Chinese Senior High School Students Research Articles

Factor Structure of the 10-Item Perceived Stress Scale and Measurement Invariance Across Genders Among Chinese Adolescents.

BackgroundChinese adolescents encounter a lot of stressors, such as academic burden and parental pressure. However, little is known about their perception of stress. The 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) is a widely used instrument to measure individuals’ appraisal of global stress in academic research and clinical practice. The current study aimed to evaluate the best-fit factor structure model of the PSS-10 and the measurement invariance across genders in Chinese adolescents.MethodsA total of 1,574 Chinese senior high school students completed the PSS-10 (mean age = 15.26 ± 0.56 years, female = 54%). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to determine the factor structure of the PSS-10. Multigroup CFA was carried out to test the measurement invariance of the PSS-10 across genders. A subsample (N = 1,060) answered additional questionnaires measuring stressful life events, anxiety, and depression to examine the convergent and concurrent validity of the PSS-10.ResultsThe two-factor model was supported [i.e., χ2 (34) = 332.224, p < 0.001; non-normal fit index (NNFI) = 0.901, comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.925, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.075, standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) = 0.051]. Importantly, the model exhibited strong measurement invariance across female and male groups. Furthermore, the PSS-10 had adequate convergent validity for stressful life events (number: r = 0.13, p < 0.001; impact: r = 0.23, p < 0.001) and could explain incremental variance in predicting anxiety (ΔR2 = 0.13, β = 0.38, p < 0.001) and depression (ΔR2 = 0.16, β = 0.41, p < 0.001), suggesting excellent concurrent validity.ConclusionA two-factor model best fits the structure of PSS-10 among Chinese adolescents, with strong measurement invariance between gender groups, demonstrating its validity for assessing perceived stress among Chinese adolescents.

Structural relationship between learners’ perceptions of a test, learning practices, and learning outcomes: A study on the washback mechanism of a high-stakes test

The study aimed to explore the washback mechanism on learning by investigating the structural relationship between learners’ perceptions of a test, learning practices, and learning outcomes via structural equation modeling. The participants in this study included 3105 Chinese senior high school students. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling were used in the analyses of the data. This study found that learners’ perceptions of test validity, impact, and importance affected their learning practices in different ways and to different degrees. The research results also showed that four types of English learning practices had significant, positive, but differential effects on learning outcomes. The effect size was partly associated with the frequency of engagement with each learning practice. Based on the findings, some implications and suggestions were drawn for learners, teachers, test designers, and test authorities.

Ideal Mathematics Teaching Behaviors: A Comparison between the Perspectives of Senior High School Students and their Teachers in Taiwan and Mainland China

This study determined perspectives of students and their teachers regarding ideal mathematics teaching using questionnaires. The sample included 2437 Taiwanese and 1141 Chinese senior high school students and their mathematics teachers. Exploratory, confirmatory, and multigroup confirmatory factor analysis were conducted to determine the factors contributing to ideal teaching behaviors. Thirteen factors in six dimensions were identified. Five involved the influence of Western culture and were endorsed (e.g., concrete and life-related in representation); five are inherent in traditional Chinese culture and were endorsed (e.g., detailed illustration in teaching method); and three are inherent in Chinese culture but were less endorsed because of Western influences (e.g., speedy challenge in problem-solving). Few intracultural differences regarding students’ and teachers’ endorsements were discovered. However, students’ higher endorsement of formal and symbolic representation and performance demand in assessment than their teachers’ reflected their desire for high academic achievement, which is deeply rooted in Chinese culture.

Disadvantaged early-life experience negatively predicts prosocial behavior: The roles of Honesty-Humility and dispositional trust among Chinese adolescents

Early-life experience affects individuals' lifelong development in various domains. In this research, we examine how early-life experience affects adolescents' prosocial behavior using a large-scale survey among 2,975 Chinese senior high school students (47.6% boys, Mage = 16.12 years). We operationalize disadvantaged early-life experience as having unpredictable and resource-scarce environments, and distant parent-child relationships in childhood. Findings suggest that disadvantaged early-life experience negatively predicts adolescents' self-reported prosocial behavior and prosociality in a resource allocation task. Moreover, this observed relation between early-life experience and prosocial behavior is explained by Honesty-Humility and dispositional trust. Specifically, adolescents who experience more unpredictability, resource scarcity, and distant parent-child relationships during childhood display lower levels of Honesty-Humility and dispositional trust in others, and thus behave less prosocially. Notably, Honesty-Humility does not mediate the relation between early-life experience and self-reported prosocial behavior, and only significantly predicts boys' prosocial behavior. These findings emphasize that creating benign early rearing environments can facilitate individuals to develop prosocial traits and behaviors later in life.

