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.

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.

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.

Tipo de ensino e autoconceito artístico de adolescentes / Type of education and artistic self-concept of adolescents

Este estudo teve como principal objetivo realizar uma análise diferencial do autoconceito artístico entre adolescentes que frequentavam o ensino artístico e os que frenquentavam o ensino regular. Responderam à Escala de Autoconceito Artístico e à Escala de Autoconceito e Autoestima para Adolescentes 226 estudantes de escolas da zona metropolitana de Lisboa, dos quais 108 frequentavam o ensino regular e 118 eram alunos de escolas artísticas de música, artes visuais e dança. Os resultados demonstraram que os níveis de autoconceito artístico diferiram de acordo com o contexto educativo: foram favorecidos os alunos do ensino artístico na maioria das dimensões artísticas. Contemplando apenas os alunos do ensino artístico, foi verificado que eles apresentaram níveis superiores na dimensão artística correspondente a sua área de especialização, comparativamente aos seus pares das outras áreas artísticas.(AU)

The main aim of this study was to conduct a differential analysis of the artistic self-concept among adolescents who had an artistic education and those who attended to a non-artistic high-school. A total of 226 students from several artistic and non-artistic schools in the metropolitan area of Lisbon completed the Artistic Self-concept Scale and the Self-concept and Self-esteem Scale for Adolescents. Of these students, 108 were from regular high-schools and 118 were from music, drama and visual arts schools. The results showed that the artistic self-concept differed according to the educational context, favouring the art students in the majority of the artistic dimensions. Considering only the art students, it was also verified that the students presented higher levels in the artistic dimension which represented their area of expertise when compared to their peers from other artistic areas.(AU)

Tipo de ensino e autoconceito artístico de adolescentes / Type of education and artistic self-concept of adolescents

Este estudo teve como principal objetivo realizar uma análise diferencial do autoconceito artístico entre adolescentes que frequentavam o ensino artístico e os que frenquentavam o ensino regular. Responderam à Escala de Autoconceito Artístico e à Escala de Autoconceito e Autoestima para Adolescentes 226 estudantes de escolas da zona metropolitana de Lisboa, dos quais 108 frequentavam o ensino regular e 118 eram alunos de escolas artísticas de música, artes visuais e dança. Os resultados demonstraram que os níveis de autoconceito artístico diferiram de acordo com o contexto educativo: foram favorecidos os alunos do ensino artístico na maioria das dimensões artísticas. Contemplando apenas os alunos do ensino artístico, foi verificado que eles apresentaram níveis superiores na dimensão artística correspondente a sua área de especialização, comparativamente aos seus pares das outras áreas artísticas...

The main aim of this study was to conduct a differential analysis of the artistic self-concept among adolescents who had an artistic education and those who attended to a non-artistic high-school. A total of 226 students from several artistic and non-artistic schools in the metropolitan area of Lisbon completed the Artistic Self-concept Scale and the Self-concept and Self-esteem Scale for Adolescents. Of these students, 108 were from regular high-schools and 118 were from music, drama and visual arts schools. The results showed that the artistic self-concept differed according to the educational context, favouring the art students in the majority of the artistic dimensions. Considering only the art students, it was also verified that the students presented higher levels in the artistic dimension which represented their area of expertise when compared to their peers from other artistic areas...

Validação da escala clima para criatividade em sala de aula / Validation study of the classroom climate for creativity scale

O objetivo deste estudo foi adaptar e validar a Escala sobre o Clima para Criatividade em Sala de Aula para alunos da 5ª série do ensino fundamental. O instrumento foi aplicado em 504 alunos de escolas públicas e particulares do Distrito Federal, a fim de se avaliar o clima de sala de aula na disciplina de língua portuguesa e de matemática. Os resultados da análise fatorial confirmatória indicaram três dimensões associadas ao clima de sala de aula para criatividade: estímulo do professor à criatividade, autopercepção do aluno sobre características criativas e motivação do aluno para aprendizagem. Os valores de alfa de Cronbach oscilaram entre 0,69 e 0,88. Conclui-se que o modelo de três fatores é adequado, e, portanto, a escala pode ser utilizada para pesquisa e avaliação do quanto o clima de sala de aula favorece o desenvolvimento da criatividade.(AU)

The purpose of this study was to adapt and validate the Classroom Climate for Creativity Scale for 5th grade Elementary School students. The instrument was administered to 504 students, from both public and private schools in the Federal District of Brasilia, in order to assess the classroom climate in the subjects of Portuguese and Mathematics. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis showed three dimensions associated with classroom climate for creativity: teacher's stimulus to creativity, student's self-perception of creative characteristics and student's motivation for learning. The alpha coefficient values varied between 0.69 and 0.88. It was concluded that the three-factor model is adequate and, therefore, the scale can be used for research and assessment of the extent to which classroom climate enhances creativity.(AU)

Validação da escala clima para criatividade em sala de aula / Validation study of the classroom climate for creativity scale

O objetivo deste estudo foi adaptar e validar a Escala sobre o Clima para Criatividade em Sala de Aula para alunos da 5ª série do ensino fundamental. O instrumento foi aplicado em 504 alunos de escolas públicas e particulares do Distrito Federal, a fim de se avaliar o clima de sala de aula na disciplina de língua portuguesa e de matemática. Os resultados da análise fatorial confirmatória indicaram três dimensões associadas ao clima de sala de aula para criatividade: estímulo do professor à criatividade, autopercepção do aluno sobre características criativas e motivação do aluno para aprendizagem. Os valores de alfa de Cronbach oscilaram entre 0,69 e 0,88. Conclui-se que o modelo de três fatores é adequado, e, portanto, a escala pode ser utilizada para pesquisa e avaliação do quanto o clima de sala de aula favorece o desenvolvimento da criatividade.

