Studyholism and Study Engagement: What about the Role of Perfectionism, Worry, Overstudy Climate, and Type of School in Adolescence?

Yura Loscalzo

doi:10.3390/ijerph18030910

Abstract

This study aims to deepen the analysis of Studyholism (or obsession toward study) on a sample of 793 Italian adolescents (Mage = 16.30 ± 1.73; 53% boys). A path analysis model including potential antecedents (i.e., worry, study-related perfectionism, perfectionistic strivings and concerns, overstudy climate, type of school) and outcomes (e.g., grade point average, time spent studying, psychological well-being) of Studyholism was tested. In line with previous findings on college students, this study supported the conceptualization of problematic overstudying as an OCD-related disorder, since worry is the strongest predictor of Studyholism. Moreover, among the main findings, it confirmed that Studyholism is associated with negative academic outcomes, while Study Engagement predicts positive academic outcomes. Finally, it also confirmed that both Studyholism and Study Engagement predict social impairment. In conclusion, preventive interventions to favor students’ academic success and well-being should reduce perfectionistic concerns and study-related perfectionism and enhance time management skills (in Engaged students too). For reducing Studyholism, instead, the primary target should be trait worry. Finally, preventive interventions should be implemented across all the school types and possibly during childhood or pre-adolescence to avoid the increase in psychological and social impairment that has been found to be associated with Studyholism in youths. It is also essential to detect potential early risk indicators (especially among individual factors) of Studyholism in childhood.

Highlights

IntroductionRecently introduced in the literature a new potential clinical condition associated with problematic overstudying
Loscalzo and Giannini [1] and Atroszko, Andreassen, Griffiths, and Pallesen [2]recently introduced in the literature a new potential clinical condition associated with problematic overstudying
This study aims to deepen the analysis of Studyholism in adolescence by replicating Loscalzo and Giannini’s [5] study regarding potential antecedents and outcomes of Studyholism, as well as regarding the differences between Engaged and Disengaged Studyholics

Summary

Introduction

Recently introduced in the literature a new potential clinical condition associated with problematic overstudying They defined it, respectively, as Studyholism and Study Addiction. Loscalzo and Giannini [1], instead, went beyond the a priori assumption of addiction and analyzed problematic overstudying in all its potential manifestations, aiming to discover its real (externalizing and/or internalizing) nature, as suggested by Kardefelt-Winther [8]. They considered the possibility that problematic overstudying could be characterized by both addiction and obsessive symptoms, and either high or low study engagement. In line with this, using the Heavy Study Investment framework to avoid an overpathologiza-

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