Measure College Students Research Articles

Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Creativity from Life History Theory

ABSTRACTFrom the perspective of survival adaption, adverse childhood experiences may promote creativity, and this effect would be enhanced by external threat. This study adopted three approaches to explore the impact of childhood harshness and unpredictability on creativity. By using a historiometric approach to investigate the adverse childhood experiences among eminent psychologists in 20tth century, Study 1 found that the proportion experiencing childhood adversity was significantly higher than the proportion who did not, especially in the group experiencing an external threat. Study 2 measured college students' early childhood experiences and creative thinking in a threatening circumstance (COVID‐19 pandemic), which showed that childhood harshness was significantly correlated with the originality of creative thinking. Study 3 explored the moderating role of threat through experimental manipulation. Results showed that childhood harshness predicted originality only in the threatening condition but not in the control condition. These results have theoretical significance for understanding individual creative development.

The Turkish Version of a Personal Responsibility Scale for Chinese College Students: Adaptation and Validation.

The purpose of this study is to carry out the Turkish adaptation study of the personal responsibility scale developed by Ren et al for Chinese university students and to examine the validity and reliability of the adapted scale. The original scale was developed to determine the personal responsibility levels of Chinese university students. This research is very important in terms of determining the personal responsibility levels of Turkish university students. This research involved university students, who were selected through purposeful sampling, a non-probability sampling method. After the original scale was translated into Turkish, a pilot study was conducted on 165 students and exploratory factor analysis was conducted to reveal the scale structure. The validity and reliability of the determined factor structure was tested on 259 students. Internal consistency was obtained with the Cronbach Alpha coefficient. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to check the validity of the two subscale structure. To examine the two-dimensional factor structure of the scale, fit indices were examined: X2/df (1.591), GFI (0.949), IFI (0.937), TLI (0.920), CFI (0.936), RMSEA (0.048) and SRMR (0.050) and It was observed that the indices were within acceptable limits. In the analysis results conducted with the multi-group confirmatory factor analysis method for measurement invariance, it was observed that ∆CFI and ∆TLI values among all metrics were less than or equal to 0.010. The Turkish version of the personal responsibility scale for Chinese college students, consisting of 12 items and two subscales, was proven to be a confirmatory and reliable tool to measure university students' awareness of personal responsibility.

Development of the Individual and Peer Study Skills Scale

Learners can demonstrate the performance expected of them in study skills individually or with peers. The literature shows that there is no customization of study skills, such as working individually or with peers. Therefore, there is a need for measurement tools that can identify the needs of learners while determining their study skills for both individual and peer activities. This study aims to develop a scale to measure university students' individual and peer study skills. The research was conducted using an exploratory correlational design, and data was collected from two different samples for pilot and validation applications. The pilot and validation application sample comprised 470 and 323 teacher candidates. Item analysis for item validity and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) for construct validity were conducted on the pilot study data. Before the EFA, optimal parallel analysis was used to examine the scale's dimensionality. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted on the validation data to gather evidence for construct validity. The optimal parallel analysis suggested a two-dimensional structure for the scale. As a result of the EFA, a two-dimensional construct with 28 items, consisting of 16 and 12 items in each dimension, explained 58.8% of the variance. The first dimension of the scale was named peer study skills, and the second was named individual study skills. Item analysis revealed that the discrimination of the items in both dimensions was sufficient. The CFA results confirmed the two-factor construct of the scale. The trial and validation studies data showed that the reliability coefficients, considering both dimensions individually and the overall scale, indicated that the scores are reliable.

Development and psychometric evaluation of a questionnaire to measure university students' knowledge on the effects of alcohol use during pregnancy.

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can lead to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. This study developed and validated a questionnaire to assess university students' knowledge regarding the effects of alcohol during pregnancy. We designed an instrument with true-false-I do not know statements. Initially, 45 true statements were formulated and subjected to content validation by 19 experts. Based on the Content Validity Index (CVI), 17 items were selected. The instrument, called the Fetal Alcohol Consequences Test (FACT), was first assessed by 31 university students for the level of understanding. Then, the questionnaire was administered to a national Brazilian sample of university students, and an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted. Each correct FACT answer was worth 1 point, and the knowledge was categorized as high (total score ≥ 80%), moderate (score between 60 and 79%), and low (score ≤ 59%). When the questionnaire was being designed, the CVI values ranged from 0.779 to 1.0, and all statements were considered suitable by the target audience. For psychometric evaluation, 768 students from 24 Brazilian states participated. In the EFA, five statements were removed, revealing a tool with 12 items and two latent factors: "fetal alcohol spectrum disorders" and "conceptions and guidance on alcohol consumption during pregnancy." The KMO index (0.76426) and Bartlett's sphericity test (6362.6, df = 66, p < 0.00001) both supported the final EFA model. The goodness-of-fit indices for the factor structure were adequate: χ2 = 119.609, df = 43, p < 0.00001; RMSEA = 0.048; CFI = 0.977; TLI = 0.965. The mean total FACT score among participants was 7.71 ± 2.98, with a median of 8; 32.03% of the students had high (10-12 points), 24.09% moderate (8-9 points), and 43.88% low knowledge (<8 points). The questionnaire proved reliable, with a floor effect of 1.17%, a ceiling effect of 9.25%, and a Cronbach's alpha index of 0.798. The FACT can be utilized in university students' health education processes, contributing to greater knowledge and information dissemination about the effects of alcohol during pregnancy, in addition to the formulation of policies on the subject directed to this group of young adults.

