Positive Family Environment, General Distress, Subjective Well-Being, and Academic Engagement among High School Students Before and During the COVID-19 Outbreak.

The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the family dynamics of most people worldwide as well as the mode in which students take classes. The impact of such changes on students' well-being, academic engagement, and general distress remains unknown. Therefore, this study aims to test the structural relations among positive family environment (a measure of Positive Home-Based Parent Involvement [HBI]), subjective well-being (SWB), general distress, and academic engagement, focusing on Mexican high school students. A longitudinal study was conducted covering two time points: before (T1) and during (T2) the COVID-19 outbreak. A sample of 502 students answered questionnaires in T1 whereas 111 did so in T2. Analyses were conducted using Mplus software. Principal results showed that the positive and significant association between positive family environment and SWB did not substantially change from T1 to T2, whereas the relation between positive family environment and academic engagement became stronger. Data revealed that a positive family environment can play an important role in promoting academic engagement among adolescent students despite the risks brought about by sanitary lockdowns and the increase of family interactions. Results are discussed highlighting the importance of positive family environments and HBI on academic outcomes for Mexican high school students.

Positive learning environment, academic engagement and self-regulated learning in high school students / Ambiente de aprendizaje positivo, compromiso académico y aprendizaje autorregulado en bachilleres

Abstract From the perspective of positive environment theory, supportive environments, can promote student successful academic adaptation. Accordingly, student academic success is the result of academic adaptation, and can be assessed via means of academic engagement and self-regulated learning. Thus, the aim of the present study was to test the relationship between positive learning environments (POLE), academic engagement and self-regulated learning in high school students. Using a cross-sectional design, participants included 166 freshmen high school students, 76 participants of the sample were male (45.8%) and 90 were female (54.2%). Mean age was 15.2 (S.D. = .43). Before participation informed consent was obtained from parents and assent from participants. Students answered a questionnaire regarding academic support given by parents, pro-academic friends, positive family environment, and academic engagement and self-regulated learning. Using Structural Equation Modeling the results demonstrated (p<.05) that POLE represented a latent factor formed by parental academic support, pro-academic friends and positive family environment. The structural model showed that POLE was positively related to academic engagement (structural coefficient= .80); also, academic engagement was related with self-regulated learning (structural coefficient= .55) and explained 30% of student self-regulated learning. Results suggest that POLE could promote academic engagement and self-regulated learning.

Resumen De acuerdo con la teoría de ambientes positivos, los contextos donde se brinda apoyo académico pueden promover la adaptación exitosa de los estudiantes, y, a su vez, el resultado de dicha adaptación favorece su éxito académico, lo cual puede medirse con los constructos de compromiso académico y aprendizaje autorregulado en el ámbito académico. Teniendo esto en consideración, en la presente investigación se da cuenta de un trabajo de psicología positiva aplicada en el que se tuvo como objetivo evaluar la relación entre el ambiente de aprendizaje positivo (AAP), el compromiso académico y el aprendizaje autorregulado en bachilleres mexicanos. Para esto, se diseñó un estudio de tipo correlacional en el que participaron 166 estudiantes voluntarios de primer grado de bachillerato, seleccionados por conglomerados, con consentimiento informado individual y de sus padres. Del total de participantes, 76 fueron de sexo masculino (45.8 %) y 90 de sexo femenino (54.2 %), con una edad promedio de 15.2 años (DE = .43); quienes respondieron a cuestionarios sobre apoyo académico de padres, amigos pro-académicos, ambiente familiar positivo, compromiso académico y aprendizaje autorregulado. Se realizó un análisis de ecuaciones estructurales, y en los resultados se encontró, con una p < .05, que el AAP fue un factor latente formado por el apoyo académico de los padres, los amigos pro-académicos y el ambiente familiar positivo; además, en el modelo estructural, el AAP correlacionó positivamente con el compromiso académico (coeficiente estructural = .80), y este último se relacionó positivamente con el aprendizaje autorregulado de los estudiantes (coeficiente estructural = .55); finalmente el modelo estructural resultante explicó el 30 % del aprendizaje autorregulado. Para concluir, se discute respecto a la posibilidad de que el AAP promueva el compromiso académico y el aprendizaje autorregulado de los estudiantes.

