Deterioro cognitivo en ancianos de centros residenciales. Causas y variables sociodemográficas / Cognitive impairment of nursing homes. Causes and sociodemographic variables

Objetivo: Conocer la prevalencia del deterioro cognitivo y la patología con la que se vincula en una muestra de personas mayores que viven en residencias, e identificar la relación del deterioro cognitivo y el diagnóstico asociado con las variables sociodemográficas sexo, edad y nivel de estudios. Metodología: Estudio de naturaleza cuantitativa, observacional, descriptiva, correlacional y de corte transversal, con participación de 8 centros residenciales de atención sociosanitaria en la provincia de Pontevedra. La población de estudio son usuarios de nuevo ingreso (año 2017) que cumplían los siguientes requisitos: tener 60 años o más, tener una valoración cognitiva realizada al ingreso y que la presencia de deterioro cognitivo fuera permanente. Resultados: De 390 usuarios, 312 presentaban deterioro cognitivo (80%). La prevalencia del deterioro cognitivo en las mujeres fue del 86,2%, y en los que no poseen estudios o con estudios primarios, del 87%. Se estima que el deterioro cognitivo se deriva de los trastornos neurocognitivos en el 77,1% de los casos. La depresión está presente en el 27,5% de los usuarios con deterioro cognitivo. Conclusiones: El deterioro cognitivo estuvo presente en 8 de cada 10 ancianos, el trastorno neurocognitivo es el problema más frecuente del que deriva el deterioro cognitivo, seguido por la depresión. Ser mujer, tener más edad y un nivel de estudios bajo se relacionan con una mayor casuística de deterioro cognitivo (AU)

Objective: To know the prevalence of cognitive dysfunction (CD) and the pathology with which it is linked, in a sample of elderly people who live in residences, and to identify the relationship between the CD and the diagnosis associated with sociodemographic variables of sex, age and academic level. Methodology: Study quantitative, observational, descriptive, correlational and cross-sectional. Eight residential centers for socio-health care in the province of Pontevedra, Spain, participated. The study population was the newly elderly people registered (year 2017) who met the following requirements: being 60 years old or older, having a cognitive assessment performed on admission and a permanent CD diagnosis. Results: Out of 390 users, 312 presented CD (80%). The prevalence of CD in women was 86.2%, while in those with no or primary education it was 87%. It was estimated that CD derives from neurocognitive disorders (TNC) in 77.1% of cases. Depression was present in 27.5% of elderly people with CD. Conclusions: CD was present in 8 out of 10 elderly people, TNC is the most frequent illness associated CD, followed by depression. Being a woman and older as well as having a low level of education are related to a greater casuistry of CD (AU)

Involvement in self-care and psychological well-being of Spanish family caregivers of relatives with dementia.

The provision of continuous care to a dependent person can lead to a lack of self-care by the caregiver themselves with corresponding low levels of well-being. This well-being has been analysed mostly from within the perspective of the hedonic tradition, with the development of personal growth often being overlooked. This study aims to increase the understanding of the connection between this type of psychological well-being and involvement in self-care activities, and to be a starting point for the determination of categories that may serve in the screening of potential participants in social-health interventions where it is being promoted. Taking the hypothesis of a probable positive connection between psychological well-being and involvement in self-care, an observational study was carried out on 45 caregivers of relatives with dementia. In those caregivers showing greater dedication to self-care, a higher score was obtained on the well-being scales connected to personal significance and positive emotions and experiences. These findings were further reinforced by the identification of other positive connections, the involvement in self-care and the six dimensions of wellness contemplated by Ryff. It is possible to envisage the existence of a virtuous circle in respect of the caregiver, whereby a greater involvement in self-care is related to a higher psychological well-being, which in turn is related to greater self-care, and so on.

Physiotherapeutic intervention to promote self-care: exploratory study on Spanish caregivers of patients with dementia.

