Feliciano Veiga

Do girls and boys perceive themselves as equally engaged in school? The results of an international study from 12 countries.

This study examined gender differences in student engagement and academic performance in school. Participants included 3420 students (7th, 8th, and 9th graders) from Austria, Canada, China, Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Malta, Portugal, Romania, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The results indicated that, compared to boys, girls reported higher levels of engagement in school and were rated higher by their teachers in academic performance. Student engagement accounted for gender differences in academic performance, but gender did not moderate the associations among student engagement, academic performance, or contextual supports. Analysis of multiple-group structural equation modeling revealed that perceptions of teacher support and parent support, but not peer support, were related indirectly to academic performance through student engagement. This partial mediation model was invariant across gender. The findings from this study enhance the understanding about the contextual and personal factors associated with girls and boys academic performance around the world.

Understanding and Measuring Student Engagement in School: The Results of an International Study from 12 Countries.

The objective of the present study was to develop a scale that is appropriate for use internationally to measure affective, behavioral, and cognitive dimensions of student engagement. Psychometric properties of this scale were examined with data of 3,420 students (7th, 8th, and 9th grade) from 12 countries (Austria, Canada, China, Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Malta, Portugal, Romania, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States). The intraclass correlation of the full-scale scores of student engagement between countries revealed that it was appropriate to aggregate the data from the 12 countries for further analyses. Coefficient alphas revealed good internal consistency. Test-retest reliability coefficients were also acceptable. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the data fit well to a second-order model with affective, behavioral, and cognitive engagement as the first-order factors and student engagement as the second-order factor. The results support the use of this scale to measure student engagement as a metaconstruct. Furthermore, the significant correlations of the scale with instructional practices, teacher support, peer support, parent support, emotions, academic performance, and school conduct indicated good concurrent validity of the scale. Considerations and implications regarding the international use of this student engagement in school measure are discussed.

Cultural universality and specificity of student engagement in school: The results of an international study from 12 countries

BACKGROUNDnA comprehensive understanding of the contextual factors that are linked to student engagement requires research that includes cross-cultural perspectives.nnnAIMSnThis study investigated how student engagement in school is associated with grade, gender, and contextual factors across 12 countries. It also investigated whether these associations vary across countries with different levels of individualism and socio-economic development.nnnSAMPLESnThe participants were 3,420 7th, 8th, and 9th grade students from Austria, Canada, China, Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Malta, Portugal, Romania, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States.nnnMETHODSnThe participants completed a questionnaire to report their engagement in school, the instructional practices they experienced, and the support they received from teachers, peers, and parents. Hierarchical linear modelling was used to examine the effects at both student and country levels.nnnRESULTSnThe results across countries revealed a decline in student engagement from Grade 7 to Grade 9, with girls reporting higher engagement than boys. These trends did not vary across the 12 countries according to the Human Development Index and Hofstedes Individualism Index. Most of the contextual factors (instructional practices, teacher support, and parent support) were positively associated with student engagement. With the exception that parent support had a stronger association with student engagement in countries with higher collectivism, most of the associations between the contextual factors and student engagement did not vary across countries.nnnCONCLUSIONSnThe results indicate both cultural universality and specificity regarding contextual factors associated with student engagement in school. They illustrate the advantages of integrating etic and emic approaches in cross-cultural investigations.

Disruptive behavior scale for adolescents (DISBA): development and psychometric properties

BackgroundGrowing evidence indicates that if disruptive behavior is left unidentified and untreated, a significant proportion of these problems will persist and may develop into problems linked with delinquency, substance abuse, and violence. Research is needed to develop valid and reliable measures of disruptive behavior to assist recognition and impact of treatments on disruptive behavior. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of a scale for disruptive behavior in adolescents.MethodsSix hundred high school students (50% girls), ages ranged 15–18xa0years old, selected through multi stage random sampling. Psychometrics of the disruptive behavior scale for adolescents (DISBA) (Persian version) was assessed through content validity, explanatory factor analysis (EFA) using Varimax rotation and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The reliability of this scale was assessed via internal consistency and test–retest reliability.ResultsEFA revealed four factors accounting for 59% of observed variance. The final 29-item scale contained four factors: (1) aggressive school behavior, (2) classroom defiant behavior, (3) unimportance of school, and (4) defiance to school authorities. Furthermore, CFA produced a sufficient Goodness of Fit Index >xa00.90. Test–retest and internal consistency reliabilities were acceptable at 0.85 and 0.89, respectively.ConclusionsThe findings from this study suggest that the Iranian version of DISBA questionnaire has content validity. Further studies are needed to evaluate stronger psychometric properties for DISBA.

Students' engagement in school and family variables: A literature review

Students engagement in school is regarded in the literature as a current and valued construct despite the lack of empirical studies on its relationship with specific family variables. The present research aimed to survey studies on the correlation between students engagement in school and family contexts, specifically in terms of the following variables: perceived parental support, socioeconomic and sociocultural levels, perceived rights, and parental educational styles. In order to describe the state of the art of students engagement in school and family variables, a narrative review was conducted. The studies reviewed highlight the role of family as a context with significance in students engagement in school. However, further research is needed to deepen the knowledge of this topic considering potential mediator variables, either personal or school variables. It was also found the need for a psychosocial intervention aimed at providing support for the students coming from adverse family contexts who exhibit low level of engagement associated with poor academic achievement and a higher probability of dropping out.

Internacionalização da investigação e do ensino em Psicologia e Educação: demandas Portugal-Brasil

The issue of internationalization of research and teaching has arisen of teaching and research internationalization as important and current in different domains and theoretical models, despite the lack of studies and the necessity of deepening the existing ones. The main purpose of this conference was to consider some specificities of teaching and research internalization in psychology and education, teaching and research focusing on the relationship between Portugal and Brazil. To address the transactional dimension of teaching and research implied considering variables such as education and values, humanization, democratization, fragilities, investments, knowledge environments, visibility, assessment, projects and bilateral agreements. The problem considered was: how do relationships between these variables occur, considering the multiple interactions that constrain them, the global challenges, and the search for Portugal-Brazil interactions? The concept of higher education internationalization has emerged encompassing a diversity of related notions and several development phases. Internationalization was conceptualized as international exchanges related to education, while globalization was understood as an advanced phase of the internationalization process. The lack of empirical studies was observed, although some conceptual perspectives suggest hypothesis to address psychology and education affirmation difficulties, when responding to the challenges posed by teaching and research internationalization, both in general and in the Luso-American knowledge sphere. It can be seen that, throughout history, the greatest mistake in education and science was giving help to the most powerful, in war and in starvation. We conclude by mentioning the urgency to humanize science, internationalizing and presenting it to the citizens, whatever their country. Sociopolitical implications are mentioned, and intervention suggestions are made, directed towards an education for all.