Introduction:The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between interference control and working memory with academic performance in both female and male high school students using a longitudinal design. Methods: One hundred and eighty-seven grade seventh to ninth students (mean age: 13.1 ± 1.0 years old) from a French-Canadian high school located in Montreal, Canada, completed a 3-year prospective study. Interference control (Flanker task), working memory (N-back task) and academic performance (grades in science, mathematics, language and the overall average) were assessed every year during the 3-year study. Results: Female students had significantly higher grades than male students for overall average, science and language at year 1 as well as higher grades for overall average and language at year 3 (p < 0.05). However, no differences were found between genders for any measures of interference control or working memory at year 1 and 3. Furthermore, we noted that the relations between cognitive control with our academic performance measures differ according to gender. Finally, our results showed that neither interference control nor working memory seem to be the primary predictor for any of our academic performance measures in both female and male students. Conclusions: Results of the present study indicate that cognitive control measures were not able to explain the gender differences in academic performance. Our results also show that interference control and working memory were weakly related to academic performance and that these associations had a poor ability to predict variations in academic performance during a 3year period."Cognitive control refers to the ability to control our thoughts and actions for the purpose of future goals" (Crone & Steinbeis, 2017). Accordingly, cognitive control has been established as a determining factor of academic performance (Best, Miller, & Naglieri, 2011;Blair & Razza, 2007). More precisely, interference control and working memory are two aspects of cognitive control that have been identified to be strongly related to academic performance despite not including a more comprehensive neuropsychological

This study aimed to determine if lifestyle habits could predict changes in cognitive control and academic performance in high school students using a longitudinal approach. One hundred and eighty-seven grade seventh to ninth students (mean age: 13.1 ± 1.0 years old) completed a 3-year prospective study. Lifestyle habits, cognitive control, and academic performance were assessed every year during the 3-year study. Results show that in female students, screen time measures were negatively correlated with academic performance and cognitive control. Furthermore, changes (∆s) in sleeping habits were associated with ∆s in academic performance in both genders, whereas ∆s in eating habits and in studying time were correlated with ∆s in academic performance only in male students. Moreover, in female students, screen time, social media use, and eating habits measures seem to predict the variance in the ∆s of cognitive control measures (r 2 between 8.2% and 21.0%), whereas, in male students, studying time, eating, and sleeping habits appear to explain the variance in the ∆s of academic performance measures (r 2 between 5.9% and 24.8%). In conclusion, results of the present study indicate that lifestyle habits were able to predict ∆s in cognitive control and academic performance of high school students during a 3-year period.

This study aimed to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the 24 h movement behaviors of adolescents. This was conducted to capture their evolution from February to December 2020, as well as to explore the use of technology for physical activity purposes by adolescents as a strategy to increase their physical activity during the pandemic. Physical activity, recreational screen time, sleep duration, and sleep quality were self-reported by 2661 adolescents using an online questionnaire. Participants also indicated, in comparison with the previous winter (regular in-class learning), how their different movement behaviors changed during the following 2020 periods: (1) spring (school closures), (2) summer (school break), and (3) autumn (hybrid learning). Finally, information about the use of technology during physical activity was collected. Results show that the 24 h movement behaviors of the participants varied across the different periods, and these variations were consistent with the restrictive measures imposed by the government. It was also observed that the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on sleep duration and quality peaked in autumn. Finally, participants’ physical activity levels were associated with the use of physical activity-related tools and applications. In conclusion, the restrictive measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic worsened the situation of the 24 h movement behaviors in adolescents, which has become critical.

Background:The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between physical, psychosocial, lifestyle and sociodemographic factors with academic performance in female undergraduate students.Methods:One hundred undergraduate female students from the Faculty of Science at the University of Quebec at Montreal participated in this study (mean age = 24.4 ± 4.6 years old). All participants provided their university transcript and had to complete at least 45 course credits from their bachelor degree. Body composition (DXA), handgrip strength, estimated maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) (Bruce Protocol) and blood pressure were measured. Participants also completed a questionnaire on their psychosocial, academic motivation, lifestyle and sociodemographic profile.Results:Significant correlations were observed between GPA with estimated VO2 max (r = 0.32), intrinsic motivation toward knowledge (r = 0.23), intrinsic motivation toward accomplishment (r = 0.27) and external regulation (r = -0.30, P = 0.002). In addition, eating breakfast every morning and being an atheist was positively associated with academic performance (P < 0.05). Finally, a stepwise linear regression analysis showed that external regulation, intrinsic motivation toward accomplishment, VO2 max levels and eating a daily breakfast explained 28.5 % of the variation in the GPA in our cohort.Conclusions:Results of the present study indicate that motivational, physical and lifestyle factors appear to be predictors of academic performance in female undergraduate students.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle endurance, and test anxiety levels with academic performance in both genders of high school students. Methods: A total of 545 grade nine students (mean age: 14.1 ± 0.4 years old) participated in this study. Final grades in language, mathematics, and science and the overall mean average of all courses were used to assess academic performance. Cardiorespiratory fitness levels were estimated using the 20 meter shuttle run test and muscle endurance was measured using push-up and curl-up tests. Participants also completed a questionnaire for the assessment of test anxiety. Independent t -tests, correlations, and linear regression analysis were performed. Results: Results show that female students ( n = 292) had significantly higher grades in language and science as well as a higher overall mean average than male students ( P < 0.001). Moreover, we observed that female students had significant greater correlation coefficient values than male students for cardiorespiratory fitness levels and muscle endurance with academic performance ( P < 0.05). Finally, linear regression analysis showed multiple differences between male and female students regarding independent predictors of academic performance ( P < 0.01). Conclusions: Results of the present study indicate that the academic performances of male and female students are different in high school and that these distinct academic performances appear to be explained by different variables.