ABSTRACT
Students' learning processes are heavily impeded by the COVID-19 pandemic. Students are experiencing more online learning environment and less face-to-face idea exchange, which may make them feel exhausted and demotivated. Using self-determination and proactivity theories, we propose and examine whether playful study design (PSD)-a proactive study strategy including designing fun and designing competition in learning tasks-is effective in fostering study engagement, which, in turn, improves study goal attainment during the COVID-19 period. Moreover, we examine whether students who are high in proactive personality will benefit more (e.g., reach a higher level of study engagement) when using the PSD strategy. We collected data using a weekly diary approach during four consecutive weeks, including 97 people and 308 within-person observations. Results of multilevel analyses showed that weekly PSD was positively related to weekly study engagement, and in turn, facilitated weekly goal attainment. Moreover, we found that proactive personality moderated and strengthened the positive associations between PSD and goal attainment, study engagement and goal attainment, but not for the relationship between PSD and study engagement. Overall, we provide one of the first attempts to demonstrate how PSD strategy can be used in student study life to improve study engagement and reach their goals. We shed light on how proactive personality can safeguard the success of PSD strategy. Theoretical and practical contributions are discussed.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, emergency remote teaching was implemented at all conventional Dutch universities; however, the degree of limitations in on-campus teaching and learning varied during the pandemic dependent on the strictness of the measures. In the present study, it will be investigated how study-related experiences of university students changed in the face of varying limitations in on-campus teaching and learning. Methods: The study had a longitudinal natural experiment design with three points of measurement during the academic year 2020-2021: November-December 2020 (t1; campuses partially open), March 2021 (t2; campuses fully closed) and June-July 2021 (t3; campuses partially open). In total, 680 Dutch university students (65.9% female; age: M = 21 years, SD = 2.06) filled in online surveys measuring study-related wellbeing (academic burnout and study-engagement), study-related behavior (study effort), and study-related attitudes (education satisfaction, online self-efficacy, and attitudes toward online education). Results: Overall, students reported moderate levels of academic burnout, study engagement, study effort, education satisfaction, and online self-efficacy; their attitudes toward online education were rather negative. Students' study-related wellbeing and education satisfaction decreased in the period when on-campus teaching and learning was impossible (t2) compared to periods in which on-campus teaching and learning was possible at a low level with several restrictions (t1 and t3). Students' attitudes toward online education and online self-efficacy slightly increased at the end of the academic year (t3); however, the attitudes toward online education remained negative. Discussion: The findings indicate that students' academic burnout, study engagement, and education satisfaction varied over the course of the academic year in the context of changing limitations in on-campus teaching and learning. To facilitate positive study-related experiences, universities are advised to offer as much on-campus education as possible in times of pandemics.
ABSTRACT
Studyholism (or obsession toward study) is a new potential clinical condition that, in contrast with Study Engagement, is associated with negative outcomes. However, previous studies showed that both Studyholism and Study Engagement predict social impairment due to study. Therefore, we analyzed the role of social anxiety and interpretation bias as predictors of Studyholism and Study Engagement in 541 adolescents (Mage = 16.30 ± 1.59;66% girls). We performed a path analysis model, MANOVAs, and Mann–Whitney tests. Among the main findings, social anxiety is a positive predictor of both Studyholism and Study Engagement. Hence, this provides further support to the conceptualization of Studyholism as an OCD-related disorder (or as an internalizing disorder) and suggests the need of screening socially anxious adolescents for the presence of Studyholism and engaged students for the presence of high social anxiety. Moreover, Studyholism is predicted by a negative interpretation style in non-social situations, while a positive interpretation style predicts Study Engagement in social and non-social situations. Hence, Studyholism and social anxiety are two different diagnoses, even if social anxiety might fuel Studyholism. Moreover, interventions to reduce Studyholism should decrease the tendency to interpret non-social situations negatively or neutrally.
