Social anxiety and academic performance during COVID-19 in schoolchildren.

The purpose of the present study was to determine the perception of schoolchildren whether their academic performance improved or worsened during the pandemic, analyzing their social anxiety, gender, use of masks in the classroom, and school year. The total sample was 107 primary school students (25 in the fourth, 40 in the fifth and 42 in the sixth grade), with a mean age of 10.51 years old (SD = 1). The gender were 58 girls and 49 boys, from a school in the province of La Coruña (Spain). The study was based on a quantitative methodology, and the design was cross-sectional, descriptive, observational and correlational. The social anxiety questionnaire (CASO-N24) was used to assess social anxiety, and an ad hoc self-report register was elaborated to evaluate sociodemographic variables. The results indicated that 44.8% of the schoolchildren considered that the pandemic had neither improved nor worsened their academic performance. Although 38.3% considered that high and very high social anxiety increased progressively as the school year progressed, both in boys and girls. Besides, the schoolchildren who presented very low and low social anxiety improved their grades in Physical Education, while those who presented high social anxiety worsened them. In conclusion, having a low social anxiety, lower grades before the pandemic and higher grades after, makes children perceive an improvement in their academic performance during the pandemic.

Sex differences across teacher's motivation, teaching satisfaction, loneliness and affects during COVID-19

Resumen: La motivación, la satisfacción docente, la soledad y los estados afectivos son variables significativas en el rendimiento docente. No obstante, la presencia de la docencia en casa durante la COVID-19 puede haber influido en estas variables. Por ello, los objetivos de esta investigación fueron examinar si existen diferencias de sexo en la motivación del docente, la satisfacción docente, la soledad y los estados afectivos;y si existe alguna asociación entre la edad y la motivación del docente, la satisfacción docente, la soledad y los estados afectivos. Una muestra de 315 docentes (Mage=41.95;DT=10.18) participó en el estudio y cumplimentó una serie de cuestionarios de autoinforme durante el periodo de COVID-19 de docencia en casa. Los resultados revelaron que existen diferencias de sexo en la regulación identificada, la soledad y el equilibrio de los afectos negativos. En particular, las docentes obtuvieron puntuaciones significativamente más altas en regulación identificada y equilibrio de los afectos negativos y los docentes reportaron puntuaciones más altas en la variable soledad. En conclusión, se debe considerar crear intervenciones para ayudar a los docentes a reducir las consecuencias negativas de la soledad y los estados afectivos negativos sobre el rendimiento docente y mejorar los perfiles motivacionales, especialmente entre los docentes hombres.Alternate :Motivation, teaching satisfaction, loneliness and affects are significant variables concerning the quality of teaching performance. Nevertheless, the presence of the homebased teaching during COVID-19 could have influenced these variables. As such, the goals of this research were to examine whether there are sex differences in teacher's motivation, teaching satisfaction, loneliness and affects;and if there is any association of age on teacher motivation, teaching satisfaction, loneliness and affects. A sample of 315 teachers (Mage=41.95;SD=10.18) participated in the study and fulfilled a series of self-report questionnaires during COVID-19 homebased teaching. Results revealed significant sex differences in identified regulation, loneliness, and balance of negative affects. In particular, female teachers reported significantly higher scores in identified regulation and balance of negative affects and men reported higher scores in loneliness. In conclusion, it should be considered to create interventions to help teachers to reduce the negative consequences of loneliness and negative affects on teaching performance and to enhance motivational profiles, especially among men teachers.