Internet addiction and poor quality of life are significantly associated with suicidal ideation of senior high school students in Chongqing, China.

BackgroundAdolescence is a vulnerable period of life, and many mental health and behavioral problems emerge during this particular period, including depression, internet addiction (IA), and suicidal behaviors. Poor quality of life (QOL) and IA have been found to be significantly associated with suicidal ideation (SI) among Chinese university students, of whom most have been adults. Nevertheless, their associations with SI are rarely studied among Chinese adolescents. The objective of this study was to examine these relationships in a representative adolescent sample of Chinese senior high school students, who are experiencing an enormous transition from childhood to adulthood.MethodsBy using multi-stage sampling, a total of 26,688 students were successfully recruited from 29 senior high schools of a very large City in western China, Chongqing municipality. In this cross-sectional online survey, students’ demographic and lifestyle characteristics were collected with a standardized questionnaire. The Young’s IA Test, the Chinese Six-item QOL questionnaire, and item 15 of the Symptom Checklist-90-R were used to measure IA, QOL, and SI, respectively.ResultsThe 1-month prevalence of SI was 11.5% among students of senior high schools in Chongqing, China. Students with SI had significantly higher QOL scores (17.3 ± 3.7 vs. 13.7 ± 3.8, P < 0.001) and higher prevalence of IA (49.6% vs. 25.6%, P < 0.001) than those without SI. After controlling for demographic, lifestyle, and clinical covariates, IA (odd ratio (OR) = 1.15, P = 0.003) and a high QOL score (OR = 1.09, P < 0.001) remained significantly associated with SI.ConclusionSuicidal ideation is prevalent among Chinese adolescents and it is associated with IA and poor QOL. Measures aimed at reducing IA and improving QOL may help prevent suicidal behaviors among Chinese adolescents.

The dimensions of foreign language classroom enjoyment and their effect on foreign language achievement

ABSTRACT This paper reports a study that investigated the dimensions underneath the construct of foreign language classroom enjoyment and explored the pattern in which these enjoyment dimensions affect foreign language achievement. To this end, 320 first language Chinese senior high school students, who were learning English as a foreign language (EFL), were invited to complete an adapted version of the Foreign Language Enjoyment Scale. These students’ mid-term English examination scores were collected as a measure of foreign language achievement. Factorial analysis revealed a 3-factor solution for the adapted scale, including Enjoyment of Teacher Support, Enjoyment of Student Support, and Enjoyment of Foreign Language Learning. Path analysis showed that Enjoyment of Foreign Language Learning had a direct effect on mid-term scores. Enjoyment of Teacher Support and Enjoyment of Student Support indirectly affected language achievement via Enjoyment of Foreign Language Learning. There was no significant difference in the indirect effect of enjoyment of teacher and student support on English achievement. The findings are discussed and pedagogical implications are suggested.

Shyness and Learning Adjustment in Senior High School Students: Mediating Roles of Goal Orientation and Academic Help Seeking.

Learning maladjustment is a common phenomenon in the context of examination-oriented education system in china, especially among high school students who experience intense pressure when preparing for the national college entrance examination. Previous literature suggests that shyness may negatively affect ones’ cognition, emotion, and behavioral performance and lead to academic and social maladjustment. Therefore, learning adjustment among shy high school students is a critical and practical point of inquiry. With a sample of 677 Chinese senior high school students, this study aims to assess the association between shyness and learning adjustment and related mechanisms of goal orientation (i.e., mastery-approach goals, mastery-avoid goals, performance-approach goals, and performance-avoid goals) and academic help seeking (i.e., instrumental help seeking from teacher, instrumental help seeking from classmate, executive help seeking, and avoidance of help seeking). Self-report measures were adopted to collect information on: demographic characteristics, the level of shyness, goal orientation, academic help seeking, and learning adjustment. Results indicated that shyness was negatively correlated with learning adjustment, and this association was mediated by the dimensions of goal orientation and dimensions of academic help seeking. Specifically, shyness not only predicted learning adjustment through mastery-approach goals, and instrumental help seeking (teachers) but also predicted learning adjustment through the multiple mediating effects of the dimensions of goal orientation and the dimensions of academic help seeking (i.e., mastery-approach goals and instrumental help seeking from teachers, mastery-approach goals and executive help seeking, mastery-avoid goals and instrumental help seeking from classmates, mastery-avoid goals and executive help seeking, and performance-avoid goals and executive help seeking). Identifying these mediators further enables us to work out effective measures to promote shy high school students’ learning adjustment.

