Alcohol and tobacco use and cognitive-motivational variables in school settings: effects on academic performance in Spanish adolescents.

The aim of the present study was to analyze: (a) the relationship between alcohol and tobacco use and academic performance, and (b) the predictive role of psycho-educational factors and alcohol and tobacco abuse on academic performance in a sample of 352 Spanish adolescents from grades 8 to 10 of Compulsory Secondary Education. The Self-Description Questionnaire-II, the Sydney Attribution Scale, and the Achievement Goal Tendencies Questionnaire were administered in order to analyze cognitive-motivational variables. Alcohol and tobacco abuse, sex, and grade retention were also measured using self-reported questions. Academic performance was measured by school records. Frequency analyses and logistic regression analyses were used. Frequency analyses revealed that students who abuse of tobacco and alcohol show a higher rate of poor academic performance. Logistic regression analyses showed that health behaviours, and educational and cognitive-motivational variables exert a different effect on academic performance depending on the academic area analyzed. These results point out that not only academic, but also health variables should be address to improve academic performance in adolescence.

Validity evidence based on internal structure of scores on the Spanish version of the Self-Description Questionnaire-II.

The aim of this study was to analyze the reliability and validity evidence of scores on the Spanish version of Self-Description Questionnaire II (SDQ-II). The instrument was administered in a sample of 2022 Spanish students (51.1% boys) from grades 7 to 10. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to examine validity evidence based on internal structure drawn from the scores on the SDQ-II. CFA replicated the correlated II first-order factor structure. Furthermore, hierarchical confirmatory factor analysis (HCFA) was used to examine the hierarchical ordering of self-concept, as measured by scores on the Spanish version of the SDQ-II. Although a series of HCFA models were tested to assess academic and non-academic components organization, support for those hierarchical models was weaker than for the correlated 11 first-order factor structure. Results also indicated that scores on the Spanish version of the SDQ-II had internal consistency and test-retest reliability estimates within an acceptable range.

Sociometric types and academic self-concept in adolescents.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between sociometric types, behavioral categories, and academic self-concept in a sample of 1,349 (51.7% boys) Spanish adolescents, ranging in age from 12 to 16 years. METHOD: the students’ sociometric nomination was performed using the Programa Socio (Partner Program), and academic self-concept was measured with the Self Description Questionnaire (SDQ-II; Marsh, 1992). RESULTS: results show that academic self-concept was a significant predictor of sociometric types and behavioral categories, as students with high scores on academic self-concept were more likely to be positively rated by their peers (popular, leaders, collaborators and good students) than students with low scores on student academic self-concept. CONCLUSIONS: these results reinforce the emphasis on academic self-concept research and its relevance to educational practice.

Self-Description Questionnaire II (versión breve): evidencia de fiabilidad y validez en una muestra de adolescentes chilenos / Self-Description Questionnaire II (short version): evidence of reliability and validity in a sample of chilean adolescents

El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la fiabilidad y validez de las puntuaciones de la versión breve del Self-Description Questionnaire II (SDQ-II-S) en población chilena. La muestra se compuso de 1255 adolescentes chilenos, con un rango de edad de 13 a 17 años (M=15.10; DT=1.30). El análisis factorial confirmatorio corroboró la estructura original de 11 factores correlacionados del SDQ-II-S. La multidimensionalidad del cuestionario también fue avalada por la pequeña magnitud de las correlaciones entre los 11 factores (M = 0.26). Los coeficientes alfa de Cronbach variaron desde 0.70 hasta 0.84, y se destacó una adecuada fiabilidad. Para profundizar en el análisis de la validez de constructo del SDQ-II-S, se relacionaron las puntuaciones de las diferentes escalas con puntuaciones en medidas de ansiedad (Inventario de Ansiedad Estado-Rasgo) y autoeficacia (Escala de Autoeficacia Percibida Específica de Situaciones Académicas). Los resultados pusieron de manifiesto que estos cuestionarios permiten analizar constructos diferenciados aunque relacionados. Los datos de este trabajo destacan que el SDQ-II-S presenta adecuadas propiedades psicométricas en población chilena, contrarrestando las carencias existentes en lo que respecta a la evaluación del autoconcepto, y resaltan interesantes aplicaciones tanto en el ámbito aplicado como en el de la investigación.

Relaciones entre conducta agresiva y metas académicas: estudio con una muestra de estudiantes españoles de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria / Relationship between Aggessive Behavior and Academic Goals: Study with a Spanish Compulsory Secondary Education Sample of Students

Este estudio analizó la relación entre la conducta agresiva y las metas académicas en una muestra de 2.022 estudiantes españoles de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria (ESO). La conducta agresiva fue evaluada con el Teenage Inventory of Social Skills (TISS) y las metas académicas mediante el Achievement Goal Tendencies Questionnaire (AGTQ). Los resultados revelaron que los estudiantes con alta conducta agresiva, de ambos sexos y de todos los cursos académicos de ESO, presentaron puntuaciones significativamente más altas en metas de reforzamiento social que sus iguales con baja conducta agresiva. Los análisis de regresión logística mostraron que la conducta agresiva fue un predictor positivo y estadísticamente significativo de las metas de reforzamiento social en ambos sexos y en todos los cursos de ESO.

This study analyzed the relationship between aggressive behavior and academic goals in a sample of 2.022 Spanish students of Compulsory Secondary Education (CSE). Aggressive behavior was assessed with the Teenage Inventory of Social Skills (TISS), and academic goals were assessed with the Achievement Goal Tendencies Questionnaire (AGTQ). The results revealed that students with high aggressive behavior, in both sexes and for all academic grades of CSE, had significantly higher scores in social reinforcement goals than their peers with low aggressive behavior. Logistic regression analyses showed that high aggressive behavior was a positive and statistically significant predictor of high social reinforcement goals, in both sexes and for all academic grades of CSE.