not induce learning engagement, but Muslim students have shown better academic performance than non-Muslims. This study can be beneficial for policymakers and practitioners to analyze the determinants of learning engagements and improve the academic performance of university students.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-28
Author(s):  
Ghania Yamin ◽  
Huma Khalid ◽  
Fizza Tahir ◽  
Erum Khatri ◽  
Sidra Shoaib

Certain differences have been observed in the students belonging to different academic backgrounds hence the purpose of the current research was to explore the effect of academic background (i.e., Cambridge & HSSC) on Social Competence and to see its relationship with Academic motivation and Academic performance among first year university students. The hypothesis states that there is a significant difference between Social Competence and Academic Motivation of Cambridge and Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) students. There also exists a significant relationship between Social competence, Academic motivation and Academic performance of first year university students. Research design of the study was comparative co-relational survey design. Whereas sampling technique used was purposive convenient sampling. There were N=166 participants (Males n=53 & Females n=113; Cambridge n=90 & HSSC n=76) with the age range of 18-23 years (M=2.76, SD=1.28) from different private and government universities of Karachi. Academic Motivation Scale (Vallerrand, et al., 1992) and Social Competence Scale (Shujja, Malik, & Khan, 2015) for Adolescence were used for measuring academic motivation and social competence whereas for academic performance previous grades in last given exams were demanded. Statistical analysis including T-test was used for measuring relationship variables of Academic Motivation, Social Competence and Academic Performance among first year university students show no significant relationship. a positive but weak relationship was discovered between social competence and intrinsic motivation. Furthermore, a weak relationship was identified between social competence and gender. This study will help increase insight and improvise the education system and teaching methodologies of both educational systems. Implications for teachers to use innovative methodologies and strategies while teaching to enhance students’ social and academic skills to positively influence their performance.


Author(s):  
Rubén Trigueros ◽  
Ana Padilla ◽  
José M. Aguilar-Parra ◽  
Isabel Mercader ◽  
Remedios López-Liria ◽  
...  

Currently, the university failure rate is around 33% of students starting their studies. Among the main reasons are demanding academic situations and the use of inappropriate coping strategies. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the influence of teacher leadership on academic resilience and motivation, burnout, and academic performance. This study involved 3354 university students. A structural equation model was made to analyze the predictive relationships between the study’s variables. The results showed that teacher leadership positively predicted academic resilience and motivation; academic resilience negatively predicted burnout and positively predicted academic performance; likewise, academic motivation negatively predicted burnout and positively predicted academic performance; finally, burnout negatively predicted academic resilience.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Terje Slåtten ◽  
Gudbrand Lien ◽  
Solveig Beyza Narli Evenstad ◽  
Terje Onshus

Purpose The overall aim of this study is to explore factors associated with academic performance among university students. Specifically, it explores whether a supportive study climate is directly related to academic performance and whether students’ psychological capital (PsyCap), positive emotions and study engagement play a role in the relationship between supportive study climate and academic performance. Design/methodology/approach A total of 588 bachelor students from a range of academic programs participated in a survey. The partial least squares (PLS)-based structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the conceptual models and the hypothesized relationships, using the software SmartPLS. Findings No support was found for a direct relationship between supportive study climate and academic performance. However, the results show that PsyCap, positive emotions and study engagement have a mediating role between supportive study climate and academic performance. In addition, the findings reveal a multifaceted pattern among PsyCap, positive emotions and study engagement that promotes academic performance. Originality/value This is the first study that simultaneously explores the role of PsyCap, emotions and study engagement between supportive study climate and academic performance among university students. Consequently, it broadens and deepens previous research and offers both theoretical and practical implications.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob J Keech ◽  
Martin S Hagger ◽  
Frances O'Callaghan ◽  
Kyra Hamilton

Background: Emerging evidence indicates that holding particular stress mindsets have favorable implications for peoples’ health and performance under stress. Purpose: The aim of the current study was to examine the processes by which implicit and explicit stress mindsets relate to health- and performance-related outcomes. Specifically, we propose a stress beliefs model in which somatic responses to stress and coping behaviors mediate the effect of stress mindsets on outcomes. Methods: Undergraduate university students (N = 218, n = 144 female) aged 17 to 25 years completed measures of stress mindset, physical and psychological wellbeing, perceived stress, somatic responses to stress, proactive behaviors under stress, and an implicit association test assessing an implicit stress mindset. At the end of the semester, students’ academic performance was collected from university records. Results: Path analysis indicated significant indirect effects of stress mindset on psychological wellbeing and perceived stress through proactive coping behaviors and somatic symptoms. Stress mindset directly predicted perceived stress and physical wellbeing, and physical wellbeing and academic performance were predicted by stress mindset through perceived somatic symptoms. Implicit stress mindset did not predict proactive behavior as anticipated. Conclusions: Current findings indicate that behaviors with the goal of proactively meeting demands under stress and perceived somatic symptoms are important mediators of the effect of stress mindset on health- and performance-related outcomes. The findings from this study provide formative data which can inform the development of future interventions aiming to encourage more adaptive responses to stress.