Variables Contextuales e Individuales Relacionadas con la Crianza Positiva Materna / Contextual and Individual Variables Related to Maternal Positive Parenting Style

Resumen Según la teoría del desarrollo de la psicopatología, algunas trayectorias del desarrollo resultan en adaptación, otras en psicopatología. Nuestra hipótesis es que algunas variables positivas son funcionales a la adaptación psicológica y participan en nicho adaptativos, que son contextos donde regularmente encontramos las competencias adaptativas, como el estilo de crianza positivo materno. El objetivo del estudio fue probar en un modelo de trayectorias, la interdependencia funcional de variables contextuales e individuales en el estilo de crianza positivo materno. La muestra se conformó por 254 madres, seleccionadas de las escuelas de alto o bajo aprovechamiento escolar donde sus hijos o hijas estudiaban. Las variables medidas en el modelo fueron cohesión social del vecindario, apoyo social de la familia, salud percibida, autorregulación, autoestima y bienestar psicológico. Los resultados apoyan la hipótesis y muestran la interrelación funcional de las variables en el modelo probado, y también la presencia de un nicho adaptativo en el contexto del estilo de crianza positivo materno, que puede ser usado como ejemplo para futuras investigaciones.

Abstract According to developmental psychopathology theory, psychological development takes different trajectories that can result in adaptation or psychopathology. We hypothesize that some positive contextual and individual variables are functional to psychological adaptation and participate in adaptive niches, which constitute the context where we regularly found the positive competences, as is exemplified by maternal positive parenting style. The aim of the study was to prove in a path model, the functional interdependence of individual and contextual variables in maternal positive parenting style. The sample was formed by 254 mothers, selected from low and high level of academic achievement schools, where their sons or daughters were studying. The variables measured in the model were neighborhood's social cohesion, family's social support, perceived health, self-regulation, self-esteem, and psychological well-being. The results support the hypothesis and show the functional interrelationships of the variables in the model proved, and also the presence of an adaptive niche in maternal positive parenting style, which could be used as an example for future studies.

Autorregulación, resiliencia y metas educativas: variables protectoras del rendimiento académico de bachilleres / Autorregulação, resiliência e metas educativas: variáveis protetoras do rendimento acadêmico de estudantes do ensino médio / Self-regulation, resilience and educational goals: variables protecting the academic performance of high school students

En México, el rendimiento académico de bachillerato es deficiente, por lo que es necesario estudiar sus variables predictoras para mejorarlo. El objetivo del estudio fue medir las trayectorias entre las variables autorregulación, resiliencia y metas educativas en el rendimiento académico de estudiantes de bachillerato, ante la percepción del comportamiento de riesgo de los amigos y la percepción del ambiente escolar de riesgo. Se entrevistaron 120 estudiantes de bachillerato con el más bajo aprovechamiento de la ciudad de Hermosillo, Sonora, México. El análisis de trayectorias indica que las variables estudiadas protegen a los estudiantes de los efectos negativos de la percepción del contexto escolar de riesgo y las amistades de riesgo.

In order to improve the deficient high school academic performance in Mexico, it is necessary to study its predictor variables. The objective of this study was to measure the trajectories of self-regulation, resilience, and educational goals in the academic performance of high school students, in relation to the perceived risk behavior on the part of friends and the risk environment in the schools. One hundred and twenty low-performing high school students in the city of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico were interviewed. A trajectory analysis showed that the variables under study protect students from the negative effects of the perception of risk in the school environment and in the behavior of friends.

No México, o rendimento acadêmico do ensino médio é deficiente, razão pela qual é necessário estudar suas variáveis preditoras para melhorá-lo. O objetivo deste estudo foi medir as trajetórias entre as variáveis autorregulação, resiliência e metas educativas no rendimento acadêmico de estudantes do ensino médio, ante a percepção do comportamento de risco dos amigos e a percepção do ambiente escolar de risco. Foram entrevistados 120 estudantes com o mais baixo aproveitamento da cidade de Hermosillo, Sonora, México. A análise de trajetórias indica que as variáveis estudadas protegem os estudantes dos efeitos negativos da percepção do contexto escolar de risco e das amizades de risco.