The differential influence of Achievement Motivation on Subjective Well-being and the moderating role of Self-control.

To investigate the association between achievement motivation and subjective well-being, as well as the moderating role of self-control and self-management on this relationship, 1017 Chinese college students were surveyed. The main results showed that: The interactive effect of motivation to approach success and self-control on subjective well-being was significant. Specifically, for individuals with high self-control ability, the positive effects of motivation to approach success on subjective well-being, life satisfaction and positive affect tended to be stronger, and meanwhile, the motivation to approach success negatively predicted negative affect. Furthermore, the interactive effect of motivation to avoid failure and self-control on subjective well-being was significant. Specifically, for individuals with high self-control ability, the negative effects of motivation to avoid failure on subjective well-being, life satisfaction and positive affect tended to be weaker, and meanwhile, the effect of motivation to avoid failure on negative affect was relatively weaker. Overall, our study indicated that improving self-control ability could maximize the positive effect of achievement motivation on subjective well-being. Moreover, motivating individuals with high self-control ability to pursue success and reducing motivation to avoid failure for individuals with low self-control ability could have a more positive influence on subjective well-being.

A positive reminder to reflect on achievements.

With nominations open for the BVA Young Vet of the Year 2024, last year's winner Henry Lamb describes his experience of securing the prestigious award.

Effects of praise and "easy" feedback on children's persistence and self-evaluations.

Praise is thought to affect children's responses to failure, yet other potentially impactful messages about effort have been rarely studied. We experimentally investigated the effects of praise and "easy" feedback after success on children's persistence and self-evaluations after failure. Children (N = 150; Mage = 7.97 years, SD = 0.58) from the mid-Atlantic region of the United States (73 girls; 79% White) heard one of five types of feedback from an experimenter after success on online tangram puzzles: process praise ("You must have worked hard on that puzzle"), person praise ("You must be good at puzzles"), process-easy feedback ("It must have been easy to rotate and fit those pieces together"), person-easy feedback ("It must have been an easy puzzle for you"), or a control. Next, children failed to complete a harder tangram puzzle. Preregistered primary analyses revealed no differences in persistence and self-evaluation between person and process praise or between person-easy and process-easy feedback. Exploratory analyses showed that hearing process praise led to greater persistence after failure than the control condition (d = .61) and that process-easy feedback led to greater strategy generation than the control condition. The effects of adult feedback after success may be more context dependent than previously thought.

Understanding enjoyment within the context of the children-to-youth sport transition in Norwegian soccer: A mixed methods study.

Enjoyment has emerged as a critical factor in understanding dropout and participation in the Norwegian youth soccer context (Persson et al., 2020; Solstad et al., 2022). Moreover, the children-to-youth sport transition within this context represents a shift in underlying values and aims (Hjelseth, 2016). The purpose of this mixed methods study was thus to investigate youth soccer players' enjoyment within the children-to-youth sport transition context. The quantitative phase consisted of 214 soccer players (28.2 % girls, Mage = 12.56 years) who completed a questionnaire, and structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. The quantitative data informed the selection of participants for qualitative interviews in the next phase. A total of 10 soccer players (6 boys and 4 girls) who had reported different levels of enjoyment were interviewed. Coding reliability thematic analysis was applied to analyze the qualitative data. The results indicated that expectation of success and the mastery-approach goal had a positive relationship with enjoyment. The qualitative data further revealed that love for the sport, being with friends, and learning and mastery were sources of enjoyment for the players. A key finding was that players experienced increased seriousness in the transition, which may have a negative impact on their enjoyment. In conclusion, coaches should emphasize players' expectations of success, learning, and intrapersonal mastery, while creating a team culture that values friendship and passion for the sport. These strategies can enhance enjoyment, potentially sustaining youth participation in soccer during the children-to-youth sport transition.

