Examining Mental Health Differences between Transfer and Nontransfer University Students Seeking Counseling Services

This article sought to examine the differences between transfer and nontransfer students on mental health factors, social involvement, and academic success. It was found that transfer students had significantly higher scores on several mental health factors as compared to nontransfer students. It was also found that transfer students were less involved in athletics and campus organizations, but engaged in more work hours per week. Finally, results indicated that the transfer students were not experiencing significant differences in their academic performance compared to nontransfer students. Future research should examine these differences to better understand the impact of the transition and adjustment of transferring to a new institution.     

The academic achievement of students in a New Zealand university: Does it pay to work?

There is growing concern about the detrimental effect of term-time employment on university students’ academic success. We report results from an online survey of 1837 students of the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, whose responses were later matched to their academic records for a semester. The majority of employed students reported working out of financial necessity. There was no difference in grades between employed and non-employed students, but hours worked had a direct negative linear effect on the grades of employed students. Subsequent analysis suggested that employed students might have had significantly higher grades than the non-employed subsample if they had not worked. Mediating and moderating effects on the relationship between hours worked and academic performance were identified, and a model of the work–achievement relationship developed. Universities could do more to accommodate the reality of part-time work by their students.     

THE EFFECTS OF MIDDLE SCHOOL BULLYING AND VICTIMIZATION ON ADJUSTMENT THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL: GROWTH MODELING OF ACHIEVEMENT,SCHOOL ATTENDANCE,AND DISCIPLINARY TRAJECTORIES

The current 5‐year longitudinal study examined the effects of middle school bullying and victimization on adolescent academic achievement, disciplinary referrals, and school attendance through high school (N = 2030; 1016 both boys and girls). Greater engagement in bullying behaviors was concurrently associated with lower achievement and school attendance for girls and higher levels of disciplinary problems, and, for girls, predicted increases in disciplinary referrals through high school. Victimization was unrelated to school adjustment difficulties when controlling for bullying. Moreover, academic achievement was longitudinally associated with disciplinary referrals and school attendance. These findings outline concurrent school adjustment difficulties associated with engagement in bullying behavior, the longer‐term behavioral ramifications for girls, and the relations of behavioral and academic development from middle school to high school.     

Employment During High School and Student Achievement: Longitudinal Analysis of National Data

Abstract

The relationship between employment and academic performance in a nationally representative sample of U.S. students was examined in a longitudinal study as the students progressed from Grade 8 to 12. The participants (N = 15,552) took part in the base year (1988), first follow-up (1990), and second follow-up (1992) of the National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS). Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the NELS data set while controlling for the effects of family background, previous achievement, gender, and ethnicity. Employment had an overall negative and curvilinear effect on high school GPA. Students who worked fewer than 12 hr per week fared better academically than those students who were not employed. A significant decline in academic performance was observed when students worked more than 11–13 hr per week.     

Substance use, substance abuse, and LD among adolescents with a childhood history of ADHD

A clinic-referred sample of 109 children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was followed into adolescence for the ascertainment of alcohol and other drug use and abuse. Learning disability (reading or math) in childhood was examined as a predictor of adolescent substance use and substance use disorder for alcohol and marijuana. No statistically significant group differences for children with LD versus those without LD emerged even after using different methods to compute LD. IQ/achievement discrepancy scores were similarly not predictive of later use or abuse. However, children with ADHD who had higher IQs and higher levels of academic achievement in childhood were more likely to try cigarettes, to smoke daily, and to have their first drink of alcohol or first cigarette at an early age. Children with ADHD who had higher reading achievement scores were less likely to have later alcohol use disorder. Although these findings are necessarily preliminary, due to the small number of children interviewed, the pattern of results suggests that level of cognitive functioning--rather than discrepancy between IQ and achievement--is important for the prediction of later substance use and abuse, at least in this clinic-referred sample of children with ADHD. Further, different mechanisms of risk related to cognitive functioning may be operating for experimentation with legal drugs such as alcohol and tobacco, regular cigarette smoking, and problematic alcohol use.     

