How Does Active Learning Pedagogy Shape Learner Curiosity? A Multi-Site Mediator Study of Learner Engagement among 45,972 Children.

Curiosity is one of the most fundamental biological drives that stimulates individuals' intense desire to explore, learn, and create. Yet, mechanisms of how curiosity is influenced by instructional pedagogy remain unclear. To shed light on this gap, the present study sets out to investigate the underlying channels linking active learning pedagogy, learner engagement, and learner curiosity, employing a partial least-squares structural equation model leveraging the Social and Emotional Skills Survey dataset across ten sites (N = 45,972). Findings indicate that active learning pedagogy is positively associated with learner engagement (std. ß = 0.016, p = 0.005), but there lacks a significant direct effect on learner curiosity (std. ß = -0.001, p = 0.738). Structural mediation results show that learner engagement is a key mediating channel linking active learning pedagogy and learner curiosity (std. ß = 0.013, p = 0.005).

Depressive Symptoms as Mediator on the Link between Physical Activity and Cognitive Function: Longitudinal Evidence from Older Adults in China.

OBJECTIVES: This study examines the extent to which depressive symptoms mediate the link between physical activity and cognitive function among older adults in China. METHODS: This study utilizes the 2013-18 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) dataset, of which 3,658 subjects over the age of 50 satisfied inclusion criteria. Degree of physical activity, prevalence of depressive symptoms, and performance in cognitive function are measured by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD), the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) instruments. A structural mediation model was built to assess the degree to which depressive symptoms act as mediator between physical activity and cognitive function. RESULTS: Physical activity is positively and significantly associated with cognitive function (std ß = 0.034, p-value = .007), while physical activity is negatively and significantly associated with prevalence of depressive symptoms (std ß = -0.088, p-value < .001). Results indicate that depressive symptoms partially and significantly mediate the relationship between physical activity and cognitive function (std ß = 0.003, p-value = .035). Total influence of physical activity on cognitive performance is evaluated to be 0.037 standard deviations (p-value = .035). CONCLUSIONS: Findings uncover an underexamined mental well-being channel through which physical activity can positively influence late adulthood cognition. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: In recommending behavioral modifications to reduce risks of late adulthood cognitive decline, encouraging physical activity for older individuals is key, since it is both directly associated with better cognitive performance, as well as indirectly through lowering prevalence of depressive symptoms.

Quantifying the parallel mediation influence of body mass index and depression on physical activity and cognitive function among 3,611 Chinese older adults.

Background: Engagement in physically active lifestyles brings multidimensional health benefits including better cognitive function. While prior studies examined the link between physical activity and cognitive function, a remaining unanswered question is what modifiable factors channel such effects. Objective: This study investigates the extent to which subject's body mass index (BMI) and depression mediate the link between physical activity and cognitive function among older adults in China. Methods: This study builds a parallel structural equation model utilizing the 2013-2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) dataset. We screened a total of 14,724 subjects, among which 3,611 subjects met the inclusion criteria. Physical activity, depression, and cognitive function are measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), Center for Epidemiological Research Depression Scale (CES-D), and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) instruments. Results: Parallel mediation analyses indicate that depression significantly mediates the link between physical activity and cognitive function (std. ß = 0.023, p-value = 0.010), while no significant mediation was observed via BMI (std. ß = 0.005, p-value = 0.155). Findings also show that physical activity is positively associated with cognitive function (std. ß = 0.104, p-value = 0.004), whereas physical activity is inversely associated with BMI (std. ß = -0.072, p-value = 0.045). Both BMI (std. ß = -0.071, p-value = 0.042) and depression (std. ß = -0.199, p-value = 0.001) are negatively associated with cognitive function. Conclusion: This study quantifies the positive association between physical activity and cognitive function in older Chinese adults, and uncovers a significant mediation channel occurring through depression. From a clinical perspective, physical behavioral modifications can lead to linked improvements in both mental and cognitive wellbeing for older adults.

Psychosocial Mediation of Light-Moderate Physical Activity and Cognitive Performance among Adults Aged 60+ in China.

Physical activity is a key determinant of healthy ageing; yet, little is known about the varying degrees of benefits by intensity nor the mediating mechanisms that operate through psychosocial health. Leveraging structural mediation analysis using the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) national survey data, we screened 4371 community-dwelling older adults, and investigated the mediation mechanism of psychosocial health on the link between light-moderate physical activity and cognitive performance. Physical activity intensity, psychosocial health, and cognitive performance were measured by the international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ), the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD), and the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) instruments, respectively. Results show that, while light physical activity (LPA) and moderate physical activity (MPA) both significantly contribute to better cognitive performance, psychosocial health is a significant mediator only for LPA but not for MPA. For direct pathways, both LPA (std. ß = 0.062, p < 0.001, 95% confidence interval = 0.032−0.091) and MPA (std. ß = 0.049, p = 0.001, 95% CI = 0.019−0.078) have significant influence on cognitive performance. For mediation pathways, results show that there exists only one indirect channel through which psychosocial health mediates the influence of LPA (std. ß = 0.024, p < 0.001, 95% CI = 0.016−0.033), which accounts for 27.9% of the total effect linking LPA and cognitive performance. Findings uncover an important indirect psychosocial mediation channel through which LPA affects cognitive performance among older adults.