Understanding characteristics that contribute to psychology students’ academic success is important to better support them during their studies. Referring to person–environment fit theory, we examined effects of study-relevant characteristics (self-efficacy beliefs, self-assessed level of information about the study program) on subjective criteria of success (persistence with the choice of study subject, later study satisfaction) and controlled for effects of grade point average (GPA) and mathematical skills. We present a longitudinal survey study including five cohorts of first-year students (total N = 854). Mediation models ( N = 254) revealed that self-efficacy and level of information at study entry predicted students’ persistence at the end of the first semester, which predicted satisfaction at the end of the second semester. In the presumed overall model we found total effects of self-efficacy and level of information, with direct and indirect effects (via persistence) on satisfaction, and no total or direct effects of GPA and mathematical skills, but an indirect effect of GPA on satisfaction. Thus, psychology students’ satisfaction substantially depends on study-relevant characteristics and less on skills. An enhancement of students’ self-efficacy beliefs and comprehensive information for those who are interested in the subject might help to increase satisfaction and thus success.

Support services to master academic requirements are offered at nearly every university. Thus, in the context of how students learn al!ld how they achieve academic success, it is of great importance to investigate predictors of the use of Support and the impact of support services on academic achievement. We present a longitudinal survey study with 3 cohorts of first-year psychology students. We investigated the re lationship between subject-related mathematical skills and the use of 4 nonmandatory support services in a mandatory statistics course. Furthermore, we examined the role of skills and use of the support services in predicting academic success in statistics after the first year of study. We found that greater mathematical skills predicted less use of basic support services, rs < -.150, ps < .035, and greater use of a ski IJ-developing service, r( 195) = .199, p = .005. Subsequently, we examined whether and how mathematical skills and service use predicted the grade in the final statistics exam. A mediation model revealed total effects for mathematical skil!s, tu torials led by advanced students, and a practice class (ßs > .148, ps < .04 7), direct effects for mathematical skills and the tutorials (ßs > .306, ps < .001), and indirect effects via the self-reported competence in statistics for mathematical skills and online emichment materials (abs > .053, ps < .037). Finally, we discussed implications for lecturers.

We outline the use and evaluation of a video presentation about variance and covariance developed to motivate students to process the topics and to enhance their skills. We outline the structure and the content of the video presentation and present data of an evaluation study. Students in different subjects who must pass statistics courses (N = 114) participated in an online survey with randomized controlled design and repeated measurement. Results indicate that students who watched the video presentation significantly improved on their skills, compared to a control group reading a textbook section about the same topics. The video presentation was judged as more satisfying and useful for learning than the text. We discuss application scenarios and further teaching implications. Ideally a longitudinal study should investigate effects of continuous learning with video presentations, changes in motivation, anxiety, and attitudes as well as effects for students of different subjects.

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