The Academic Self-Regulation Questionnaire: a study with Portuguese elementary school children.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have focused on the assessment of students' motivation because this construct is very important to understand students' learning and how to enhance it. The Academic Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ-A), based on the self-determination theory is a self-report instrument developed to access the reasons why students do their school work. However, there is no Portuguese version of this questionnaire for late elementary students. The primary goal of this research was to analyze the psychometric properties of a Portuguese version of SRQ-A in the domain of Mathematics with elementary school children. METHODS: Participants were 341 elementary school children ranging from 8 to 11 years old from the third and fourth grades. The Portuguese version of the SRQ-A included 24 items assessing four regulatory styles (external, introjected, identified, and intrinsic) in three behavioral categories (homework, classwork, and answering questions in mathematics lessons). To examine the psychometric properties of the instrument, we conducted an exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM), measured gender and grade invariance, and calculated internal consistency indexes and temporal stability. RESULTS: ESEM analyses supported the original multidimensional structure of the measure with four regulatory styles using a reduced version of the instrument with 16 items. Correlations between the four regulatory styles revealed a simplex pattern consistent with the continuum of self-determination theory. Results showed adequate internal consistency for all regulatory styles (α ≥ .73; CR ≥ .76) and temporal stability (4-month test-retest ≥ .43). The questionnaire showed measurement and structural invariance across gender and grade. Finally, some gender differences were observed; on average, boys scored higher than girls in external regulation. No differences were observed between grades. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the Portuguese version of the SRQ-A has good psychometric properties providing adequate support for its use in educational research on motivational styles, including studies concerning gender and grade differences in self-regulation.

Corrigendum: "To be or not to be Retained That's the Question!" Retention, Self-esteem, Self-concept, Achievement Goals and Grades.

[This corrects the article on p. 1550 in vol. 7, PMID: 27790167.].

Analisando a autoeficácia e o engajamento no trabalho de psicólogos escolares / Analyzing school psychologists' self-efficacy and engagement / Análisis de la autoeficacia y del compromiso de los psicólogos escolares en su trabajo

Este artigo tem como objetivo entender a relação entre a autoeficácia e o engajamento de psicólogos escolares. A autoeficácia laboral se refere à competência que os funcionários sentem em relação à capacidade de concluir com êxito as tarefas e persistir, enquanto o engajamento é um fenômeno físico, cognitivo e emocional durante a execução do trabalho. Os participantes foram 205 psicólogos, com representação dos estados brasileiros. Utilizou-se uma escala de autoeficácia para psicólogos escolares (AEPsi) e a escala UWES-09 (Utrecht Work Engagement Scale). Por meio deste estudo, foi possível reunir evidências de que a autoeficácia permite predizer os níveis de engajamento dos psicólogos escolares, constatando que a autoeficácia relacional é a que influencia com mais força as três dimensões do engajamento: vigor, dedicação e absorção. Esses achados reforçam a literatura, considerando a autoeficácia e o engajamento no trabalho como variáveis que contribuem para o sucesso da organização.

This article aims to understand the relationship between the self-efficacy and the engagement of Brazilian school psychologists. Work self-efficacy refers to the competence that employees feel in relation to the ability to successfully complete their tasks and persist, while engagement is a physical, cognitive, and emotional phenomenon experienced whilst working. The participants were 205 psychologists, with representation from all Brazilian states. A self-efficacy scale for school psychologists (AEPsi) and the UWES-09 scale (Utrecht Work Engagement Scale) were used. Through this study, it was possible to gather evidence that self-efficacy makes it possible to predict the levels of engagement of school psychologists, noting that relational self-efficacy is the one that most strongly influences the three dimensions of the engagement: vigor, dedication, and absorption. These findings corroborate with the literature considering self-efficacy and engagement at work as variables that contribute to the organization's success.

Este artículo tiene como objetivo establecer la relación entre la autoeficacia y el compromiso en el trabajo de los psicólogos brasileños. La autoeficacia laboral se refiere a la competencia que los empleados sienten con relación a la capacidad de ejecutar con éxito sus tareas y persistir; a su vez, el compromiso es un fenómeno físico, cognitivo y emocional durante la realización del trabajo. Los participantes fueron 205 psicólogos, con representantes de todos los estados brasileños. Se utilizaron una escala de autoeficacia para psicólogos escolares (AEPsi) y la escala UWES-09 (Escala de Compromiso Laboral de Utrecht). Con este estudio, fue posible reunir evidencias de que la autoeficacia permite la predicción de los niveles de compromiso de los psicólogos escolares y verificar que la autoeficacia relacional es la que más influye en las tres dimensiones del compromiso: vigor, dedicación y absorción. Esos hallazgos corroboran la literatura, considerando la autoeficacia y el compromiso en el trabajo como variables que contribuyen al éxito de la organización.