Psychological mechanism and cognitive basis of humorous speech

To more clearly present the psychological mechanism and cognitive basis of humorous speech, this study measured college students using various scales, discussed the role of humorous coping in resolving their social anxiety and regulating their mental health, and attempted to construct a cognitive symbol working model from three dimensions: theory of innocence, modern semiotics, and conceptual integration theory. We used the proposed model to present the psychological mechanism and cognitive basis of humorous speech. This study found that humor coping is positively correlated with college students’ social anxiety, which is positively correlated with mental health. Affinity humor style and humor coping can positively predict college students’ communication anxiety, but affinity humor style has better predictive power. This research held that relevance is the general principle of communicative cognition and has become a space of conceptual synthesis network. The combination of conceptual fusion and deviation theory with conventional theory can help us better understand verbal humor and reveal its cognitive basis. There is a close relationship between humorous language and human psychological mechanisms. Finally, there is also a clear relationship between different psychological mechanisms and the structure of humorous language.

The moderating role of conscientiousness in the temporal association of stress on sleep.

Personality traits have been associated with sleep problems and stress experience. However, their impact on objective sleep and the temporal relationship of stress on sleep has remained elusive. This study examined whether daytime stress predicts sleep the following night, and the moderating role of neuroticism and conscientiousness in this relationship. To introduce stress variability in natural daily stressors, we measured college students (N = 92) during exams (e.g. high academic stress) and at the start of new course period (e.g. low academic stress). Both objective (actigraphy) and subjective sleep, and daily self-reported stress, were measured for 14 days and personality traits once. Reported daily stress was significantly higher in the exam period compared with baseline, suggesting that our natural manipulation did indeed result in variation in stress levels. Intra-individual daily variations in stress were not associated with the following night's sleep timing, duration or fragmentation, implying that more stress during the day did not affect sleep the following night. Higher levels of neuroticism were associated with poorer daily subjective sleep quality and higher stress levels over the complete period. Neuroticism did not moderate the temporal association of stress on sleep. Conscientiousness moderated the association between intra-individual stress and sleep fragmentation, and intra-individual stress and wake-up time. This implied that highly conscientious participants experienced less sleep fragmentation and woke-up earlier after more stressful days. These results suggest an interconnected relationship among stress, sleep and personality. Focusing on one aspect, like handling stress or enhancing sleep quality, might yield positive effects on the rest.

College students’ satisfaction with online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from Hubei Province, China

To evaluate the performance of online teaching during the COVID-19 period, we collected 1886 survey data from college students in Hubei Province, China. The scoring rules of the Framework for Teaching were used to measure college students' satisfaction with online teaching, and an econometric model was constructed to empirically validate its dynamic influences. We found that college students' satisfaction with online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic was lower than that with offline teaching. Online teaching satisfaction was significantly affected by variables of class size, proportion of online teaching, epidemic severity, college grade, network, course classification, major classification, and the teacher's age and skills. It was further found that as COVID-19 gradually dissipated, offline teaching should be resumed as soon as possible. These findings objectively evaluate the teaching performance of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic and can provide suggestions for optimizing online teaching during future emergencies.

Development and validation of a scale for dependence on artificial intelligence in university students

BackgroundArtificial Intelligence (AI) has permeated various aspects of daily life, including education, specifically within higher education settings. These AI technologies have transformed pedagogy and learning, enabling a more personalized approach. However, ethical and practical concerns have also emerged, including the potential decline in cognitive skills and student motivation due to excessive reliance on AI.ObjectiveTo develop and validate a Scale for Dependence on Artificial Intelligence (DIA).MethodsAn Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was used to identify the underlying structure of the DIA scale, followed by a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to assess and confirm this structure. In addition, the scale’s invariance based on participants’ gender was evaluated.ResultsA total of 528 university students aged between 18 and 37 years (M = 20.31, SD = 3.8) participated. The EFA revealed a unifactorial structure for the scale, which was subsequently confirmed by the CFA. Invariance analyses showed that the scale is applicable and consistent for both men and women.ConclusionThe DAI scale emerges as a robust and reliable tool for measuring university students’ dependence on AI. Its gender invariance makes it applicable in diverse population studies. In the age of digitalization, it is essential to understand the dynamics between humans and AI to navigate wisely and ensure a beneficial coexistence.

