Associations between occupational therapy students' academic performance and their study approaches and perceptions of the learning environment.

BACKGROUND: Relationships between students' academic performance and their employed study approaches have been studied extensively. However, research using study approaches and learning environment factors as concurrent predictors of academic performance is sparse. There is a need to disentangle the potentially interrelated influences of individual and contextual factors on students' academic performance. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to increase the understanding of the associations between occupational therapy students' academic performance, and their approaches to studying, perceptions of the learning environment, and sociodemographic characteristics. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was designed, and 174 first-year students completed the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students and the Course Experience Questionnaire, in addition to background information. Data on grades were collected from the data registries of each education institution, and associations were analyzed by multiple linear regression. RESULTS: None of the learning environment scales were associated with grades. Adjusting for all variables, better exam results were associated with being female (ß = 0.22, p < 0.01) and having higher scores on strategic approach (ß = 0.31, p < 0.001) and lower scores on surface approach (ß = -0.20, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The study suggests that students with a desire for obtaining good grades ought to use strategic study behaviors and avoid using surface approach behaviors. While it is important to ensure good quality of the learning environment for a variety of reasons, the learning environment did not contribute significantly to explain the students' academic performance.

Cognitive dysfunction after generalized tonic-clonic status epilepticus in adults.

OBJECTIVES: Generalized tonic-clonic status epilepticus (GTC-SE) is considered a risk for cognitive impairment. Research with standardized tools is scarce and non-conclusive. We systematically assessed short-term and long-term cognitive function after GTC-SE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-three patients were tested after the clinical post-ictal phase of GTC-SE (timepoint 1) and again after 1 year (timepoint 2). Twenty controls were examined with the same tests. Tests from Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery were used. Motor screening test (MOT) assessed motor speed, delayed matching to sample (DMS) and paired associates learning (PAL) assessed memory, and Stockings of Cambridge (SOC) assessed executive function. Estimated premorbid IQ and radiologically visible brain lesions were controlled for in adjusted results. Outcome measures were z-scores, the number of standard deviations a score deviates from the mean of a norm population. RESULTS: At timepoint 1, unadjusted patient results were significantly below both norm and control group performances on all subtests. Patient mean was 1.9 z-scores below controls (P < .001) on PAL total errors. Results remained significant for PAL and DMS after adjustments. Patient results improved at timepoint 2, but memory tests remained lower than norms and for controls. An executive dysfunction emerged on the most complex SOC stage (z-score difference -0.83; P = .008, adjusted difference -0.94; P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: Memory and learning impairment in the early phase after SE and late developing executive dysfunction remained significant after adjusting for estimated premorbid IQ and pre-SE brain lesions. Results suggest that GTC-SE poses a risk for cognitive impairment.

The impact of affectivity dispositions, self-efficacy and locus of control on psychosocial adjustment in patients with epilepsy.

The main hypothesis of this study was that negative and positive affectivity, self-efficacy and health-related locus of control are important for psychosocial adjustment in patients with epilepsy. These dimensions are rarely examined directly in relation to the psychosocial adjustment in these patients. Correlations between measures of these constructs and measures of psychosocial adjustment in epilepsy were investigated. One hundred and one patients answered the Washington psychosocial seizure inventory (WPSI), the positive and negative affect schedule (PANAS-X), the multidimensional health locus of control scales (MHLC), the generalized self-efficacy scale and a scale measuring self-efficacy in epilepsy. Reliability analyses, correlational analyses and multiple stepwise regression analyses were performed. Negative affectivity (NA), positive affectivity (PA) and generalized self-efficacy showed high correlations with the WPSI scales emotional adjustment, overall psychosocial adjustment and quality of life. The epilepsy self-efficacy measures showed high, but lower correlations with the same WPSI scales. The MHLC scales showed low correlations with the WPSI scales. Multiple regression analyses showed that PA, NA and measures of self-efficacy explained more than 50% of the variances on emotional adjustment, overall psychosocial functioning and quality of life. In conclusion, positive and negative affectivity and self-efficacy are important predictors of perceived emotional adjustment, psychosocial adjustment and quality of life in patients with epilepsy. NA is the best predictor, but PA and self-efficacy measures give unique predictions independent of NA.