Canadian Journal of School Psychology current issue

Perfectionism, Achievement, and Affect in Children: A Comparison of Students From Gifted, Arts, and Regular Programs

Stornelli, D., Flett, G. L., Hewitt, P. L. — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:48:46 PST

The current study examined the association between dimensions of perfectionism and levels of academic achievement and affect in school-aged children. A sample of 223 students (90 boys, 133 girls) from regular, gifted, and arts programs completed measures of self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism, perceived academic competence, and measures of affect (i.e., happiness, sadness, and fear). Participants were in Grade 4 or Grade 7. Achievement scores were taken from the Canadian Achievement Test. There was little evidence of group differences in levels of perfectionism. Also, perfectionism was mostly unrelated to levels of reading and mathematics achievement with the exception of a positive association between mathematics achievement and perfectionism for students in the gifted program. Other analyses showed that self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism were associated with elevated levels of fear and sadness. The results suggest that students undergoing perfectionistic pressures to achieve are prone to negative affects such as sadness and anxiety.

Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents: Factorial Validity in a Canadian Sample

Canivez, G. L., Beran, T. N. — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:48:46 PST

The core syndrome factor structure of the Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents (ASCA) was examined with a sample of 375 randomly selected Canadian youths in a large western city. The 6 ASCA core syndrome raw scores produced an identical two-factor solution as observed in samples of American youths. Principal axis exploratory factor analysis with varimax and promax rotations produced similar factor structure coefficients. It was concluded that the ASCA measures two independent dimensions of youth psychopathology (overactivity and underactivity), similar to the conduct problems/externalizing and withdrawal/internalizing dimensions commonly found in the child psychopathology assessment literature.

Psychometric Properties of the Portuguese Version of the Student Engagement Instrument

Moreira, P. A. S., Machado Vaz, F., Dias, P. C., Petracchi, P. — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:48:46 PST

Student engagement is an emergent research domain in educational psychology, as research increasingly supports the connection between academic achievement, school-related behaviours, and student engagement. In spite of the important role of student engagement in academic achievement across cultures, little is known about the cross-cultural validation of the factorial structure of students’ school engagement instruments. This study explores the psychometric properties of The Student Engagement Instrument (Appleton & Christenson, 2004) in a population with a culture different from that in which the original version was developed and validated. The participants were 760 high school Portuguese students. Results confirm the factorial structure of the original version and reinforce the empirical support for a six-factor structure. However, some items loaded in different subscales, raising questions about the cultural specificities of the student engagement construct.

The Factor Structure of Preschool Learning Behaviors Scale Scores in Peruvian Children

Hahn, K. R., Schaefer, B. A., Merino, C., Worrell, F. C. — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:48:46 PST

The factor structure of the Escala de Conductas de Aprendizaje Preescolar (ECAP), a Spanish translation of the Preschool Learning Behaviors Scale (PLBS), was examined in this study. Children aged 2 to 6 years (N = 328) enrolled in public and private preschools in the Republic of Peru were rated by classroom teachers on the frequency of observable, learning-related behaviors using the ECAP. Exploratory factor analyses identified three underlying dimensions of the scale: competence motivation, effortful strategy/flexibility, and attention. The three factor scores exhibited internal reliability coefficients above .70, and the alpha was .92 for the total score.