Psychological mechanism and cognitive basis of humorous speech

To more clearly present the psychological mechanism and cognitive basis of humorous speech, this study measured college students using various scales, discussed the role of humorous coping in resolving their social anxiety and regulating their mental health, and attempted to construct a cognitive symbol working model from three dimensions: theory of innocence, modern semiotics, and conceptual integration theory. We used the proposed model to present the psychological mechanism and cognitive basis of humorous speech. This study found that humor coping is positively correlated with college students’ social anxiety, which is positively correlated with mental health. Affinity humor style and humor coping can positively predict college students’ communication anxiety, but affinity humor style has better predictive power. This research held that relevance is the general principle of communicative cognition and has become a space of conceptual synthesis network. The combination of conceptual fusion and deviation theory with conventional theory can help us better understand verbal humor and reveal its cognitive basis. There is a close relationship between humorous language and human psychological mechanisms. Finally, there is also a clear relationship between different psychological mechanisms and the structure of humorous language.

Exploring human papillomavirus vaccine hesitancy among college students and the potential of virtual reality technology to increase vaccine acceptance: a mixed-methods study.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) can cause cancers in men and women. Despite the availability of an effective vaccine, HPV vaccination coverage remains suboptimal among college students. Literature showed that hesitancy for HPV vaccination is a leading barrier to the uptake in this group. However, prior interventions have shown limitations in reducing HPV vaccine hesitancy in college students. Thus, this study examined a conventional educational approach using a vaccine information statement (VIS), and subsequently explored college students' HPV vaccine hesitancy and the potential of virtual reality (VR) technology to overcoming the limitations of interventional efforts. We employed a mixed-methods design along with convenience sampling, constituting a one-way pre- and post-intervention (HPV VIS) survey (Study A) and individual interviews (Study B). All data collections occurred with 44 college students at an urban public university at the mid-south region of the U.S. between October 2022 and April 2023. Study A assessed changes in HPV vaccination outcomes including knowledge, beliefs/attitudes, vaccine hesitancy, and intentions. Study B measured college students' primary reasons for HPV vaccine hesitancy and preferred strategies for the vaccination promotion including VR-based education. We conducted paired t-test and Wilcoxon signed ranks test for quantitative data and framework analysis for qualitative data. Participants reported significant improvements in knowledge [t(43) = 6.68, p < 0.001] regarding HPV vaccination between before and after reading the HPV VIS. No change was observed in beliefs/attitudes, vaccine hesitancy, and intentions. The framework analysis revealed college students' reasons for HPV vaccine hesitancy, needed information, and preferred strategies along with the potential of VR technology for future HPV vaccination education. The findings provided essential information on designing HPV vaccination information focused on vaccine hesitancy among college students. Future research should consider these findings in developing interventions including VR to increasing HPV vaccine acceptance among college students.

Development of a Scale for Measuring College Students’ Online Unethical Behavior

Development of a Scale for Measuring College Students’ Online Unethical Behavior

Development and psychometric evidence of the Academic Engagement Scale (USAES) in Mexican college students.

School engagement is considered an effective college dropout antidote; therefore, understanding the construct, its underpinnings, and its effects remains critical for scholars. Although several scholars have offered multiple scales to measure engagement, their use has been hindered by significant limitations. This study sought to develop a scale to measure academic engagement by unifying and improving existing work and theories that resulted in a three-dimensional measurement model (behavioral, emotional, and cognitive). The items included were validated by a group of experts who ensured that the wording of the items captured the uniqueness of the college experience. A sample of 992 Mexican college students was used to test the fit of a second-order three-dimensional factor model of school engagement. The sample was randomly split in two for model cross-validation. Confirmatory factor analyses confirmed that student engagement is a three-dimensional construct, with evidence that supports the hypothesized second-order engagement factor structure (behavioral, emotional, and cognitive). The stability of these models was confirmed by using an independent sample. Measurement invariance by gender was found in this model. Then, differences in latent factor means were analyzed. Finally, the scale showed discriminant and concurrent validity. These results indicate that the scale is theoretically and psychometrically grounded for measuring college students' school engagement.

