Different forces, same consequence: Conscientiousness and competence beliefs are independent predictors of academic effort and achievement.

Conscientiousness and domain-specific competence beliefs are known to be highly important predictors of academic effort and achievement. Given their basis in distinct research traditions, however, these constructs have rarely been examined simultaneously. Three studies with 571, 415, and 1,535 students, respectively, found a moderate association between conscientiousness and competence beliefs. Both conscientiousness and competence beliefs meaningfully predicted academic effort, irrespective of how academic effort was measured (single-measurement questionnaire or diary data). The associations of competence beliefs with academic effort were highly domain specific, whereas conscientiousness was predictive of academic effort across a wide range of academic subjects. Conscientiousness and competence beliefs were also associated with academic achievement. Figural and verbal reasoning ability, although associated with academic achievement, only loosely predicted academic effort. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Children's emotional competence and attentional competence in early elementary school.

The current study examined the relations between two aspects of emotional competence--emotion knowledge and emotion expression, and children's attentional competence during one school year. Participants were 263 first- and second-grade students at two rural elementary schools. A multiple regression analysis showed that emotion knowledge predicted attentional competence while controlling for age, gender, verbal ability, and initial levels of attentional competence. Multiple regression analyses examining predictors of peer nominations of emotion expression showed that attentional competence predicted peer nominations of happiness, sadness, and anger expression, and emotion knowledge predicted peer nominations of anger expression. Potential improvements for prevention programs and the importance of the findings for school personnel are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Promoting emotional competence in children and adolescents: Implications for school psychologists.

This article articulates the central role school psychologists can play in enhancing the emotional competence of students. An overview of the theoretical basis of emotional competence is provided, as well as an exploration of the relevance of emotional competence for positive youth development. Emerging applications for the assessment of emotional competence are presented. In addition, school-based methods of enhancing emotional competence are offered. The article concludes with suggestions for future research on the development of child and adolescent emotional competence in the context of school-related behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

A longitudinal study of the social and academic competence of economically disadvantaged bilingual preschool children.

This longitudinal study was conducted to gain understanding of the social–emotional and academic development of economically disadvantaged bilingual preschool children. In Study 1, the authors combined cognitive, psychosocial, and cultural-linguistic factors to determine profiles of social competence as measured by peer play. A person-centered analysis of 207 Hispanic American preschoolers (ages 4 and 5 years) yielded 6 distinct profiles, 2 of which were socially competent and 1 of which was vulnerable. Findings revealed profile differences in social competence and a significant relationship between bilingualism and social–emotional development. In Study 2, the authors determined which profiles were associated with later academic achievement and growth of English proficiency. Findings indicated a significant relationship of early social–emotional development to later academic success and English acquisition, highlighting the role of bilingualism. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Children's social behaviors as predictors of academic achievement: A longitudinal analysis.

This study was an investigation of the relationships among 139 third- and fourth-grade elementary students' social skills, problem behaviors, academic competence, and academic achievement. The primary research question addressed the relationship between social behaviors and academic achievement. All data were collected and examined at 2 time points in the school year, which allowed for a replication of the relationships among the variables and an investigation of the predictive relationships over time. The results from this study indicated that (1) social skills are positively predictive of concurrent academic achievement and (2) problem behaviors are negatively predictive of concurrent academic achievement. Only social skills were a significant predictor of future academic functioning. The linkage between problem behaviors and future academic performance may vary as a function of ethnic or cultural membership status. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Minority stress, perceived bicultural competence, and depressive symptoms among ethnic minority college students.

Based on biculturalism theory (LaFromboise, Coleman, & Gerton, 1993), the present study examined the direct effect of perceived bicultural competence (PBC) on depressive symptoms, and PBC as a potential coping resource to moderate the association between minority stress and depressive symptoms. Participants were 167 Asian American, African American, and Latino/a American students at a predominantly White Midwest university. Results from a hierarchical regression analysis suggested that (a) minority stress was positively associated with depressive symptoms after controlling for perceived general stress, (b) PBC was negatively associated with depressive symptoms after controlling for perceived general stress and minority stress, and (c) the interaction between minority stress and PBC was significant in predicting depressive symptoms. Results from a simple effect analysis supported the hypothesis that a higher level of PBC buffers the association between minority stress and depressive symptoms. Furthermore, post hoc exploratory analyses of the components of PBC suggested that 2 components, Social Groundedness and Cultural Knowledge, may be especially important coping resources. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Peer victimization and academic achievement in a multiethnic sample: The role of perceived academic self-efficacy.