A mixed-methods evaluation of the experience of emerging young adult care partners

There is limited literature on emerging young adult (EYA) care partners, despite a recent rise in interest in this group. The purpose of this study is to compare EYA care partners and their non-care partner peers in the domains of academic achievement and engagement, employment, health-related behaviors and self-care, and mental health and respite, as well as to assess EYA care partners’ burden and potential for positive psychosocial sequelae and life changes as a result of their role. Further, within EYA care partners, we examine the relationship between mental health variables and care partner-relevant variables. Two hundred undergraduates (100 care partners and 100 non-care partners) completed measures of academic achievement and engagement (grade point average and credit load), employment (number of paid positions held and number of hours worked per week), health-related behavior/self-care (visits to the dentist, primary care physician, optometrist, diet healthfulness, exercise, cigarette smoking, and drinks per week) and mental health/respite (depression, anxiety, loneliness, drinking, social support, peer pressure, vacation recency, and frequency). Care partners completed measures of spiritual well-being, burden, meaning, and benefit-finding, as well as provided qualitative feedback on how caregiving changed their lives. EYA care partners and non-care partners did not differ on any variables examined except for the number of jobs held, as EYA care partners held more paid jobs than EYA non-care partners. EYA care partners showed moderate burden and high levels of finding meaning/benefit, the latter of which was supported by the themes that emerged from their qualitative data. Within EYA care partners, we found that depression and anxiety (mental health variables) were significantly related to spiritual well-being, burden, benefit finding, and finding meaning through caregiving (care partner-relevant variables). It is encouraging that the care partner and non-care partner groups were similar in domains critical for this age group, such as academic achievement and engagement.     

Effects of Student Displacement in Louisiana During the First Academic Year After the Hurricanes of 2005

The combined impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 left the education system in the Gulf Coast region of the United States with tremendous challenges to rebuild infrastructure, reestablish services, and accommodate the movements of students that occurred as result of the storms. This article focuses on Louisiana's public school students, of whom 1/4 were displaced as a result of the storms. It explores the experiences of students and the effects of student movements on student achievement and on the state's public education system during the first academic year following the hurricanes. Results suggest that, overall, the education system handled the disruptions of the disaster relatively well. However, more detailed examinations show that some displaced students had problems such as nonenrollment or poor attendance, mental health or behavioral problems, and academic setbacks. Negative achievement effects, which were small overall, were most pronounced among students who remained displaced for the duration of the academic year, and appeared to be mitigated by students' tendency to enroll in schools with higher student performance than their original schools. Additional results show that the negative effects were associated with both the number of schools attended and the amount of school time lost. However, these analyses do not include the displaced students who did not reenroll in a Louisiana public school. These students constitute more than a 1/4 of displaced students and tended to be those who are most at risk for poor academic outcomes.     

Employment and Achievement in a Problem‐Based Curriculum

The purpose of this study is twofold: first, to examine to what extent the time students work on paid jobs is related to study‐time (class attendance and time devoted to self‐study) and second, to what extent the time students work on paid jobs is related to achievement. A number of 120 students from the problem‐based Faculty of Health Sciences in the Netherlands kept a time‐diary. Academic achievement was measured by using scores on the block‐test. The results showed that working about four to eight hours per week on paid jobs (as opposed to working less than four hours per week or to working intensively, more than 8 hours per week) actually is positively related to study‐time. Test‐scores are not significantly different among students who are not working on jobs, work some hours, or work a lot.     

高中生生活事件与心理健康及主观幸福感的相关研究

采用青少年生活事件量表、中学生心理健康问卷、青少年主观幸福感量表对468名高中学生进行测查，结果表明(1)高中生的心理健康水平整体情况良好，生活满意度整体处于中等以上的水平，其体验到较多的友谊满意感和家庭满意感，较低的学业满意感；(2)生活事件在心理健康水平和主观幸福感各个纬度上均存在显相关；(3)影响高中生心理健康的主要因素有学习压力、消极情感、其他生活事件、自由满意度、家庭满意度、人际关系、积极情感、受惩罚、健康适应。     

Does Parental Involvement Matter for Student Achievement and Mental Health in High School?