1989 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
pp. 439-442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Orpen

55 Australian university students completed the Fear of Academic Success Consequences Scale as well as separate measures of nine hypothesized predictors of fear of academic success, namely, age, sex, school and university academic performance, estimates of future academic success, independence from the views and opinions of others, academic motivation, and rated importance of doing well academically. All scale-predictor correlations were nonsignificant, except for age and external control. The results suggest the scale does not possess high construct validity among these students.


Author(s):  
Rubén Trigueros ◽  
Ana Padilla ◽  
José M. Aguilar-Parra ◽  
María J. Lirola ◽  
Amelia V. García-Luengo ◽  
...  

Students often experience the university period as a very stressful time. The teacher is a key figure who can cushion this stressful experience for the student. This study therefore aims to analyse the influence of teachers from the Self-Determination Theory perspective on academic stress, motivation, critical thinking, metacognitive strategies and academic performance in university students. The study involved 2456 university students with an average age of 22.51 years. A structural equation model was created to analyse the causal relationships between the variables. The results showed that the psychological controlling of the teacher positively predicted academic stress while autonomy support negatively predicted academic stress. Academic stress negatively predicted motivation, metacognitive strategies, critical thinking and academic performance. Academic motivation positively predicted metacognitive strategies and critical thinking. Finally, metacognitive strategies and critical thinking positively predicted academic performance. These results highlight the importance of the role that the teacher adopts during classes and the protective factor of academic motivation in the presence of stress.


2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mustafa Malik ◽  
Sarfaraz Javed

Abstract Background Higher education institutions across the world moved to e-learning in response to the disruptions caused by the pandemic. While e-learning has an advantage for students that they can attend to their courses from anywhere at their convenience, yet the sudden disruptive shift to e-learning during the pandemic saw students facing many challenges, which had strong ability to induce mental health issues among the students. This study aimed at examining the impact of COVID-19-induced e-learning on the university students’ stress perceptions in Oman. Results A total of 966 usable responses were received. The results showed that 96.9% (moderate stress = 82.5% and high stress = 14.4%) reported having experienced stress through e-learning during COVID-19. The results further indicated that there was a significant negative correlation between perceived stress and the students’ academic performance. The family support and institutional support were observed to have a significant effect on students’ stress perception. Conclusions Students are away from the physical campuses over a year now, continuing their courses and programs online. The numerous challenges they are facing through e-learning, together with the prevailing uncertainty, have intensified stress among them. The continued stress over time will not only affect their academic performance, but their mental and physical health as well, as the stress has proven to be one of the major causes of various physical and mental disorders. While e-learning seems to emerge as a new normal, the students require proper attention, help, and support from their families and institutions. The institutions should revisit their online courses and program delivery mechanisms, methods, and practices to ensure that students are not over stressed.


Author(s):  
Tamás Martos ◽  
Balázs Jagodics ◽  
Judit Kőrössy ◽  
Éva Szabó

AbstractA growing number of studies support the idea that academic performance is based on specific psychological resources and cognitive abilities. As early university dropout is a widespread problem, it is increasingly important to explore which psychological resources can enhance learning, academic motivation, and achievement during the transition from high school to university. The goal of our study was to explore the psychological resources at the start of the studies linked to subsequent academic achievement. Coping mechanisms, time perspective, self-esteem, mindset, motivation, and test anxiety were measured using questionnaires in a voluntary online study among first-year university students (N = 1113, 53.0 % female). Using exploratory factor analysis, we identified three different factors of psychological resources: ‘Academic achievement focus’, ‘Self-confidence’, and 'Search for interests’. Based on the factor scores, hierarchical cluster analysis identified five subgroups of students. These subgroups showed differential association with first semester GPA and the number of attained credits. The combination of a focus on high academic achievement but low self-confidence could be traced as characteristics predicting the highest risk of decreased achievement and loss of credits. These results indicate that training in psychological resources could support academic achievement and prevent university dropout.


Author(s):  
María Teresa Ocaña-Moral ◽  
Óscar Gavín-Chocano ◽  
Eufrasio Pérez-Navío ◽  
María del Carmen Martínez-Serrano

The circumstances arising from the exceptional situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have affected all socioeconomic areas in the last two years. The field of Education has not been an exception and the management of the situation seems to have caused an increase in the level of perceived stress of university students. On this basis, this research that aims, first, to analyze the student’s level of perceived stress during the de-escalation and return to normality period, secondly, to evaluate its relationship with life satisfaction and, finally, to detect the students' needs in stress management, has been developed. An exploratory-descriptive study of quantitative and cross-sectional nature has been carried out. 222 university students of the Childhood and Primary Education Degrees of the University of Jaén (Spain) have participated. The instruments, Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) have been used. The results show a moderate and partial relationship among the dimensions of the used instruments. The obtained coefficients of determination are, Academic Performance (r² = .019) and Life Satisfaction (r² = .402), with a mean square error (SRMR) of .079. These findings show the need to develop actions within the university training program in effective stress management strategies.


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