Social Media Use and Its Concurrent and Subsequent Relation to a Biological Marker of Inflammation: Short-Term Longitudinal Study.

Although many studies have examined the impact of social media use (SMU) on mental health, very few studies have examined the association of SMU with health-relevant biomarkers. Addressing this gap, we conducted a short-term longitudinal study examining the link between SMU and C-reactive protein (CRP), a biological marker of systemic inflammation predictive of major depression, chronic diseases, and mortality. We measured college students' weekly amount of SMU for 5 consecutive weeks objectively via the Screen Time app and collected blood samples at baseline and 5 weeks later. In separate cross-sectional analyses conducted at phase 1 (baseline) and at phase 2 (5 weeks after baseline), objective SMU had a positive, concurrent association with CRP at both time points. Critically, in a longitudinal analysis, more SMU between phase 1 and phase 2 predicted increased CRP between these time points, suggesting that increased SMU led to heightened inflammation during that period. Although more research is needed to understand why SMU led to higher inflammation, the association between objective SMU and a marker of a biological process critical to physical health presents an intriguing opportunity for future research on social media effects.

Resilience in virtual education: Designing and validating a scale in higher education

Abstract Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) equips learners in all settings with the knowledge, skills, attributes, and visions essential for coping with the diverse challenges they will encounter in their educational endeavors. The emergence of COVID-19 influenced different aspects of human life including education. Thanks to technology, especially ICT, Virtual Education (VE) provides the opportunity to continue education in such crises. Amidst this pandemic, many students, especially university students, encountered various challenges and impediments that resulted from VE. One of the factors which can affect VE is learners’ resilience. Therefore, it is of high importance to measure university students’ Resilience in Virtual Education (RVE) to recognize the advantages and disadvantages of this type of education and support ESD. The main purpose of this study is to design and validate a comprehensive instrument for measuring university students’ RVE. Furthermore, to confirm the validity and reliability of the instrument, its nexus with a closely related construct, i.e., second language (L2) buoyancy was explored. To measure students’ RVE, a new scale (RVE Scale), comprising 33 items, was designed. It was designed based on the operational definition of academic resilience and was adapted to accommodate the requirements of VE. It measures six aspects of learners’ resilience: emotional, motivational, cognitive, metacognitive, persistence, and sociability. To measure L2 buoyancy, a relevant scale designed by Jahedizadeh et al. (2019) was utilized. It consists of 27 items with four factors; the factors include sustainability, regularity adaptation, positive personal eligibility, and positive acceptance of academic life. A total of 412 university students participated in the present research. The results obtained via Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) substantiated the validity of the newly designed scale and all the factors and items. The results attested to the criterion-related validity of the scale.

The Role of integrating AI and VR in fostering environmental awareness and enhancing activism among college students

Given the increasing concern about the destructive impact of sympathetic activities on the Earth, involving the next generation in environmental conservation is crucial. Therefore, this study aims to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) can strengthen college students' environmental awareness and encourage them to make a move on environmental issues. Four hundred college students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds participated in a six-month study, and 375 valid questionnaires were successfully collected. By combining AI and VR, we provided interactive and engaging courses to deliver knowledge about environmental issues and inevitable disasters. The research demonstrates that using AI and VR technologies to teach environmental challenges can significantly improve college students' understanding of these topics, assist them in developing a conservationist value system, and provoke them to carry on environmental advocacy. This study adopted scale items to measure college students' environmental awareness and activities. More isolated structural equation modeling validated the value of AI and VR in environmental education. Additionally, mediation and moderation analyses indicated that the strength of college students' ecological susceptibility and motivation indirectly influenced their enthusiasm and environmental awareness through AI and VR. Through comparative analysis, we found that AI and VR exert differential effects on college students. Further correlational and regression analyses demonstrated that raising college students' environmental awareness can effectively promote their pro-environmental behavior, offering them more critical agency, possibly without the need for continued use of AI and VR. Therefore, employing AI and VR in environmental education may effectively help young people in ecological sustainability. Ultimately, we discussed the current AI and VR technologies adoption in Chinese universities and proposed relevant policy implications.