Parental involvement in education remains important for facilitating positive youth development. This study conceptualized parental involvement as a multidimensional construct—including school‐based involvement, home‐based involvement, and academic socialization—and examined the effects of different types of parental involvement in 10th grade on student achievement and depression in 11th grade (approximately ages 15–17 years). In addition, this study tested whether parental involvement influenced adolescent outcomes by increasing their academic engagement in school. A total of 1,056 adolescents participated in the study (51% males; 53% European American, 40% African American, and 7% other). Parental involvement was found to improve academic and emotional functioning among adolescents. In addition, parental involvement predicted adolescent academic success and mental health both directly and indirectly through behavioral and emotional engagement.     

Relationships among stress,coping, and mental health in high‐achieving high school students

This study investigates the relationships among stress, coping, and mental health in 139 students participating in an International Baccalaureate (IB) high school diploma program. Mental health was assessed using both positive indicators (life satisfaction, academic achievement, academic self‐efficacy) and negative indicators (psychopathology) of adolescent social‐emotional and school functioning. Findings include that students in an IB program perceive significantly more stress than a sample of 168 of their general education peers, and that specific coping styles are differentially related to mental health outcomes in this subgroup of high‐achieving high school students. Furthermore, coping styles (specifically, anger and positive appraisal) moderate the influence of stress on global life satisfaction and internalizing symptoms of psychopathology. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Two Are Better Than One: The Joint Influence of Maternal Preparedness for Parenting and Children's Self-Esteem on Academic Achievement and Adjustment

Research Findings: This study investigated the joint influence of maternal cognitive readiness to parent and children's self-esteem on children's academic achievement and behavioral adjustment in the classroom at age 10. Participants were 153 adolescent mothers and their firstborn children. Findings indicated that low levels of prenatal maternal cognitive readiness to parent were associated with impairments in children's achievement and adjustment at age 10, regardless of the children's level of self-esteem. Among dyads in which mothers were more cognitively prepared for the parenting role, however, children with higher self-esteem showed notably better achievement and adjustment compared to those with lower self-esteem. These results illustrate the joint influence of mothers' preparedness for parenting and children's self-esteem on the school performance of children who are generally considered to be at high risk for impairments in achievement and adjustment. Practice or Policy: Findings are discussed in terms of the enduring impact of cognitive readiness to parent and self-esteem on the academic achievement and behavioral adjustment of at-risk children, with a focus on implications for intervention and prevention based on the specific findings from this study.     

Computer Use and Academic Development in Secondary Schools

Several studies provide preliminary evidence that computer use is positively related to academic performance; however, no clear relationship has yet been established. Using a national database, we analyzed how students’ school behavior (i.e., evaluated by English and math teachers) and standardized test scores (e.g., math and reading) are related to computer use for school work or other than school work for the tenth grade student. While controlling socioeconomic status (SES), home computer access, parental involvement, and students’ academic expectation variables, the students who used a computer for one hour per day showed more positive school behaviors and higher reading and math test scores. This article concludes with implications for future study to better understand the impact of computer use on adolescent academic development.     

Sex work and students: an exploratory study

Available evidence suggests that changes in the funding of higher education have led to some students entering the sex industry in order to make ends meet. The current study comprises a sample of undergraduates (N = 130) in the south of England, who completed a cross‐sectional survey of their financial circumstances, health, psychological well‐being, substance use and lifestyle. A response rate of 74% was obtained. Data indicated that over 10% of all respondents knew of students engaged in sex work (defined as prostitution, escorting, lap dancing or stripping) in order to support themselves financially. Poor psychological well‐being, drinking problems and financial circumstances were associated with sex work, and although no direct evidence was found linking this to an earlier history of sexual abuse, there was an indirect relationship through the impact of abuse on mental health. A logistic regression model incorporating General Health Questionnaire scores, alcohol problems and hours worked outside of study strongly predicted whether respondents knew of students engaged in sex work. For lap dancing in particular the model was very strong. This study provides further evidence of students' participation in sex work and its association with economic circumstances. Further longitudinal work is required to clarify the nature of these relationships.     