"To be or not to be Retained That's the Question!" Retention, Self-esteem, Self-concept, Achievement Goals, and Grades.

Keeping students back in the same grade - retention - has always been a controversial issue in Education, with some defending it as a beneficial remedial practice and others arguing against its detrimental effects. This paper undertakes an analysis of this issue, focusing on the differences in student motivation and self-related variables according to their retention related status, and the interrelationship between retention and these variables. The participants were 695 students selected from two cohorts (5th and 7th graders) of a larger group of students followed over a 3-year project. The students were assigned to four groups according to their retention-related status over time: (1) students with past and recent retention; (2) students with past but no recent retention; (3) students with no past but recent retention; (4) students with no past or recent retention. Measures of achievement goal orientations, self-concept, self-esteem, importance given to school subjects and Grade Point Average (GPA) were collected for all students. Repeated measures MANCOVA analyses were carried out showing group differences in self-esteem, academic self-concept, importance attributed to academic competencies, task and avoidance orientation and academic achievement. To attain a deeper understanding of these results and to identify profiles across variables, a cluster analysis based on achievement goals was conducted and four clusters were identified. Students who were retained at the end of the school year are mainly represented in clusters with less adaptive motivational profiles and almost absent from clusters exhibiting more adaptive ones. Findings highlight that retention leaves a significant mark that remains even when students recover academic achievement and retention is in the distant past. This is reflected in the low academic self-concept as well as in the devaluation of academic competencies and in the avoidance orientation which, taken together, can undermine students' academic adjustment and turn retention into a risk factor.

Emotional responses to reading in the first grade - the "L.E.R. Cãofiante"* Project / Emoções face à leitura no 1º ano de escolaridade - Projeto "L.E.R. Cãofiante" / Emociones hacia la lectura en el 1º año de escolaridad - Proyecto 'L.E.R. Cãofiante'

The "L.E.R. Cãofiante"* project was implemented with first-grade pupils who took part in reading sessions animated by a librarian in partnership with her dogs. The goal was to evaluate the effect of this intervention on children's emotions regarding reading (enjoyment, anxiety, boredom). The participants were 80 children (47 in the Intervention Group (IG); 33 in the Comparison Group (CG)). Parents and teachers answered a questionnaire about children's involvement, and the children answered one about reading emotions. For data processing, repeated measures ANOVA was used along with content analysis of the answers to the questionnaires. The results showed different emotional profiles of children in the IG and the CG, mostly regarding enjoyment, which increased in the IG. Data from parents and teachers corroborated this conclusion, emphasising positive experiences which allowed an understanding of the role of dogs in children's enjoyment and interest in reading. (AU)

O projeto 'L.E.R. Cãofiante' foi implementado com alunos do 1º ano que participaram em sessões de leitura na biblioteca, dinamizadas pela bibliotecária em parceria com os seus cães. O objetivo é apresentar a avaliação dessa intervenção nas emoções das crianças face à leitura (prazer, ansiedade, aborrecimento). Participaram 80 crianças (47 no projeto - GP; 33 no Grupo de Comparação - GC). Os encarregados de educação e as professoras responderam a um questionário sobre o envolvimento das crianças, e estas a um questionário de emoções. No tratamento de dados, usou-se a ANOVA para medidas repetidas e análise de conteúdo das respostas aos questionários. Os resultados evidenciaram perfis emocionais diferentes das crianças do GP e do GC essencialmente para o prazer que aumentou no GP. Os dados dos pais e professoras corroboraram essa conclusão realçando as vivências positivas que permitiram compreender o papel dos cães na satisfação e interesse dessas crianças pela leitura. (AU)

El proyecto 'L.E.R. Cãofiante' fue implementado con alumnos de primer año que participaron en sesiones de lectura en la biblioteca, organizadas por el bibliotecario en compañía de sus perros. El objetivo de esta intervención fue evaluar las emociones de los niños con relación a la lectura (Placer, Ansiedad, Aburrimiento). Participaron 80 niños (47 en el proyecto - GP, y 33 en el grupo de comparación -GC). Los encargados de educación y las profesoras respondieron a un cuestionario sobre la participación de los niños, y éstos a un cuestionario de emociones. En el tratamiento de datos se utilizó ANOVA para medidas repetidas y un análisis de contenido de las respuestas de los cuestionarios. Los resultados evidenciaron perfiles emocionales diferentes en los niños del GP y del GC esencialmente para el Placer que aumentó en el GP. Los datos de los padres y profesoras corroboraron esta conclusión siendo resaltadas vivencias positivas que permitieron comprender el papel de los perros en la satisfacción e interés de estos niños por la lectura. (AU)