This study examines the link between perceived peer victimization and academic adjustment in an ethnically diverse sample of 1,895 Grade 6 students nested within 108 school classes. It was hypothesized that students' academic self-efficacy mediates the (negative) link between victimization experiences and academic achievement outcomes. Multilevel analyses were used to test this hypothesis and to explore whether there are differences between ethnic minority and majority group children. Results indicated that peer victimization was negatively associated with both relative class-based, and absolute test-based measures of academic achievement. These associations were similar across different school classes. As expected, the link between victimization and achievement was mediated by perceived academic self-efficacy, suggesting that victimized students did less well academically because they considered themselves to be less competent. The lower perceived self-efficacy of victimized children could be partly attributed to lower global self-esteem and depressed affect. Results were largely similar for ethnic minority and majority group children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Frequent use of psychiatric hospitalization for low-income, inner-city ethnic minority youth.

The clinical and demographic data of 664 youth (M age = 13.92, SD = 2.58) were used to identify factors associated with frequent use of psychiatric hospitalization. Clinical data included scores on the Self-Report of Personality (SRP) and Parent Rating Scales (PRS) of the Behavior Assessment System for Children, Second Edition (BASC-2). Demographic data included age, race/ethnicity, gender, and the presence or absence of surrogate care. Results indicated that those youth with frequent admissions to the hospital were generally between 13 and 18 years old (p = .01), African American (p = .03), and in surrogate care (p = .04). Relative to the other youth in our sample they were more aggressive (p p p p = .003). The implications of these findings and the recommended interventions for youth with disruptive behaviors are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Low academic competence in first grade as a risk factor for depressive cognitions and symptoms in middle school.

The present study investigated the role of low academic competence in the emergence of depressive cognitions and symptoms. Structural equation modeling was conducted on a longitudinal sample of African American boys (n = 253) and girls (n = 221). Results supported the hypothesized path models from academic competence in 1st grade to depressive symptoms in 7th grade, controlling for a host of correlated constructs (conduct problems, inattention, social problems). Perceived control in 6th grade mediated the effect of academic competence on depressive symptoms. Although the models fit the data well for both boys and girls, the path coefficients were notably larger for girls; in particular, multiple-group analysis revealed a statistically stronger effect of low academic competence on perceptions of control for girls. The study and findings fit well with counseling psychologists' commitment to prevention activities and to culture-specific research. Implications for designing interventions and prevention strategies for children with early academic problems are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social risk and protective factors for African American children's academic achievement and adjustment during the transition to middle school.

The transition to middle school is often marked by decreased academic achievement and increased emotional stress, and African American children exposed to social risk may be especially vulnerable during this transition. To identify mediators and protective factors, the authors related severity and timing of risk exposure to academic achievement and adjustment between 4th and 6th grade in 74 African American children. Longitudinal analyses indicated that severity more than timing of risk exposure was negatively related to all outcomes and that language skills mediated the pathway from risk for most outcomes. Transition to middle school was related to lower math scores and to more externalizing problems when children experienced higher levels of social risk. Language skills and parenting served as protective factors, whereas expectations of racial discrimination was a vulnerability factor. Results imply that promoting parenting and, especially, language skills, and decreasing expectations of racial discrimination provide pathways to academic success for African American children during the transition from elementary to middle school, especially those exposed to adversity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Family characteristics and elementary school achievement in an urban ghetto.

Investigated the relationships of sex, father absence, family size, and birth order to factor scores representing "general academic achievement" in a sample of 149 urban black ghetto 5th graders. Significant main effects were found for sex (with girls showing higher achievement levels than boys) and family size (with the highest achievement in small families). A significant Birth Order * Family Size interaction was found: Firstborn Ss did best in small families, lastborn Ss did best in intermediate (4-5 children) families, and there was no birth order differentiation in large families. No significant effect on achievement was found for father absence. (18 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Family influences on school achievement in low-income, African American children.

The authors examined the achievement-related beliefs and behaviors of parents of economically disadvantaged African American youth, and the relations among parental factors and children's academic self-concept and achievement. Forty-one children and their primary caregivers were interviewed. Parents reported on their academic-related beliefs and behaviors. Children completed measures of academic self-concept and 2 standardized achievement tests: 1 during the summer and 1 at the end of the following school year. Significant and positive relations were found between parental belief and behavior measures within the domains of reading and math; however, parental beliefs were more strongly linked with child outcomes than were parents' achievement-oriented behaviors. The relation between parental beliefs and child outcomes was not mediated by children's academic self-concept. Results are discussed in light of models of family influences on achievement. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Congruence of mother and teacher educational expectations and low-income youth's academic competence.