The purpose of this study was to adapt and validate the Classroom Climate for Creativity Scale for 5th grade Elementary School students. The instrument was administered to 504 students, from both public and private schools in the Federal District of Brasilia, in order to assess the classroom climate in the subjects of Portuguese and Mathematics. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis showed three dimensions associated with classroom climate for creativity: teacher's stimulus to creativity, student's self-perception of creative characteristics and student's motivation for learning. The alpha coefficient values varied between 0.69 and 0.88. It was concluded that the three-factor model is adequate and, therefore, the scale can be used for research and assessment of the extent to which classroom climate enhances creativity.

Structural analysis of Castanea sativa Mill. leaves from different regions in the tree top

The aim of this work was to perform the histological characterization of the C. sativa leaves of three Portuguese cultivars to establish comparison among the leaves of the different quadrants in accord and with the cardinal points of the tree top and among different cultivars of this species, using light microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Measurements were also carried out for the leaf tissue thickness, stomatal density, leaf area in the four tree top quadrants. The leaves turned to the North had lesser thickness of mesophyll mainly due to lower amount of palisade parenchyma. The stomatal density was significantly lower in these leaves, unlike the leaf area that has the highest expression.

A organização do autoconceito: análise da estrutura hierárquica em adolescentes / Self-concept organization: analysis of hierarchical structure in adolescents

Este estudo tem como objectivo principal a análise da estrutura hierárquica do autoconceito em adolescentes e, adicionalmente, a comparação dessa estrutura em alunos com e sem repetência no seu passado escolar. Participaram no estudo 943 alunos portugueses do 7º, 9º e 11º ano de escolaridade, que responderam a uma escala de autoconceito e de auto-estima. Os resultados obtidos sustentam a ideia de uma organização hierárquica do autoconceito e um modelo que subdivide o autoconceito em quatro factores de ordem superior. Os resultados sugerem, ainda, uma associação entre a dimensão comportamento e diferentes dimensões de ordem superior, nomeadamente as duas dimensões do autoconceito académico e o autoconceito social. Os resultados divergem quando tomamos alunos com maior e menor sucesso escolar, justificando maior atenção na investigação e na intervenção a este aspecto.

The main goal of this research is to analyze the hierarchical structure of self-concept in adolescents and, additionally, to compare this structure in students who have failed in their academic career and in those who have not. Nine hundred and forty-three Portuguese students from the 7th, 9th and 11th grades participated in the research. They completed self-concept and self-esteem scales. Results support the assertion that self-concept is hierarchically structured, and also support a model that subdivides self-concept into four higher order factors. Results also suggest an association between the behavioral dimension and various different higher order dimensions, namely, the two academic self-concept dimensions and the social self-concept one. However, they show divergences when the structure of self-concept between achievers and underachievers is compared. This aspect needs to be examined with greater attention on future researches and interventions.

A organização do autoconceito: análise da estrutura hierárquica em adolescentes / Self-concept organization: analysis of hierarchical structure in adolescents

Este estudo tem como objectivo principal a análise da estrutura hierárquica do autoconceito em adolescentes e, adicionalmente, a comparação dessa estrutura em alunos com e sem repetência no seu passado escolar. Participaram no estudo 943 alunos portugueses do 7º, 9º e 11º ano de escolaridade, que responderam a uma escala de autoconceito e de auto-estima. Os resultados obtidos sustentam a ideia de uma organização hierárquica do autoconceito e um modelo que subdivide o autoconceito em quatro factores de ordem superior. Os resultados sugerem, ainda, uma associação entre a dimensão comportamento e diferentes dimensões de ordem superior, nomeadamente as duas dimensões do autoconceito académico e o autoconceito social. Os resultados divergem quando tomamos alunos com maior e menor sucesso escolar, justificando maior atenção na investigação e na intervenção a este aspecto.(AU)

The main goal of this research is to analyze the hierarchical structure of self-concept in adolescents and, additionally, to compare this structure in students who have failed in their academic career and in those who have not. Nine hundred and forty-three Portuguese students from the 7th, 9th and 11th grades participated in the research. They completed self-concept and self-esteem scales. Results support the assertion that self-concept is hierarchically structured, and also support a model that subdivides self-concept into four higher order factors. Results also suggest an association between the behavioral dimension and various different higher order dimensions, namely, the two academic self-concept dimensions and the social self-concept one. However, they show divergences when the structure of self-concept between achievers and underachievers is compared. This aspect needs to be examined with greater attention on future researches and interventions.(AU)