Effects of a Developmentally Based Intervention With Teachers on Native American and White Early Adolescents’ Schooling Adjustment in Rural Settings

This study reports the effectiveness of a developmentally based, teacher professional development intervention aimed at improving early adolescent school adjustment. Teachers in rural schools in a Northern Plains state took part in professional development activities across a year. Following a randomized control trial design, Native American and White students’ (N = 165) social, behavioral, and academic adjustment was assessed in intervention compared with control schools. Regression analyses, controlling for baseline and demographic variables, indicated that students in intervention schools improved in achievement, and improved or sustained beginning-of-year schooling dispositions, and perceptions of the school social/affective context, in comparison with evident declines for students in control schools. Native American students more so than White students evidenced particular gains in achievement and perceptions of the school social/affective context.     

Holism, contextual variability, and the study of friendships in adolescent development

This study treated a key relationship in the developmental ecology of adolescence, friendships, as multidimensional and context specific. First, it examined 4 characteristics of friends (academic achievement, alcohol use, emotional distress, and extracurricular participation) as independent factors and as components in holistic friendship group profiles. Longitudinal analyses of 9,224 adolescents (ages 12-20) revealed that multiple characteristics of friends predicted adolescent behavioral problems, as did membership in the best adjusted group profile. Second, the study examined whether the associations between friendship factors and adolescent behavior varied as a function of the larger peer network and school context, finding that network centrality, school academic press, and intergenerational bonding in schools conditioned the role of friends' characteristics and group profiles in positive and negative ways.     

A multicultural,gender, and sexually diverse affirming school-based consultation framework

Gender and sexually diverse (GSD) students face unique challenges in schools due to the privileging of cisgender and heterosexist norms in these settings. In particular, GSD youth who belong to ethnically and racially minoritized groups face further challenges within school environments that disregard their cultural contexts and intersectional identities. It is important for school psychologists to ensure safe and high-quality mental health, educational, and behavioral supports for these students. One possible avenue for building these types of supports is through school consultation. When school psychologists collaborate with other professionals in a culturally competent, participatory way, their work has the potential to bolster behavioral, academic, and mental health outcomes at the individual, group, and/or systems levels. Adapting Ingraham's multicultural school consultation model, this article proposes a multicultural, GSD affirming school consultation framework that also approaches the experiences of racially and ethnically minoritized individuals through the lenses of intersectionality and minority stress frameworks. Across its five domains, this adapted framework aims to give practitioners and researchers a conceptual foundation to support GSD students of minoritized ethnic and racial identities by considering interactions among consultants, consultees, and clients within their wider school contexts.     

Academic Achievement Performance of University Students with Disability: Exploring the Influence of Non-academic Factors

This study examined whether: (1) the non-academic constructs of psychological well-being, motivation to learn and quality of life (QOL) explained the variance in the academic achievement of students with disability; and (2) students with a mental health disability (MHD) differed from students with other disability on academic achievement and on the aforementioned non-academic constructs. Eighty-three students with disability were administered the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, the World Health Organisation QOL questionnaire, and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale. Grade-point average was used as the measure of academic achievement. The results showed that measures of social relationships and self-efficacy were significant explanatory variables that could clarify the variance in academic achievement. Secondly, students with MHD differed from students with other disabilities on measures of psychological health, physical health, and social relationships. The findings have consequences for learning services provided to students with disability. It highlights the importance of examining the influence of disability type on student’s cognitive and behavioural dimensions such as their motivation to learn, engagement, persistence and academic attainment.