The caregivers of dependent persons should benefit from social-health interventions that empower them. Physiotherapists can play an important role as facilitators of self-care learning by boosting the mind-body interaction. The aim of this study was to analyse the efficacy of a physiotherapeutic intervention centered on the promotion of self-care within a sample of caregivers, members of four Spanish Associations of Relative of Alzheimer's and other dementias. To fulfill the study goal, a pre-experimental study was developed with two different groups. Group 1 participated in four training sessions based exclusively on the communication of information and which addressed, among other aspects, the most frequent health problems in caregivers and the powerful role of self-care to face such problems. Group 2 received the same theoretical information as group 1, followed by 10 sessions of practical training in several concrete strategies of body-mind self-care. The results obtained support the usefulness of combining theoretical and practical training in mind-body strategies (relaxation, self-massage and stretching), as such combination managed to favor their implication to self-care and certain dimensions of psychological well-being, while attenuating the burden. Conversely, training based solely on theoretical approaches was not beneficial. Besides evidencing the usefulness of combining passive and active methodologies to favor self-care, the data provided calls for greater consideration of aspects close to philosophical perspectives like personal growth.

Afrontamiento y regulación emocional en estudiantes de fisioterapia / Coping and Emotional Regulation among Physiotherapy Undergraduates

Resumen Esta investigación tuvo un doble objetivo: la identificación de distintos perfiles de regulación emocional y la comprobación de si estos perfiles se diferencian en el uso de estrategias de afrontamiento ante el estrés académico. Participaron 487 estudiantes de fisioterapia (74% mujeres) de distintas universidades, con edades comprendidas entre 18 y 40 años. Se aplicó la Escala de Dificultades en la Regulación Emocional (Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale [DERS]) y la escala de Estrategias de Afrontamiento del Cuestionario de Estrés Académico (CEA). Se obtuvo un total de tres perfiles de regulación emocional en el análisis de conglomerados. El primero está compuesto por estudiantes con una baja regulación emocional, un segundo grupo con resultados mixtos y un tercer conglomerado que muestra una alta regulación emocional. Se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en el uso del total de estrategias de afrontamiento entre los perfiles de baja y alta regulación emocional.

Abstract This paper aims to identify different profiles of emotional regulation, and to see if they differ in academic stress coping strategies. The participants were 487 physiotherapy students (74% female) from different universities, aged between 18 and 40 years. The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) and Cuestionario de Estrés Académico (CEA) were applied. A total of three emotional regulation profiles were obtained in the cluster analysis. The first one is composed of students with low emotional regulation, a second group with mixed results was obtained and a third cluster shows students with high emotional regulation. Statistically significant differences in all the coping strategies were found between the profiles of low and high emotional regulation.

What and How Much Do Children Lose in Academic Settings Owing to Parental Separation?

The literature has firmly established an association between parental separation and school failure. Nevertheless, parental separation does not affect academic aptitudes. Thus, mediators explain such relationship. A field study was designed to identify and quantify damage in the mediating variables between parental separation and school failure (i.e., external school adjustment, aversion to institution, aversion to learning, aversion to instruction, aversion to teachers, indiscipline). A total of 196 children, classified into three age cohorts: 109 in level 1 (from 8 to 11 years), 46 in level 2 (from 12 to 14 years), and 41 in level 3 (15 or more years), were assessed in school adjustment and in underlying dimensions of school (mal)adjustment. The results showed significant effects of parental separation in school adjustment and in the underlying dimensions to maladjustment in the three classification levels. The magnitude of damage increased with age, i.e., small in level 1, moderate in 2, and large in 3. Damage in all the sub-dimensions underlying school (mal)adjustment was quantified. The implications of the results for the design and implementation of prevention and intervention programs for children from separated parents are discussed.

Perfiles motivacionales y diferencias en variables afectivas, motivacionales y de logro / Motivational profiles and differences in affective, motivational and achievement variables

En este trabajo se pretende identificar si existen combinaciones de múltiples metas que dan lugar a diferentes perfiles motivacionales. La muestra está integrada por 1924 estudiantes universitarios. A través del análisis de conglomerados se han identificado seis perfiles motivacionales. Los resultados indican que el perfil motivacional que engloba a los estudiantes que están motivados para aprender, pero también para conseguir mejores resultados que los demás y para evitar dar una mala imagen ante ellos, son los que informan de un mejor rendimiento académico y los que creen también tener un nivel más alto de conocimientos en las materias académicas que están cursando. Por otro lado, los estudiantes con un perfil motivacional orientado al aprendizaje son los que hacen una valoración más alta de las tareas, los que tienen un mayor grado de control sobre su proceso de aprendizaje, y los que tienen unos niveles más bajos de ansiedad.

