Valeria Negovan

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

BACKGROUND A comprehensive understanding of the contextual factors that are linked to student engagement requires research that includes cross-cultural perspectives. AIMS This 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. SAMPLES The 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. METHODS The 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. RESULTS The 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. CONCLUSIONS The 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.

Mapping psychological well-being: The case of children and adolescents in Romania

This chapter explores the universe of actors, relations, and reactions that define psychological wellbeing among Romanian children and adolescents. Using a qualitative methodology based on ecomaps, interviews, and focus groups, this study followed a qualitative, emic approach, trying to bring children’s voices to the fore. Findings revealed a rich world of social relations in which Romanian participants are immersed, all contributing, to some extent, to their state of wellbeing. The four main categories of actors our participants referred to in their drawings and stories were: (a) members of the nuclear family, (b) members of the extended family, (c) teachers, and (d) friends. The chapter explores in detail the types of relationships, their supportive or stressful aspects, and children and adolescents’ reactions to stress and support developed in relation to these and other actors. It is hoped, therefore, that our study offers not only important practical information for psychologists, teachers, and parents in Romania but can also contribute to a better understanding of psychological wellbeing as a multifaceted, cultural construct.

Preparation of School/Educational Psychologists in Romania

This article focuses on the academic and professional training of educational/school psychologists in Romania. Their training mirrors the countrys history, legal provisions, social qualities, and current professional status of psychologists and their specialization. Efforts to increase the quality of training for educational/school psychologists are described. Multicultural, regional, and international emphases are discussed as well as program strengths and weaknesses.