Estudo de validação da Escala de Autoeficácia para Psicólogos em Contexto Escolar / Validation of the School Psychologists Self-Efficacy Scale / Estudio de validación de la Escala de Autoeficacia para Psicólogos en Contexto Escolar

Considerando a inexistência de instrumentos de autoeficácia ocupacional direcionada aos psicólogos em contexto escolar, este estudo pretende descrever a construção e a validação de uma escala, além de apresentar as qualidades psicométricas da Escala de Autoeficácia para Psicólogos em Contexto Escolar - EAPsi. Utilizou-se como embasamento a Teoria Social Cognitiva, que explica o comportamento humano por meio da proatividade, da autorregulação e da auto-organização. Esta pesquisa contou com a participação de 205 psicólogos atuantes nos Institutos Federais de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia. Essas instituições compõem a Rede Federal de Educação Profissional, Científica e Tecnológica que está presente em todos os estados do território nacional. Constatou-se que 80% eram do gênero feminino, com idade média de 35 anos. Os resultados da análise fatorial exploratória indicaram que a estrutura com 22 itens e três dimensões foi a mais ajustada, com alfas de Cronbach indicando boa consistência interna. As dimensões foram: autoeficácia profissional, autoeficácia relacional e autoeficácia na articulação com as famílias. Assim sendo, a validação da EAPsi contribui para preencher uma carência de instrumentos voltados aos profissionais, podendo colaborar com estudos e intervenções na área. (AU)

Considering the lack of instruments related to occupational self-efficacy directed toward psychologists in a school context, this study aimed to describe the construction and validation of a scale and to present the psychometric qualities of the Self-efficacy Scale for Psychologists in the School Context - EAPsi. Social Cognitive Theory was used to explain human behavior through proactivity, self-regulation and self-organization. This study had the participation of 205 psychologists working in the Federal Institutes of Education, Science and Technology. These institutions make up the Federal Network of Professional, Scientific and Technological Education that is present in all the states of the country. It was found that 80% of the participants were female, with an mean age of 35 years. The results of the exploratory factor analysis indicated that the structure with 22 items and 3 dimensions presented the best fit, with Cronbach's alphas indicating good internal consistency. The dimensions were: professional self-efficacy, relational self-efficacy and self-efficacy in articulation with families. Accordingly, the validation of the EAPsi contributes to fill a gap in instruments aimed at professionals and presents the possibility for use in studies and interventions in the area. (AU)

Considerando la existencia de los instrumentos de autoeficacia ocupacional direccionada a los psicólogos en contexto escolar, lo pretendido estudio busca describir la construcción y la validación de una escala, además de presentar las calidades psicométricas de la Escala de Autoeficacia para Psicólogos en Contexto Escolar - EAPsi. Se utilizó como fundamentación la Teoría Social Cognitiva, que explica el comportamiento humano por medio de la proactividad, de la autorregulación y de la autoorganización. La referida investigación abordó 205 psicólogos actuantes en los Institutos Federales de Educación, Ciencia y Tecnología. Estas instituciones componen la Red Federal de Educación Profesional, Científica y Tecnológica presente en todas las provincias del territorio nacional. Se constató que 80% de los psicólogos eran del género femenino, con edad media de 35 años. Los resultados del análisis factorial exploratorio indicaron que la estructura con 22 aspectos de análisis y tres dimensiones fue la más ajustada, con alfas de Cronbach indicando buena consistencia interna. Las dimensiones fueron: autoeficacia profesional, autoeficacia relacional y autoeficacia en colaboración con las familias. Siendo así, la validación de la EAPsi contribuye para suplir la carencia de instrumentos orientados a los profesionales, pudiendo colaborar con estudios e intervenciones en el área. (AU)

The Academic Self-Regulation Questionnaire: a study with Portuguese elementary school children

Abstract Background: Several studies have focused on the assessment of students' motivation because this construct is very important to understand students' learning and how to enhance it. The Academic Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ-A), based on the self-determination theory is a self-report instrument developed to access the reasons why students do their school work. However, there is no Portuguese version of this questionnaire for late elementary students. The primary goal of this research was to analyze the psychometric properties of a Portuguese version of SRQ-A in the domain of Mathematics with elementary school children. Methods: Participants were 341 elementary school children ranging from 8 to 11 years old from the third and fourth grades. The Portuguese version of the SRQ-A included 24 items assessing four regulatory styles (external, introjected, identified, and intrinsic) in three behavioral categories (homework, classwork, and answering questions in mathematics lessons). To examine the psychometric properties of the instrument, we conducted an exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM), measured gender and grade invariance, and calculated internal consistency indexes and temporal stability. Results: ESEM analyses supported the original multidimensional structure of the measure with four regulatory styles using a reduced version of the instrument with 16 items. Correlations between the four regulatory styles revealed a simplex pattern consistent with the continuum of self-determination theory. Results showed adequate internal consistency for all regulatory styles (α ≥ .73; CR ≥ .76) and temporal stability (4-month test-retest ≥ .43). The questionnaire showed measurement and structural invariance across gender and grade. Finally, some gender differences were observed; on average, boys scored higher than girls in external regulation. No differences were observed between grades. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the Portuguese version of the SRQ-A has good psychometric properties providing adequate support for its use in educational research on motivational styles, including studies concerning gender and grade differences in self-regulation.