The purpose of this work is to identify whether there are combinations of multiple goals that lead to different motivational profiles. The sample is made up of 1924 university students. By means of cluster analysis, six motivational profiles were identified. The results indicate that the motivational profile that comprises students who are motivated to learn, but also to achieve better results that the rest and to avoid making a bad impression on them are the students who report better academic achievement and also the students who believe they have a higher level of knowledge in the academic subjects they are studying. However, students with a learning oriented motivational profile value the tasks more, have more control over their learning process, and have lower levels of anxiety.

Academic goals and learning quality in higher education students.

In this paper, the relations between academic goals and various indicators that define the quality of the learning process are analyzed. The purpose was to determine to what extent high, moderate, or low levels of academic goals were positively or negatively related to effort regulation, the value assigned to academic tasks, meta-cognitive self-regulation, self-efficacy, beliefs about learning control, and management of time and study environment. The investigation was carried out with a sample of 632 university students (70% female and 30% male) and mean age of 21.22 (SD=2.2).The results show that learning goals, or task orientation, are positively related to all the indictors of learning quality considered herein. Although for other kinds of goals-work-avoidance goals, performance-approach goals, and performance-avoidance goals-significant relations were not found with all the indicators, there was a similar tendency of significant results in all cases; the higher the levels of these goals, the lower the levels of the indicators of learning quality.

Academic Goals and Learning Quality in Higher Education Students

In this paper, the relations between academic goals and various indicators that define the quality of the learning process are analyzed. The purpose was to determine to what extent high, moderate, or low levels of academic goals were positively or negatively related to effort regulation, the value assigned to academic tasks, meta-cognitive self-regulation, self-efficacy, beliefs about learning control, and management of time and study environment. The investigation was carried out with a sample of 632 university students (70% female and 30% male) and mean age of 21.22 (SD=2.2). The results show that learning goals, or task orientation, are positively related to all the indictors of learning quality considered herein. Although for other kinds of goals -work-avoidance goals, performance-approach goals, and performance-avoidance goals- significant relations were not found with all the indicators, there was a similar tendency of significant results in all cases; the higher the levels of these goals, the lower the levels of the indicators of learning quality (AU)

En este trabajo se analizan las relaciones de las metas académicas con varios indicadores que definen la calidad del proceso de aprendizaje. Se trata de comprobar hasta qué punto el tener niveles altos, moderados o bajos en las metas académicas se relaciona positiva o negativamente en la regulación del esfuerzo, en el valor asignado a las tareas académicas, en la autorregulación metacognitiva, en la autoeficacia, en las creencias de control y en la gestión del tiempo y ambiente de estudio. La investigación se llevó a cabo con una muestra de 632 estudiantes universitarios (70% mujeres y 30% hombres) con una edad media de 21.22 (SD=2.2). Los resultados encontrados demuestran que las learning goals, o de aproximación a la tarea, se encuentran relacionadas positivamente con todos los indicadores de calidad del aprendizaje contemplados. En los otros tipos de metas -work-avoidance goals, performance-approach goals and performance avoidance goals-, aún no habiendo una relación significativa con todos los indicadores, la tendencia de los resultados significativos es la misma en todos los casos, cuanto más altos son los niveles de estas metas, más bajos son los niveles indicadores de calidad del aprendizaje (AU)

Self-regulated profiles and academic achievement.

To date, research on the relation between learning self-regulation and academic achievement has generally show disparate results. This work intends to look into this relation from a new perspective, which consists in classifying the students as more or less self-regulated depending on diverse indicators and using cluster analysis. The aim of this work was to identify the possible self-regulated learning profiles in a sample of university students. By means of stepwise linear regression analysis, we determined which of the selected variables better predicted metacognitive self-regulation. Then, three significantly different self-regulated learning profiles were obtained by two-step cluster analysis with those variables. Lastly, ANOVA was used to analyse the relation between the self-regulated learning profiles and academic achievement. The implications of these data for the educational practice at university are discussed.

Self-regulated profiles and academic achievement / Perfiles de aprendizaje autorregulado y rendimiento académico

To date, research on the relation between learning self-regulation and academic achievement has generally show disparate results. This work intends to look into this relation from a new perspective, which consists in classifying the students as more or less self-regulated depending on diverse indicators and using cluster analysis. The aim of this work was to identify the possible self-regulated learning profiles in a sample of university students. By means of stepwise linear regression analysis, we determined which of the selected variables better predicted metacognitive self-regulation. Then, three significantly different self-regulated learning profiles were obtained by two-step cluster analysis with those variables. Lastly, ANOVA was used to analyse the relation between the self-regulated learning profiles and academic achievement. The implications of these data for the educational practice at university are discussed