ABSTRACT
The Covid-19 pandemic required the adoption of government measures to contain the spread of the virus, including the closure of universities. This quali-quantitative pilot study aims to analyse, in a sample of 202 Italian university students (Mage = 24.60+/-5.50), whether the health emergency provoked positive and negative (as well as neutral) effects on studying, and if the level of Studyholism (study obsession) and Study Engagement (pleasure/motivation towards studying) differs based on the presence/absence of these effects. The results showed that almost all the students experienced negative effects (83.70%) on studying, while 47.59% of the participants also had positive effects. Furthermore, a minority reported neutral effects (10.40%). Finally, those who reported negative effects have higher levels of Studyholism than those who did not report them;furthermore, those who reported positive effects have lower levels of Studyholism. No differences emerged in the levels of Study Engagement. In conclusion, this study suggests the importance of implementing counseling interventions, also in group and online formats, aimed at enhancing students' resources when faced with stressful situations and at reducing Studyholism. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) (Italian) La pandemia da Covid-19 ha richiesto l'adozione di misure governative volte a contenere la diffusione del virus, tra cui la chiusura delle universita. Questo studio pilota quali-quantitativo ha l'obiettivo di analizzare, in un campione di 202 studenti universitari italiani (Meta = 24.60+/-5.50), se sono stati vissuti effetti positivi e negativi (oltre che neutrali) sullo studio a causa dell'emergenza sanitaria e se il livello di Studyholism (ossessione da studio) e Study Engagement (piacere/motivazione nei confronti dello studio) differisce in base alla presenza/assenza di questi effetti. I risultati hanno evidenziato che quasi la totalita degli studenti ha esperito Effetti Negativi (83.70%) sullo studio, ma che il 47.50% dei partecipanti ha avuto anche Effetti Positivi. Una minoranza, inoltre, ha riportato Effetti Neutrali (10.40%). Infine, chi ha riportato Effetti Negativi ha livelli maggiori di Studyholism rispetto a chi non li ha riportati;inoltre, chi ha riportato Effetti Positivi ha livelli minori di Studyholism. Non sono emerse differenze nei livelli di Study Engagement. In conclusione, questo studio suggerisce l'importanza di implementare interventi di counseling, anche di gruppo e online, volti a potenziare le risorse degli studenti di fronte a situazioni stressanti e a ridurre lo Studyholism. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
Background: The aim of this study is to explore factors influencing the study engagement of health and social professions students during the COVID-19 pandemic. While antecedents of study engagement have been studied previously, the factors influencing engagement under pandemic conditions have not yet been investigated. Furthermore, there is a particular need for research among students in health and social professions programs, as these students are particularly affected by the pandemic. As theoretical basis, the study draws on the demands-resources-theory. It is hypothesized that pandemic-related study and personal resources drive engagement during the pandemic, and that pandemic-related demands negatively influence engagement. Method: The study uses a cross-sectional survey to explore the hypothesized effects. The sample consists of 559 university students of health and social professions in Germany. The study was carried out in July 2020, towards the end of the first digital semester and after the first peak in COVID-19 cases. Data are analyzed using linear multiple regression analysis. Results: The findings show that the demands-resources-theory is suitable to explain study engagement even under pandemic conditions. Suitable digital learning formats and social support are identified as important study resources for study engagement during major life events, while emotional resilience, active self-care and academic self-efficacy are identified as important personal resources. Conclusions: Under pandemic conditions academic institutions should focus on providing beneficial teaching formats and innovative ways to support students lacking social networks. Besides, they should consider developing means to help students structuring daily life as well as establishing initiatives to strengthen students' self-efficacy beliefs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, undergraduate medical students had to follow high amounts of online education. This does not match their preferences and might negatively affect their education satisfaction and study engagement. As low levels of education satisfaction and study engagement are risk factors for burnout and dropout, resources that mitigate these possible negative consequences of forced online education need to be identified. Therefore, the current study investigated 1) the associations of the amount of online education with education satisfaction and study engagement, and 2) whether quantitative (i.e., network size) and qualitative (i.e., perceived support) aspects of peer relationships can buffer the expected negative associations. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, 372 undergraduate medical students from all eight Dutch medical schools (79.8% female; mean age: 20.4 years) completed an online survey assessing the relevant variables. Data were analysed using correlation and moderated mediation analyses. RESULTS: The amount of online education was significantly negatively related to education satisfaction and study engagement. Additionally, higher amounts of online education were indirectly associated with lower levels of study engagement through lower levels of education satisfaction. More importantly, both quantitative and qualitative aspects of peer relationships significantly buffered this negative indirect association. Specifically, among medical students with a large peer network or high levels of perceived peer support, the amount of online education was no longer significantly negatively related to education satisfaction and subsequently to study engagement. CONCLUSIONS: The current study underlines the importance of peer relationships in the educational context, since our findings indicate that both the peer network size and the perceived peer support protect medical students' education satisfaction and study engagement when confronted with study demands, such as forced online education during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings may be translated into educational efforts that stimulate collaborative learning and the formation of formal peer networks.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Education, Distance , Students, Medical , Adult , COVID-19/epidemiology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Male , Pandemics , Personal Satisfaction , SARS-CoV-2 , Young AdultABSTRACT
In light of different challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, university students are considered a particularly vulnerable population to mental health and study engagement issues. The first years at university represent a crucial period for students and are associated with an increase in mental health problems, particularly in healthcare studies. This study aimed (1) to document the current levels of mental health and study engagement among healthcare students in Tunisia, and (2) to investigate the relationships between emotional regulation, optimism, study engagement and common mental health problems (stress, anxiety and depression) among this population. A cross-sectional, electronic survey-based research design was used to draw a sample of 366 health care students from a University in Tunisia. Participants mostly reported mild (34.7%) or moderate (44.3%) levels of depression, moderate (44.7%) or severe (33.6%) levels of anxiety, average (50.8%) or mild (33.8%) levels of stress, and high levels of study engagement (>85%). Through structural equation modelling, the results showed that emotional regulation negatively affected stress, anxiety, and depression. Optimism partially mediated the relationship between emotional regulation, anxiety and depression and fully mediated the relationship between emotional regulation and study engagement. The findings indicated a high prevalence of psychological distress among healthcare university students in Tunisia, and specific protective factors that may be targeted to reduce mental health problems.