Growth under elevated atmospheric CO(2) concentration accelerates leaf senescence in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) plants.

Some morphogenetic and metabolic processes were sensitive to a high atmospheric CO(2) concentration during sunflower primary leaf ontogeny. Young leaves of sunflower plants growing under elevated CO(2) concentration exhibited increased growth, as reflected by the high specific leaf mass referred to as dry weight in young leaves (16 days). The content of photosynthetic pigments decreased with leaf development, especially in plants grown under elevated CO(2) concentrations, suggesting that high CO(2) accelerates chlorophyll degradation, and also possibly leaf senescence. Elevated CO(2) concentration increased the oxidative stress in sunflower plants by increasing H(2)O(2) levels and decreasing activity of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase and ascorbate peroxidase. The loss of plant defenses probably increases the concentration of reactive oxygen species in the chloroplast, decreasing the photosynthetic pigment content as a result. Elevated CO(2) concentration was found to boost photosynthetic CO(2) fixation, especially in young leaves. High CO(2) also increased the starch and soluble sugar contents (glucose and fructose) and the C/N ratio during sunflower primary leaf development. At the beginning of senescence, we observed a strong increase in the hexoses to sucrose ratio that was especially marked at high CO(2) concentration. These results indicate that elevated CO(2) concentration could promote leaf senescence in sunflower plants by affecting the soluble sugar levels, the C/N ratio and the oxidative status during leaf ontogeny. It is likely that systemic signals produced in plants grown with elevated CO(2), lead to early senescence and a higher oxidation state of the cells of these plant leaves.

Intrinsic Motivation Inventory: psychometric properties in the context of first language and mathematics learning / Inventário de Motivação Intrínseca: propriedades psicométricas em contexto de aprendizagem da língua materna e matemática

Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) is a multidimensional measurement grounded on the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) used in assessing the subjective experiences of participants when developing an activity. The aim of this study is to analyze the characteristics of IMI among Portuguese students, testing four organizational models (unidimensional, multidimensional, hierarchical and bi-factor). A total of 3685 students from the 5th to the 12th grades (50.4% boys) participated in the study (M = 13.67, SD = 2.26). Two versions of IMI were used (First Language and Mathematics) with twenty-one items distributed over five subscales: Enjoyment, Perceived Competence, Pressure/Tension, Perceived Choice and Value/Utility. The confirmatory factor analysis corroborated the multidimensionality of intrinsic motivation, and that the bi-factor model presented the best fit indexes. This model showed the existence of one general factor, resulting from the contribution of all individual dimensions and the particularities of most of them. Furthermore, results also highlighted satisfactory reliability scores both through Cronbach's alpha scores and Composite reliability scores. These results indicate that this scale is appropriate to evaluate the underlying constructs of the theoretical model of SDT and allows for the calculation of a global measure of intrinsic motivation, as well as specific measures for their predictors.

O Inventário de Motivação Intrínseca (IMI) é um instrumento utilizado na avaliação subjetiva da experiência vivida pelos sujeitos durante a realização de uma atividade, e está fundamentado, teoricamente, na Teoria da Autodeterminação (SDT). Este trabalho teve como objetivo estudar as propriedades psicométricas do IMI em estudantes portugueses, testando quatro modelos de organização (unidimensional, multidimensional, hierárquico e bifatorial). Participaram no estudo 3685 alunos (50,4% rapazes) do 5º ao 12º ano de escolaridade (M = 13,67, DP = 2,26). Foram utilizadas duas versões do IMI (língua materna e matemática), constituídas por 21 itens, distribuídos por 5 subescalas: Prazer, Perceção de Competência, Pressão/Tensão, Escolha Percebida e Valor/Utilidade. A análise fatorial confirmatória atestou a multimensionalidade da motivação intrínseca e o modelo bifatorial apresentou os melhores índices de ajustamento. Este modelo evidenciou a existência de um fator geral, resultante do contributo de todas as dimensões e a especificidade da maioria das dimensões. Os resultados permitiram igualmente constatar valores muito aceitáveis para a fidelidade, tanto através do Alfa de Cronbach, como pelo cálculo da Fiabilidade Compósita. Estes resultados indicam que esta escala é apropriada para avaliar os constructos teóricos subjacentes à SDT, permitindo obter uma medida global de motivação intrínseca e, em paralelo, medidas específicas para os seus preditores.