Hasta la fecha, la investigación sobre la relación entre autorregulación del aprendizaje y rendimiento académico, en general, ha arrojado resultados no siempre coincidentes. En este trabajo se pretende investigar dicha relación desde una nueva perspectiva, la cual consiste en clasificar a los estudiantes como más o menos autorreguladores en base a diferentes indicadores y con la ayuda del análisis cluster. Por tanto, el objetivo de este trabajo consistió en identificar posibles perfiles de aprendizaje autorregulado en una muestra de estudiantes universitarios. Para ello, mediante análisis de regresión múltiple (método de pasos sucesivos), se trató de comprobar qué variables de las seleccionadas predecían mejor la autorregulación metacognitiva. Posteriormente, a través de análisis cluster, con esas variables se identificaron tres perfiles de aprendizaje autorregulado significativamente diferentes. Por último, mediante un ANOVA, se analizó la relación existente entre tales perfiles de aprendizaje autorregulado y el rendimiento académico. Se presentan y comentan las implicaciones de estos datos para la práctica educativa en la Universidad

Capacidad predictiva de las metas académicas sobre el rendimiento en diferentes áreas curriculares / Academic goals as predictors of achievement in different school subjects

El objetivo de este estudio es el análisis del poder predictivo de los diferentes tipos de metas académicas sobre el rendimiento académico en cinco áreas curriculares. Para ello, se haaplicado el Cuestionario de Metas Académicas a una amplia muestra de adolescentes que cursaban los cuatro cursos de la Enseñanza Secundaria en España (12 a 16 años). Los resultadosobtenidos indican que el rendimiento se encuentra explicado, en primer lugar, positiva y significativamente por motivos de adquisición de competencia y control así como de obtenciónde un buen trabajo futuro y, en segundo lugar, negativamente por motivos muy relacionados con la protección de la autoestima. Son presentadas y discutidas algunas implicaciones de losdatos para el proceso de aprendizaje.

This study intends to analyze the various academic goals and their predictive power of the academic achievement in five different school subjects of Spanish core curriculum. In order to assess this, the Questionnaire of Academic Goals has been applied to a large sample of adolescents attending the four grade level years of Spanish Secondary Education (12 to 16years). Data suggest that achievement is, firstly, explained, positive and significantly, by students’ wish of acquiring competence and control as well as of obtaining a good future joband, secondly, negatively, by reasons strongly related to the preservation of one’s self-esteem. Some implications of this data to learning are discussed.

Metas académicas y estrategias de aprendizaje en estudiantes universitarios / College student's academic goals and learning strategies

Tomando en cuenta que no existe concordancia en la literatura entre los resultados de diferentes estudios respecto de la relevancia de la adopción de un tipo u otro de meta para el aprendizaje académico, en el presente artículo se estudia la relación entre los diferentes tipos de orientaciones motivacionales (metas de aprendizaje, metas de rendimiento y metas de evitación del trabajo) y el uso de estrategias cognitivas y de autorregulación. En el trabajo participan 632 estudiantes universitarios de diversas titulaciones de la universidad española. Aunque el estudio es de tipo correlacional, los análisis de los datos obtenidos, corroborando estudios anteriores, aportan información de interés para la discusión del problema que se investigó, por ejemplo que sólo los niveles más altos de metas de aprendizaje se encuentran asociados con una mayor utilización de estrategias de aprendizaje. Son discutidas implicaciones educativas de estos datos.

Tomando em consideração que não existe concordância na literatura entre os resultados dos diferentes estudos a respeito da relevância da adopção de um ou de outro tipo de meta na aprendizagem académica; no presente artículo é estudada a relação entre os diferentes tipos de orientações motivacionais (metas de aprendizagem, metas de rendimento e metas de evitação do trabalho) e a utilização de estratégias cognitivas e de auto-regulação. Neste trabalho participam 632 estudantes universitários de diversas licenciaturas da Universidade espanhola. Apesar de este estudo ser de tipo correlacional, a análise dos dados obtidos, corroborando estudos anteriores, aporta informação de interesse para a discussão do problema investigado; por exemplo que só os níveles mais altos de metas de aprendizagem se encontram associados con uma maior utilização de estratégias de aprendizagem. São discutidas implicações educativas destes dados.

