School or academic achievement is a relevant topic of study, as it is evidence of the learning achieved by the student. This study aims to explore a model explaining academic achievement while testing the mediator role of learning strategies, study habits and study attitudes. Research design was correlational. 1712 Dominican students from 12 to 20 years old (52.75% female) were sampled through cluster sampling. Data was recruited with a set of validated questionnaires, including measures of academic achievement (marks), learning strategies, study habits, and attitudes toward studies, school engagement, and academic support. Structural Equation Modeling was used to establish and test the mediational model. Main results show that learning strategies and study habits and attitudes play a mediator role between background variables as age, gender, cognitive or behavioral engagement, and students' academic achievement. Learning strategies and study habits play a central role in achieving a good academic performance, by mediating the effects of academic support and school engagement.
Abstract. Psychological Capital (PsyCap) is a key construct in psychological research across the lifespan. Although the 12-item Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ-12) is among the most used scales to approach its measurement, its factor structure and reliability remain controversial, particularly in samples of adolescents. Data came from a cross-sectional survey administered to 267 Spanish adolescents, 59.9% girls ( Mage = 13.96, SD = 1.56). Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFAs) in Mplus 8.6 were used to compare three competitive models (one factor, four correlated factors, and a second order structure) estimated with Bayesian methods. Although Self-Efficacy, Hope, and Optimism significantly explained their indicators, and their cross-loadings were not statistically significant, Resilience operated differently. We obtained evidence supporting the second-order structure. Also, it becomes clear that the scale has difficulties measuring Resilience in adolescents. Consequently, further research should explore new adaptations or alternative measures to overcome these limitations when researching adolescents.
The influence of academic support on students’ academic and personal development has been previously demonstrated. The objective of this study was to present a validation of the Perceived Academic Support Questionnaire (PASQ). This scale has three dimensions: academic support from (1) teachers, (2) family, and (3) peers. For the reliability analysis, we estimated the Cronbach alpha and Composite Reliability Indices (CRIs). Factorial validity was assessed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and external validity was tested via a structural equation model in which the dimensions of academic support predicted academic motivation. The CFA fit indices showed very good fit to the data, supporting the theoretically proposed three-factor structure. The reliability indices, considering Cronbach alpha and CRI, were adequate for all dimensions and the predictive model fit was satisfactory. Teacher and parental academic support had a positive impact on academic motivation. On the contrary, a negative relationship between peer support and academic motivation was found. The evidence provided supports for the use of the PASQ as a brief academic support scale in future research.
This study aims to empirically test how learning strategies would fit into an undergraduate entrepreneur’s profile. The design is cross-sectional with a sample of 527 Peruvian undergraduate students. A structural equation model was specified, estimated, and tested in Mplus 8.4. The model hypothesized direct effects of the different learning strategies on a factor of entrepreneurial attitudes (considering proactivity, professional ethics, empathy, innovation, autonomy, and risk-taking dimensions) which, in turn, explained two indicators of entrepreneurship intention as outcomes. The tested structural model adequately fits the data. It provided helpful information on learning strategies and entrepreneurial attitudes accounting for up to 20% of variance of entrepreneurship intention. The learning strategies most related to entrepreneurial attitudes are those related to creativity, transference, and assessment of one's own performance. This paper provides for the first time evidence about the predictive power of several learning strategies on the entrepreneurial attitudes in connection with entrepreneurship intention (willingness and likelihood). This work increases our understanding of entrepreneurs’ learning strategies, so that we can improve the design and implementation of educational resources to promote entrepreneurs’ careers in emerging markets.
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