Developmental relations of achievement goals and affect in physical education.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the developmental relationships between achievement goals and affect in school physical education. METHOD: The study sample comprised 1063 (girls 546) Finnish Grade 6 students (M = 12.27 years ± 0.33 at the beginning of the study). The participants in the study were asked to provide annual assessments about their perceptions of achievement goals, enjoyment, and anxiety. The assessments were conducted four times over three consecutive years. RESULTS: The results indicated that mastery-approach goals were positively associated with enjoyment (between-level), whereas both mastery-avoidance and performance-avoidance goals were positively associated with anxiety (between-level). Additionally, the associations between repeated measures (within-level) of mastery-approach goals and enjoyment were similar each year, whereas mastery- and performance-approach/avoidance goals were consistently associated with anxiety within the same year. Girls reported lower performance-approach goals and enjoyment but higher mastery-avoidance goals and anxiety than boys. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that mastery approach goals exhibit a positive correlation with favorable affective reactions, while performance-avoidance goals demonstrate a connection with maladaptive responses. Physical education teachers should endeavor to establish mastery-oriented goals for their students from the outset of the educational process.

A healthy breakfast each and every day is important for students' motivation and achievement.

Breakfast is often cited as the most important meal of the day and vital for students' academic functioning at school. Although much research has linked students' breakfast consumption to better achievement, there has been debate about why and how breakfast has academic benefits. The present study of 648 Australian high school students investigated (a) the role of breakfast consumption and breakfast quality in students' self-reported motivation and their achievement in a science test, (b) the role of motivation in mediating the link between breakfast consumption and quality and students' achievement, and (c) the extent to which breakfast consumption effects are moderated by the quality of breakfast (e.g., more vegetables, fruit, dairy/protein, wholegrains, cereals, water; less sugary drinks, processed meat, fast take-away, unhealthy snack foods). Findings indicated that beyond the effects of personal, home, and classroom factors, breakfast consumption predicted higher adaptive motivation (p < .05), breakfast quality predicted lower maladaptive motivation (p < .05), and in turn, students' adaptive (positively, p < .01) and maladaptive (negatively, p < .01) motivation predicted their achievement. Moreover, adaptive motivation significantly mediated the relationship between breakfast consumption and achievement (p < .05). The effect of breakfast consumption was moderated by the quality of breakfast such that consuming a high-quality breakfast in the morning was associated with the highest levels of adaptive motivation (p < .01) and achievement (p < .05) later in the day. Findings have implications for educational practice and policy seeking to promote a healthy start to the school day to optimize students' motivation and achievement.

Arithmetic fluency and number processing skills in identifying students with mathematical learning disabilities.

BACKGROUND: Students with mathematical learning disabilities (MLD) struggle with number processing skills (e.g., enumeration and number comparison) and arithmetic fluency. Traditionally, MLD is identified based on arithmetic fluency. However, number processing skills are suggested to differentiate low achievement (LA) from MLD. AIMS: This study investigated the accuracy of number processing skills in identifying students with MLD and LA, based on arithmetic fluency, and whether the classification ability of number processing skills varied as a function of grade level. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: The participants were 18,405 students (girls = 9080) from Grades 3-9 (ages 9-15). Students' basic numerical skills were assessed with an online dyscalculia screener (Functional Numeracy Assessment -Dyscalculia Battery, FUNA-DB), which included number processing and arithmetic fluency as two factors. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analyses supported a two-factor structure of FUNA-DB. The two-factor structure was invariant across language groups, gender, and grade levels. Receiver operating characteristics curve analyses indicated that number processing skills are a fair classifier of MLD and LA status across grade levels. The classification accuracy of number processing skills was better when predicting MLD (cut-off < 5 %) compared to LA (cut-off < 25 %). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Results highlight the need to measure both number processing and arithmetic fluency when identifying students with MLD.

Investigating latent mean differences in achievement emotions among Chinese secondary EFL learners: A gender and grade perspective.

The control-value theory (CVT) of achievement emotions posits that achievement emotions are significantly associated with the key indicators of academic outcomes, including academic motivation, engagement, and performance. Existing studies have tested the theoretical hypothesis of the CVT in a variety of cultures, disciplines, and samples. However, evidence is limited for whether there are gender and grade differences in achievement emotions, especially in the context of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). 1,460 Chinese secondary school students (male N = 671; female N = 789; seventh-graders N = 731; eighth-graders N = 729) took part in the study. Confirmatory factor analyses and multi-group analyses were conducted to explore the possible gender and grade differences in EFL-related achievement emotions. Results indicated that there are gender or grade differences in EFL-related enjoyment, anxiety, and boredom, while hope and pride did not. Both limitations and implications are discussed.

Mediating effects of achievement goal orientation on the relationship between growth mindset and learning engagement in medical students: A cross-sectional descriptive study.