Metas académicas y estrategias de aprendizaje en estudiantes universitarios / College student's academic goals and learning strategies

Tomando en cuenta que no existe concordancia en la literatura entre los resultados de diferentes estudios respecto de la relevancia de la adopción de un tipo u otro de meta para el aprendizaje académico, en el presente artículo se estudia la relación entre los diferentes tipos de orientaciones motivacionales (metas de aprendizaje, metas de rendimiento y metas de evitación del trabajo) y el uso de estrategias cognitivas y de autorregulación. En el trabajo participan 632 estudiantes universitarios de diversas titulaciones de la universidad española. Aunque el estudio es de tipo correlacional, los análisis de los datos obtenidos, corroborando estudios anteriores, aportan información de interés para la discusión del problema que se investigó, por ejemplo que sólo los niveles más altos de metas de aprendizaje se encuentran asociados con una mayor utilización de estrategias de aprendizaje. Son discutidas implicaciones educativas de estos datos(AU)

Tomando em consideração que não existe concordância na literatura entre os resultados dos diferentes estudos a respeito da relevância da adopção de um ou de outro tipo de meta na aprendizagem académica; no presente artículo é estudada a relação entre os diferentes tipos de orientações motivacionais (metas de aprendizagem, metas de rendimento e metas de evitação do trabalho) e a utilização de estratégias cognitivas e de auto-regulação. Neste trabalho participam 632 estudantes universitários de diversas licenciaturas da Universidade espanhola. Apesar de este estudo ser de tipo correlacional, a análise dos dados obtidos, corroborando estudos anteriores, aporta informação de interesse para a discussão do problema investigado; por exemplo que só os níveles mais altos de metas de aprendizagem se encontram associados con uma maior utilização de estratégias de aprendizagem. São discutidas implicações educativas destes dados(AU)

Reflexiones sobre la motivación y el aprendizaje a partir de la ley orgánica de educación (LOE): “del dicho al hecho ” / Reflecting on motivation and learning in the new Spanish Act of Education (LOE): Talking vs. doing

Probablemente, la falta de motivación académica de muchos estudiantes se ha convertido en uno de los factores centrales quepueden explicar algunas situaciones problemáticas que se están viviendo en la educación escolar. Y es que la desmotivaciónde los alumnos puede ser tanto una consecuencia de los cambios y transformaciones que ha sufrido la sociedad en los últimosaños y que el sistema educativo todavía no ha sido capaz de asumir, como también un factor desencadenante de ciertos problemasy conflictos que se producen en los centros escolares. En este artículo se reflexiona sobre algunas de las variables quemás contribuyen a la motivación (o desmotivación) de los estudiantes de las escuelas e institutos de nuestro país

Probably, the lack of academic motivation of many students has become one of the central factors that can explain some problematicsituations that are being lived in the academic education. It could be that the lack of motivation of the students can eitherbe a consequence of the changes and transformations that society has undergone the in the last years, and that theeducational system has not still been able to assume, or a leading factor of certain problems and conflicts that take place inschools. In this article, it is reflected on some of the variables that more contribute to the motivation (or lack of motivation) of thestudents of primary and secondary schools of our country

Metas académicas, estrategias cognitivas y estrategias de autorregulación del estudio / Academic goals, cognitive and self-regulatory strategies

En este artículo se analizan las diferencias en estrategias cognitivas (selección, organización, elaboración y memorización de información) y en estrategias de autorregulación del estudio (planificación y supervisión-revisión) según los niveles de las metas académicas de 447 estudiantes (55% hombres y 44,7% mujeres) de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria. Los resultados muestran que, además de las metas orientadas al aprendizaje, hay otras metas (orientadas a la valoración social y a la consecución de una buena situación laboral en el futuro) que promueven el uso de estrategias y la implicación en el estudio. Incluso aquellas metas orientadas al yo que llevan a una implicación en el estudio derivada de una defensa del yo y las derivadas de una búsqueda de mejora de la autoestima también están relacionadas significativamente con el uso de estrategias cognitivas y de autorregulación del estudio

In this paper we analyze diferences between cognitive (selection, organizational, elaboration and rehearsal) and self-regulatory (planning, monitoring-regulating) strategies depending on academic goals. A total of 447 obligatory secondary education students (55% boys and 44,7% girls) participated in this study. The results indicated that as well as learning goals, other goals (obtain social approval or a good job) are related to the use of strategies and study engagement. Even performance-approach and performance-avoidance goals are significantly related to cognitive and self-regulatory strategies use

[Academic goals, cognitive and self-regulatory strategies]. / Metas académicas, estrategias cognitivas y estrategias de autorregulación del estudio.