In this study, the authors examined the independent effects of teacher and mother expectations on youth achievement outcomes, the mediating factors that explain the relationship between adult expectations and student achievement, and the effects of congruent vs. dissonant adult expectations on achievement. Participants were an ethnically diverse sample of 522 low-income, urban youth (ages 9-16). Youth's mothers and teachers also participated. Findings show that adult expectations exert a significant influence on youth's academic competency and performance. Moreover, adult expectations matter both independently and conjointly: Comparably high mother and teacher expectations have a generative effect on youth outcomes, and comparably low mother and teacher expectations have a disruptive effect. Of particular interest are findings demonstrating the buffering effects of high mother expectations in the face of low teacher expectations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Kindergarten children's emotion competence as a predictor of their academic competence in first grade.

This study examined the relation between emotion competence and academic competence and three potential mediators of this relation. In kindergarten, 193 children from elementary schools serving urban, minority, and low income students participated in an emotion competence assessment, and 142 of these children completed a follow-up assessment in first grade. The relation between teacher ratings of emotion regulation and academic competence was primarily indirect through the effect of emotion regulation on teacher ratings of attention. Peer acceptance and teacher closeness did not mediate the relations between emotion competence and academic competence. Results highlight the potential benefits of early emotion-centered prevention programs and the need to identify children with attention problems as early as possible to prevent academic difficulties. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prediction of children's academic competence from their effortful control, relationships, and classroom participation.

The authors examined the relations among children's effortful control, school relationships, classroom participation, and academic competence with a sample of 7- to 12-year-old children (N = 264). Parents and children reported on children's effortful control, and teachers and children reported on children's school relationships and classroom participation. Children's grade point averages (GPAs) and absences were obtained from school-issued report cards. Significant positive correlations existed between effortful control, school relationships, classroom participation, and academic competence. Consistent with expectations, the teacher-child relationship, social competence, and classroom participation partially mediated the relation between effortful control and change in GPA from the beginning to the end of the school year. The teacher-child relationship and classroom participation also partially mediated the relation between effortful control and change in school absences across the year. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Future time perspective, optimism, and academic achievement.

"The results of Eson's technique seems to indicate that high academic achievers are predominantly 'anteverts' in so far as their recent thoughts and conversations are concerned, i.e., they tend to look mostly to the future… . Students high in future extension also appeared to be more optimistic." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Early school competence: The roles of sex-segregated play and effortful control.

The purpose of this research was to examine the role that young children's same-sex peer interactions play in influencing early school competence. The authors also examined the degree to which effortful control (EC) moderated these relations. The same-sex play preferences of 98 young children (50 boys and 48 girls; mean age = 54.77 months) were observed during the fall semester. At the end of the fall semester, one set of teachers reported on children's EC, and at the end of the following spring semester, another set reported on children's school competence (social, academic, and perceptual-motor). Results revealed that EC moderated the relations of children's same-sex play to their school competence. These patterns differed for boys and girls such that same-sex play was positively related to school outcomes for boys high in EC and for girls low in EC. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Neither colorblind nor oppositional: Perceived minority status and trajectories of academic adjustment among Latinos in elite higher education.

As more Latinos experience upward social mobility, it is increasingly necessary to challenge oppositional cultural assumptions to explain how perceived minority status barriers may influence their academic achievement. The present study builds on previous work that identified 3 distinct minority status orientations among Latino college students entering elite colleges—which the authors call assimilation, accommodation, and resistance. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Freshmen, the authors examined how these orientations influence Latino students’ academic and social adjustment from their freshman to junior years of college. Latino students who most strongly questioned the openness of the opportunity structure to ethnic minorities—resisters—reported similar grades and time spent studying as their counterparts who perceived less ethnic and racial inequities. In addition, resisters did not disengage from their social environment but rather became increasingly involved in campus activities outside the classroom during their college career. Implications for understanding ethnic minority individuals’ interpretations of social stratification in well-resourced, high-achieving contexts are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Exploring processes linking shyness and academic achievement in childhood.

The goal of the current study was to explore the relations between shyness, academic engagement, and academic achievement in childhood. Participants were (n = 125) children (aged 9–13 years) attending public school boards in Canada. Children completed self reports of shyness and were administered a test of nonverbal IQ. Academic achievement was assessed through both teacher ratings and standardized tests of reading comprehension and mathematics. As well, a new teacher-rated measure of academic engagement was created to assess student participation and on-task behavior in the classroom. Among the results, shyness was negatively related to teacher-rated achievement but not related to standardized test scores. Academic engagement was significantly and negatively related to shyness, and positively related to all measures of achievement. Finally, academic engagement partially mediated the relation between shyness and teacher ratings of achievement. These findings suggest that poorer teacher-rated academic performance in shy children may be partially accounted for by a lack of academic engagement in the classroom. Future studies are needed to explore why shy children are less likely to be engaged in the classroom. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)