Specifics of Chinese students’ cognitive orientations in mastering technical disciplines

Introduction. Currently, the leadership of the People’s Republic of China pays special attention to the issues of technical vocational education. The learners from the PRC studying in Russia have specific cognitive orientations in mastering technical disciplines. The aim of the article is studying the specifics of academic resilience in mastering technical sciences by PRC students of Ural Federal University. Materials and methods. The academic resilience of PRC students from Ural Federal University in terms of mastering technical sciences was measured using the ‘Technics Resilience Scale for University Students’ (TRSUS). TRSUS aims to build Feedback literacy and Self-assessment with a view to help a student to pursue technical studies productively. The survey involved 659 students who had a technical science learning experience in one of the educational programmes: “Civil Engineering”, “Architecture”, “Geodesy and Remote Sensing”, “Steam Power Industry and Heat Engineering”, “Water Supply and Drainage”. The students assessed their resilience in technical sciences under a 5-score Likert response scale, with the use of Tencent Questionnaire in English. The statistical processing of measurement results was carried out using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) methodology with the use of SPSS 23.0 and Amos 18.0 software packages. Results. The statistical analysis of results of PRC students from Ural Federal University in terms of measuring resilience in technical sciences under the TRSUS scale showed that the wording of the questions was adequate to the measurement context. The primacy of students’ incremental beliefs/goals towards improving the efficiency of learning activities was revealed. A strong correlation between students’ answers with the TRSUS questions was found. Cronbachs alpha was equal to 0.977, which is evident of high internal consistency of students’ answers. The structural model of confirmatory factor analysis of TRSUS data including four indicators (factors) – “Persistence”, “Perceived Value”, “Cognitive Complexity” and “Incremental Beliefs” – has the best source data fitting criteria. The method of exploratory factor analysis of TRSUS data revealed the specificity of cognitive orientations of PRC students from Ural Federal University: the choice of educational programme influences most prominently the indicator “Perceived Value”, which is explained by the peculiarities of Chinese technological culture. Conclusion. An original methodology for measuring university students’ academic resilience in technical sciences – ‘Technics Resilience Scale for University Students’ (TRSUS) – is presented. The use of TRSUS makes it possible to determine the specifics of students’ cognitive orientations in mastering technical disciplines and to form their competent feedback and self-assessment for efficient continuation of education.

Öğrencilerin Cinsel Sağlık Bilgileri, Cinsel Mitler Hakkındaki Görüşleri ve Sağlık Okuryazarlığı Düzeyleri Arasındaki İlişkinin İncelenmesi

Introduction: From the public health perspective, young people are considered as a priority group in terms of sexually transmitted diseases and sexual habits. Sexual dimension among adolescents and young adults can be influenced by their overall and sexual health due to its impact on intellectual growth and development and their level of knowledge can significantly affect their reproductive health. The study aims to measure university students’ health literacy, sexual health knowledge and sexual myths and in this way explore the relationship between these variables and among various demographic variables. &#x0D; Materials and Methods: The sample of the study is comprised of 559 female and 282 male university students. In the first part, demographic information scale, in the second part sexual health knowledge test, in the third part sexual myths scale, in the fourth part health literacy in Turkey scale were implemented.&#x0D; Results: In the analysis across the sexes, it was revealed that males have more sexual myths than females (p

Development of a scale for measuring university students’ attitudes toward oral health

Development of a scale for measuring university students’ attitudes toward oral health

Employers’ Perspectives of English-Major Students’ Weaknesses During Their Industrial Practicum

In the 21st century, graduates are expected to have many employability skills to become successful employees in real-world settings. Before graduating, the industrial practicum is an excellent chance for employers to measure university students’ readiness for real jobs through their performances. Even though some studies have been conducted in this field, the topic is little studied from employers’ perceptions. This current study focused on employers’ reports on what English-major students lacked during their industrial practicum in the Vietnamese context. The study was conducted as qualitative research using three focus-group interviews, and each included five employers in the fields of education, business, interpretation and translation, and tour and travel. The results revealed that the students lacked several skills to become successful employees: communication skills, information retrieval and handling skills, planning and problem-solving skills, teamwork skills, self-confidence, critical thinking skills, devotion, and specialized skills/ identities. Based on the findings, this current study suggested several practical implications to help improve the students’ employability skills. During their time at university, English-major students need more practical experiences to understand their strengths and weaknesses and develop themselves. Teaching is expected to make a positive correlation with practical experiences in real-world settings. The findings of this study significantly contributed to enriching the field of vocational education.

Measuring University Students’ Safety Perception, Awareness and Attitude in Chemical Teaching Laboratory

This study aims to evaluate the laboratory safety perception, awareness and attitude of undergraduates toward the chemistry teaching laboratory by means of a self-administered questionnaire. The survey contains a sample size of 959 undergraduates in Tianjin University of Technology involving four schools. Instrument reliability and validity are also tested. The results show that most of the students have a more positive laboratory environmental perception and safety awareness. However, the laboratory safety attitude needs improvement. In addition, there is a significant difference for both gender and school. This result could lead to the improvement of the subsequent safety education.