In this paper we analyze differences between cognitive (selection, organizational, elaboration and rehearsal) and self-regulatory (planning, monitoring-regulating) strategies depending on academic goals. A total of 447 obligatory secondary education students (55% boys and 44,7% girls) participated in this study. The results indicated that as well as learning goals, other goals (obtain social approval or a good job) are related to the use of strategies and study engagement. Even performance-approach and performance-avoidance goals are significantly related to cognitive and self-regulatory strategies use.

Diferencias en el uso de self-handicapping y pesismismo defensivo y sus relaciones con las metas de logro, la autoestima y las estrategias de autorregulación / Differences in use of self-handicapping and defensive pessimism and its relation with achievement goals, self-esteem, and self-regulation strategies

En este artículo se estudia el self-handicapping y el pesimismo defensivo en estudiantes universitarios. El análisis cluster nos permitió diferenciar cuatro grupos de estudiantes: Grupo SH (n= 168) alto en self-handicapping, Grupo BE (n= 179) bajo en self-handicapping y en pesimismo defensivo; Grupo AE (n= 59) alto en ambos tipos de estrategias de protección de la valía y Grupo PD (n= 189) alto en pesimismo defensivo. Los resultados indican que el grupo SH es menos proclive a adoptar una orientación de dominio que los grupos BE y PD y apoyan la investigación que ha encontrado relaciones positivas entre una ego-orientación y el self-handicapping. Tanto el self-handicapping como el pesimismo defensivo están positivamente asociados con una orientación ego-defensiva. Por otra parte, los datos darían soporte a la hipótesis de que los individuos con baja autoestima tenderían a implicarse en estrategias de self-handicapping. Finalmente, los resultados también ponen de manifiesto que los grupos PD y BE son significativamente más altos en estrategias de autorregulación que los grupos SH y AE. Estos datos son comentados a la luz de la investigación previa en torno al self-handicapping y el pesimismo defensivo (AU)

In this paper self-handicapping and defensive pessimism have been assessed among university students. Cluster analysis allowed us to set four groups of students: Group SH (n= 168) high in self-handicapping, Group BE (n= 179) low in self-handicapping and defensive pessimism; Group AE (n= 59) high in both self-worth protection strategies and Group PD (n= 189) high in defensive pessimism. Results indicate that SH group is less likely to subscribe to a mastery orientación than BE and PD groups and supports research that has found a positive relationship between a ego-orientation and self-handicapping. Both self-handicapping and defensive pessimism are positively associated with a ego-defensive orientation. On the other hand, findings provide support for the hypotheses that individuals low in self-esteem may be more likely to engage in self-handicapping. Finally, results also show that both PD and BE groups are significantly higher in self-regulation strategies than SH and AE groups. These findings are discussed with regard to prior research on self-handicapping and defensive pessimism (AU)

Estilos de pensamiento: análisis de su validez estructural a través de las respuestas de adolescentes al Thinking Styles Inventory / Thinking Styles: analysis of its structural validity using adolescents' responses to the Thinking Styles Inventory

En su teoría del autogobierno mental, Sternberg afirma que tan importante como disponer de capacidades intelectuales es el modo en cómo se aplican éstas a las diferentes tareas, situaciones o contextos. A la forma predilecta que cada persona tiene de aplicar sus habilidades intelectuales Sternberg le denomina estilo intelectual. Este autor identifica trece estilos intelectuales que se agruparían en cinco dimensiones: función, forma, nivel, ámbito y tendencia. Algunos de los últimos estudios realizados sobre esta teoría ponen en entredicho la existencia de tales dimensiones. En el presente estudio, se analiza la estructura de los estilos de pensamiento en una muestra de estudiantes de ESO significativamente mayor que las utilizadas en los estudios que preceden en el tiempo a éste (n = 1.153) y, además, aplicando el análisis factorial jerárquico confirmatorio. Los resultados obtenidos, en general, coinciden con los obtenidos por otros investigadores y ofrecen una estructura de los estilos intelectuales sustancialmente distinta a la sugerida por Stemberg (AU)