Learning engagement is an important factor to improve the quality of medical education. Exploring the level of medical students' learning engagement and its internal mechanism is of practical significance to improve their academic achievement. The aims of this study were to investigate the relationship between achievement goal orientation, growth mindset and learning engagement of medical students, and explore the mediating effect of achievement goal orientation on growth mindset and learning engagement. A correlational cross-sectional study was performed using an online questionnaire. The study was conducted from February to March 2024 among 279 medical college students. General information questionnaire, the Mindsets Scale, Achievement Goal Orientation Scale and Learning Engagement Scale were used for investigation. Calculations were performed using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences 27.0 and Mplus 7.0. Descriptive statistics, correlation, and mediation effect analyses were used to analyze the data. A total of 279 valid questionnaires were finally recovered. The learning engagement score of medical students was (56.17 ±â€…13.01), growth mindset score was (11.26 ±â€…3.37). The approach goal orientation played a partial mediating role between growth mindset and learning engagement in medical college students. Growth mindset can influence learning engagement through achievement goal orientation. Medical college educators should pay attention to the cultivation of students' growth mindset and enhance their learning engagement. The verification of the mediating effect of approach goal provides data support for formulating relevant intervention measures.

Perseverance, a measure of conscientiousness, is a valid predictor of achievement and truancy across the globe.

Is Conscientiousness a useful construct across cultures? Using the 2012 Program for International Student Assessment data, we examined whether perseverance, a measure of Conscientiousness, was related to achievement and truancy across 62 countries/regions (N > 470,000). We investigated whether these relationships were linear or curvilinear in nature and assessed the utility of item-level information. After establishing partial metric invariance of the perseverance measure across various countries/regions and cultural regions, our findings unveiled that perseverance consistently predicted both math achievement and truancy, with predominantly linear associations. Notably, among the five items of the Perseverance scale, the item reflecting one's tendency to give up easily in the face of challenges emerged as the strongest and most consistent predictor of math achievement. Further, country-level correlations between perseverance and both math achievement and truancy displayed contradictory patterns compared to individual-level correlations, suggesting the presence of biasing factors in how people respond to these measures. Nonetheless, it appears reasonable to conclude that measures of Conscientiousness are pan-cultural predictors of achievement and truancy. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Disability and Achievement: A Reply to Campbell, Nyholm, and Walter.

In this article, I explore the impact of disability on one of life's goods: achievement. Contra Campbell, Nyholm, and Walter. I argue that construing the magnitude of achievements in terms of subjective effort trivializes what it means to achieve. This poses a problem for the authors' argument that disability, in general, does not reduce access to this good. I draw on an alternative construal of achievement that I have proposed elsewhere to show that, indeed, many disabilities do not restrict access to achievement. I defend this argument against an objection that it problematically relativizes the achievements of persons with disability, and I close with general lessons for future work.

Performance feedback and obsessive passion: The moderating role of human capital.

Based on the behavioral theory of the firm, we research how performance feedback influences the formation of CEOs' passion. We articulate that previous performance directly increases CEOs' passion. Specifically, positive affective outcomes (performance above aspiration-level) advance CEOs' positive feelings and motivation toward the domains of success (obsessive passion). For instance, when a firm accomplishes performance objectives, such as reaching sales goals, CEOs' positive feelings toward developing current products would be boosted. Moreover, negative affective outcomes (performance below aspiration-level) would also positively impact CEOs' passion since the CEOs would endeavor to reduce the difference between performance and their aspiration-level. As such, performance feedback is a critical antecedent of CEOs' obsessive passion. In addition, we apply human capital as a moderator between performance feedback and CEOs' obsessive passion. Results based on multiphase survey data from 189 CEOs of Korean small- and medium-sized enterprises indicate that both positive and negative performance feedback positively increase CEOs' obsessive passion. Moreover, human capital negatively moderates the relationship between positive performance feedback and CEOs' obsessive passion and positively moderates the relationship between negative performance feedback and CEOs' obsessive passion.

Growth Mindset Messages from Instructors Improve Academic Performance Among First-Generation College Students.