Association between childhood maltreatment and non-medical prescription opioid use among Chinese senior high school students: The moderating role of gender

BackgroundNon-medical prescription opioid use (NMPOU) and childhood maltreatment are currently serious problems among adolescents worldwide, and childhood maltreatment may be associated with the increased rates of NMPOU. This study examined the specific associations between particular types of childhood maltreatment and lifetime NMPOU and assessed whether gender has a moderating effect on these associations. MethodsA 3-stage, stratified cluster, randomized sampling method was used to collect data from 11,194 high school students in Chongqing. ResultThe prevalence of the lifetime NMPOU among senior high school students in Chongqing was 7.7%. Physical abuse (AOR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.07–1.14), emotional abuse (AOR = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.03–1.08), sexual abuse (AOR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.01–1.07), physical neglect (AOR = 1.06, 95% CI = 1.04–1.09), and emotional neglect (AOR = 1.03, 95% CI = 1.02–1.04) were all positively associated with lifetime NMPOU. The moderating effects of gender on emotional abuse (P = 0.004) and sexual abuse (P = 0.019) were statistically significant in the adjusted model of lifetime NMPOU. According to the stratification analyses in which the male and female students were analyzed separately, female students who previously experienced emotional/sexual abuse had a higher prevalence of lifetime NMPOU. LimitationsThe study sample only contained school students and cross-sectional design limited our ability to make causal inferences. ConclusionChildhood maltreatment was positively associated with lifetime NMPOU, and gender had a moderating effect on the associations between childhood maltreatment and lifetime NMPOU. Early identification of and intervention for childhood maltreatment victims, particularly female victims, may help reduce the lifetime risk of NMPOU.

How are extraversion, exhibitionism, and gender associated with posting selfies on WeChat friends' circle in Chinese teenagers?

In the present study, 416 Chinese senior high school students completed the Extraversion Subscale of the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) and an Exhibitionism questionnaire, and reported the number of selfies they posted on WeChat friends' circle within the last month. Findings revealed that the number of selfies was significantly and positively associated with extraversion and exhibitionism. In addition, the relation between extraversion and the number of selfies was stronger for boys than for girls. This study provides the first empirical evidence for positive relations among extraversion, exhibitionism, and Chinese teenagers' selfie-posting behaviors on WeChat friends' circle.

Perceived Parental Attitude toward Sex Education as Predictor of Sex Knowledge Acquisition: the Mediating Role of Global Self Esteem

The present study examined the mediating effects of global self-esteem on the relationship of perceived parental attitude with sex and sex knowledge acquisition. The mediating model was established using parental attitude toward sex education questionnaire, sex knowledge scale, and Rosenberg self-esteem scale in Chinese version on 901 Chinese senior high school students as participants. Path analysis indicated that global self-esteem partially mediated the relationship between perceived parental attitude and sex and sex knowledge. Multi-group analysis indicated a partial mediating effect on female adolescents, but the mediating effect on male adolescents was not significant. Limitations and implications for future study were also discussed.

Investigating the English Writing Strategies Used by Chinese Senior High School Students

The present study mainly reports the writing strategies which employed by Chinese senior high school students. It aims at: 1) finding out what writing strategies the student writers used and how frequently the student writers use these strategies in their writing; 2) whether the employment of writing strategies varies with gender difference; 3) what relationship between writing strategy employment and writing proficiency is; and 4) to what extent the first language exerts an influence onto the second language writing. The empirical investigation, by taking use of a questionnaire and a writing test, was carried out among 98 subjects chosen from Grade two at the Attached Middle School of Henan Normal University. Several major findings have been found. Apparently, the student writers used different types of writing strategies with a high frequency; the patterns of writing strategy employment between groups of male and female student writers were different. A significant difference had been found between the male and female students: when compared with male student writers, female employed higher English writing proficiency, had stronger motivations and clearer attributions of their unsatisfactory writing performance, and performed writing strategies much better. Frequency of writing strategy use varied with different writing proficiencies. Both high-level students and intermediate-levels employed more writing strategies than the low-level ones, while there was no significant difference in their frequency of employing writing strategies between high-level students and the intermediate ones.