In his theory of mental self-government, Sternberg stated that the way individuals apply their intellectual skills to various tasks, situations, or contexts is as important as the skills themselves. This author called the preferred way in which people apply their intellectual skills thinking style. He identified thirteen thinking styles that are grouped into five dimensions: function, form, level, setting, and tendency. Some recent studies of this theory have cast doubt on the existence of these dimensions. In this study, the structure of thinking styles is analyzed by means of confirmatory hierarchical factor analysis in a sample of students (n= 1153) from Obligatory Secondary Education (ESO) who are significantly older than those employed in previous studies. In general, the results coincide with those reported by other researchers, providing a thinking-style structure that is substantially different from the one suggested by Sternberg (AU)

Adaptabilidad y cohesión familiar,implicación parental en conductasautorregulatorias, autoconcepto del estudiante y rendimiento académico / Familiar cohesion and adaptability, parental self-regulatory inducement, children's self-concept, and academic achievement

En este estudio se analiza la relación existente entre la adaptabilidad y la cohesión familiar, así como la conducta autorregulatoria de los padres en relación a su comportamiento con los hijos, en general, y en su implicación en el ámbito del estudio, en particular. También se estudia el tipo de relación que tales variables familiares mantienen con diferentes dimensiones del autoconcepto de los hijos y con su rendimiento académico. Los datos se obtienen a partir de una muestra de 163 estudiantes de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria que han cumplinentado tres escalas (Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales, Parental Inducement of Self-Regulation y Self-Description Questionnaire-II). Los resultados muestran que la percepción que los hijos tienen sobre el grado de implicación de los padres en comportamientos característicos autorregulatorios influye significativamente sobre las diferentes dimensiones que el estudiante tiene sobre sí mismo (privada, social, académica), que este tipo de percepción se encuentra escasamente relacionada con las características de adaptabilidad y cohesión familiar y, finalmente, que la dimensión académica del autoconcepto predice positiva y significativamente el rendimiento académico, mientras que la dimensión social lo predice negativamente (AU)

The present study analyses the relationship between adaptability and parental cohesion and how children’s behaviour towards studying and in general is affected by parental self-regulatory inducement. Furthermore, the relationship between variables like children’s self-concept dimensions and academic achievement are also analysed. Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales, Parental Inducement Self-Regulation and Self-Description Questionnaire II scales were administered in a sample of 133 secondary students. The results indicate that: 1) children’s perception about self-regulatory inducement had a significant influence on the self-concept dimensions (personal, social, academic); 2) this perception was vaguely related to adaptability and familiar cohesion; and, 3) academic self-concept dimensions positively and significantly predicted academic achievement, whereas social dimensions predicted it negatively (AU)

Multiple goals, motivation and academic learning.

BACKGROUND: The type of academic goals pursued by students is one of the most important variables in motivational research in educational contexts. Although motivational theory and research have emphasised the somewhat exclusive nature of two types of goal orientation (learning goals versus performance goals), some studies (Meece, 1994; Seifert, 1995, 1996) have shown that the two kinds of goals are relatively complementary and that it is possible for students to have multiple goals simultaneously, which guarantees some flexibility to adapt more efficaciously to various contexts and learning situations. AIM: The principal aim of this study is to determine the academic goals pursued by university students and to analyse the differences in several very significant variables related to motivation and academic learning. SAMPLE: Participants were 609 university students (74% women and 26% men) who filled in several questionnaires about the variables under study. METHOD: We used cluster analysis ('quick cluster analysis' method) to establish the different groups or clusters of individuals as a function of the three types of goals (learning goals, performance goals, and social reinforcement goals). By means of MANOVA, we determined whether the groups or clusters identified were significantly different in the variables that are relevant to motivation and academic learning. Lastly, we performed ANOVA on the variables that revealed significant effects in the previous analysis. RESULTS: Using cluster analysis, three groups of students with different motivational orientations were identified: a group with predominance of performance goals (Group PG: n = 230), a group with predominance of multiple goals (Group MG: n = 238), and a group with predominance of learning goals (Group LG: n = 141). CONCLUSIONS: Groups MG and LG attributed their success more to ability, they had higher perceived ability, they took task characteristics into account when planning which strategies to use in the learning process, they showed higher persistence, and used more deep learning strategies than did the students with predominance of performance goals (Group PG). On the other hand, Groups MG and PG took the evaluation criteria more into account when deciding which strategies to use in order to learn, and they attributed their failures more to luck than did Group LG. Students from Group MG attributed their success more to effort than did the other two groups and they attained higher achievement than Group PG. Group LG tended to attribute their failures more to lack of effort than did the other two groups.