First-generation (FG) college students (i.e., those for whom neither parent/guardian obtained a bachelor's degree) experience more barriers in college, compared with continuing-generation students. These barriers are compounded by subtle messages from instructors that convey the idea that natural talent is necessary for success in scientific fields. In contrast, growth mindset messages communicate that ability can improve with effort, help-seeking, and using productive study strategies. In a large enrollment introductory biology course, students were randomly assigned to receive email messages from their instructor after the first two exams containing either a growth mindset or control message. The intervention improved grades in the course for everyone, on average, compared with control messages, and were especially beneficial for FG students. This increase in performance was partially mediated by increased activity accessing course materials on the course website. This study provides preliminary evidence that instructors communicating growth mindset messages can support FG students' performance.

How professional and academic pre-qualifications relate to success in medical education: Results of a multicentre study in Germany.

OBJECTIVE: Every year, many applicants want to study medicine. Appropriate selection procedures are needed to identify suitable candidates for the demanding curriculum. Although research on medical school admissions has shown good predictive validity for cognitive selection methods (undergraduate GPA, aptitude tests), the literature on applicants with professional and/or academic experience prior to entering medical school remains slim. In our study, we therefore aimed to examine the association between academic success in medical school and having previously completed vocational training in the medical field, voluntary service (≥11 months) or an academic degree. METHODS: Data were collected in a multicentre, cross-sectional study at five medical schools in Germany (Baden-Wuerttemberg) from students during medical school (i.e. 3rd-, 6th-, and 10th-semester and final-year students). Academic success was assessed according to scores on the first and second state examinations, the total number of examinations repeated and the number of semesters beyond the standard period of study. For the analysis we calculated ordinal logistic regression models for each outcome variable of academic success. RESULTS: A total of N = 2,370 participants (response rate: RR = 47%) participated in the study. Having completed vocational training was associated with a higher amount of repeated examinations (small effect), while having an academic degree was associated with worse scores on the second state examination (medium effect). No significant association emerged between voluntary service and academic success. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that professional and academic pre-qualifications pose no advantage for academic success. Possible associations with the financing of study and living conditions of students with pre-qualifications were analysed and discussed in an exploratory manner. However, the operationalisation of academic success from objective and cognitive data should be critically discussed, as the benefits of prior experience may be captured by personal qualities rather than examination results.

Does reading ability predict student success? A scoping review.

OBJECTIVES: Nursing students do not only have to understand the content they read, but they must also analyze, synthesize, and think critically as these skills are required for success in clinical practice. This review investigates if testing reading in students can predict outcomes of student success in nursing programs. DESIGN: A scoping review of the literature on reading assessments in nursing education. DATA SOURCES: Databases explored included CINAHL, ERIC, and MEDLINE and included English language papers published from January 2001 to November 2022. REVIEW METHODS: Joanna Briggs Institute scoping review methods informed this review. RESULTS: Data were extracted from 34 full text papers and dissertations. All papers examined reading as an independent predictor of outcomes such as NCLEX-RN success, program completion, or early program success. Various reading tests delivered at admission were more likely to predict proximal outcomes such as early program success rather than more distal outcomes such as NCLEX-RN failure or program completion. CONCLUSION: Reading assessments are effective predictors of a student's potential for academic success in nursing programs which has many implications for admission and progression policies. Many areas for future research are proposed including examining the developmental nature of reading improvement across nursing programs, development of reading interventions, and building faculty capacity for reading support. This body of literature said very little about the impact of race and racism on reading as they relate to academic outcomes which also must receive attention in future research.

Hope for success as a mediator between Big Five personality traits and achievement goal orientation among high performance and recreational athletes.

The main objective of this study was to determine whether hope for success mediates the relationship between personality and goal orientation in high performance and recreational athletes. The cross-sectional study included 289 high performance and recreational athletes of various sports (age: M = 20.34, SD = 1.86). To examine personality, we used the Big Five IPIP-BFM-20 questionnaire. To assess hope for success, we used the Hope for Success Questionnaire. The Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire (TEOSQ) was employed to examine goal orientation. Hope for success significantly mediates the relationships between conscientiousness, extraversion, emotional stability, intellect, and task goal orientation in sport. Higher levels of these personality traits are related to athletes' higher hope for success, which, in turn, is positively related to their task orientation. Personality traits may underpin the hope for success that develops from childhood. This, in turn, appears to be an important component on which, combined with the positive interaction and support from coaches, a task goal orientation beneficial to sport can be shaped in athletes.