A Cognitive Framework in Teaching English Simple Present

A Cognitive Grammar (CG) analysis of linguistic constructions has been claimed to be beneficial to second language teaching. However, little empirical research has been done to support this claim. In this study, two intact classes of Chinese senior high school students were given a 45-minute review lesson on the usages of the English simple present tense. Instruction for the experimental class was based on Langacker’s cognitive grammar analysis that highlighted the common motivation linking various usages, while that for the control class followed traditional teaching method. Results showed that the learners in the CG approach did not perform significantly better than the control group both on a grammaticality judgment and error correction task, and on a fill-in-the-blank task, though the CG approach did improve students’ performance considerably. The author argued that four reasons might have diminished the benefits of the CG approach: 1) the selection of the samples was inappropriate; 2) the CG approach ran counter to learners’ expectations about grammar; 3) the presentation of the CG treatment was too abstract, and linguistic terminologies new to the students were introduced, which made the lesson hard to follow; 4) instructional time was too limited. Therefore more classroom research is needed to substantiate the claimed pedagogical benefits of the CG approach.

A Study on L2 Motivation and Applications in Reading Class in Senior High School

Foreign language acquisition is a complicated process, which involved various factors. The personality factors, especially non-intelligence factors, such as motivation, attitude, character, etc. are the most direct and important ones. Among them, apparently, motivation is the key to learning. This thesis extends the previous studies, trying to have a basic understanding of Chinese senior high school students’ reasons for learning English and their efforts paid in this learning process. This study was carried out among 96 students in grade 2 in Zhenjiang NO.1 middle school. A language learning motivation questionnaire was constructed based on Gardner (1985) to examine students’ responses on 9 items. The results of the study show that students hold stronger instrumental reasons towards English learning, which is similar with the traditional view that instrumental motivation is more characteristic of EFL learners. However, instrumental motivation causes no effect on students’ motivational intensity. The findings shed some lights on the teaching practice, especially on the reading class. One thing to emerge meaningfully from this study is that the combination of integrative motivation and instrumental motivation may exert a greater influence on reading class improvement; English teachers shall take some effective applications to arouse students’ motivation in reading class and help them develop integrative motivation towards English learning.

English Language Learning Strategy Use by Chinese Senior High School Students

Language learning strategies are important factors that affect students’ learning. In China, senior high school is an important stage in a person’s education. This study examines the English language learning strategy use by Chinese senior high school students by means of the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning. The findings reveal that Chinese senior high school students use compensation strategies most frequently; that significant differences exist between male students and female students with female students using strategies more frequently than males; and that differences also exist in the strategy use among the three grades. The reasons for these differences in strategy use by Chinese senior high school students are discussed and implications for the future language learning strategy training and English teaching are put forward.

Determinants of Vocational Interests in Chinese Senior High School Students

Determinants of Vocational Interests in Chinese Senior High School Students

Are intelligence and personality changeable? Generality of Chinese students' beliefs across various personal attributes and age groups

Students' subjective beliefs on whether intelligence and other personal attributes (personality, creativity, emotional intelligence, morality) can be changed will affect their learning and motivational behavior. In two related studies, we examined the generality of such beliefs across different personal attributes and age groups. The first study investigated whether students who believed intelligence was inborn also believed that personality and other personal attributes were inherited and were difficult to change. The comparison of the factorial structures using confirmatory factor analyses of Chinese senior high school students' ( N=574) responses to a self-constructed questionnaire suggested a high degree of generality among beliefs of various personal attributes. The second study examined the differences in these beliefs between elementary and high school students (total N=1650). A comparison of the latent factor means showed that elementary and high school students' beliefs on the changeability of different personal attributes were very similar. Older students, in comparison to younger ones, had only a slight tendency of believing more that personality, intelligence and creativity could not be changed. The results are discussed in terms of cognitive maturity and socialization processes.

Juvenile Delinquency in the Republic of China: A Chinese Empirical Study of Social Control Theory

Data indicated that juvenile delinquency increased dramatically recently in the Republic of China. This paper seeks to explain this phenomenon by invoking Hirschi's Social Control Theory. However, such an explanation can be offered only when there is empirical evidence to verify the applicability of Social Control Theory to Chinese society. Though Social Control Theory has received great empirical support from many American studies, cross-cultural verification remains to be seen. The study described here intends to test Social Control Theory by using self-reported data collected from 3717 Chinese junior and senior high school students of northern Taiwan. Major correlates of self-reported delinquency are presented and discussed. Apparently, Social Control Theory received much support from the Chinese data, while both strain theory and subculture deviance theory were not verified. Social Control Theory is said to be the most appropriate theory to explain the origin as well as the increase of juvenile delinq...