ABSTRACT
Many studies have shown the negative impact of lockdowns on adolescents, but there is less evidence on how they are affected by other stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, and, especially, whether there are any differences between early and late adolescence. The current study focuses on the frustration felt by adolescents because of the severe COVID-19 restrictions in a non-lockdown situation. We aimed to (a) assess the role of maturity and two personality traits (emotional stability and extraversion) in predicting their frustration, and (b) compare the levels of frustration, depressive symptoms, and life satisfaction in older and younger adolescents. The sample of older adolescents was also compared with a paired sample of the same age collected in 2018, before the pandemic. The results suggest that maturity, extraversion and emotional stability are predictors of frustration in both older and younger adolescents, although older adolescents reported higher levels of frustration and depressive symptoms, and lower levels of life satisfaction. Older adolescents also reported higher levels of depressive symptoms than adolescents of the same age before the pandemic. These results show the negative impact of the pandemic, especially on older adolescents, and the important role of maturity and some personality traits in predicting their frustration.
ABSTRACT
Many studies highlight the importance of parental involvement in the academic performance of children and adolescents across subject areas. In view of the lack of instruments in Spain to assess family involvement of parents of adolescents, we undertook this study to develop the Spanish adaptation of the Family Involvement Questionnaire - High School version (FIQ-HS). The sample consisted of 928 parents (85.7 % females) with adolescent sons and daughters. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses substantiated the expected three-factor structure (home-school communication, school-based activities, and home-based activities), though seven poorly functioning items were removed. The results show that this instrument has adequate psychometric properties, good reliability, and convergence with another measure of family adaptability and cohesion. Therefore, the FIQ-HS is adequate for the assessment of family involvement in Spanish parents. (AU)
Muchos estudios subrayan la importancia de la implicación familiar en el rendimiento académico de niños y adolescentes en diferentes materias. Teniendo en cuenta la falta de instrumentos en España para evaluar la implicación familiar de los padres de adolescentes, se ha llevado a cabo este estudio para desarrollar una adaptación española del instrumento Family Involvement Questionnaire - High School version (FIQ-HS). La muestra constó de 928 padres (85.7% mujeres) con hijos e hijas adolescentes. Los análisis factoriales exploratorio y confirmatorio confirmaron la estructura esperada de tres factores (comunicación hogar-escuela, actividades basadas en la escuela y actividades basadas en el hogar), aunque se eliminaron siete ítems que presentaban mal funcionamiento. Los resultados muestran que este instrumento presenta unas adecuadas propiedades psicométricas, buena fiabilidad y convergencia con otra medida de adaptabilidad familiar y cohesión. Por lo tanto, el FIQ-HS es adecuado para evaluar la implicación familiar de los padres españoles. (AU)
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Adolescent , Adult , Middle Aged , Surveys and Questionnaires , Adaptation to Disasters , Family Relations , Spain , Stakeholder Participation , Evaluation Studies as Topic , Family , Students , Factor Analysis, Statistical , Psychometrics , Reproducibility of ResultsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Very few studies have examined whether the degree of adolescents' maturity has any effect on their academic performance. Moreover, there are no studies that show whether maturity explains variance additional to that explained by intelligence and personality. For this reason, the main aim of the current study was to determine how psychological maturity, the Big Five personality traits and mental aptitudes contribute to the prediction of adolescent academic performance. METHOD: 305 adolescents took part in the study. We performed correlations, multiple regression analysis and structural equation analysis. RESULTS: As expected, results show that the main predictor is intelligence. The results also show that there is a relationship between psychological maturity and academic performance, although this is due only to the work orientation subscale. Moreover, conscientiousness influences academic performance because of its relation to the maturity factor work orientation. Likewise, openness to experience is also indirectly related to academic performance, due to its relationship with intelligence. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the current study suggest that psychological maturity is related to academic performance. Only two personality traits are correlated to academic performance, conscientiousness and openness to experience, although these traits do not have direct relationships with academic performance.
