academic achievement of students research paper

ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Academic achievement, self-concept, personality and emotional intelligence in primary education. analysis by gender and cultural group.

• 1 Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Granada, Melilla, Spain
• 2 Early Childhood and Primary Education School “Pedro de Estopiñán”, Melilla, Spain

A review of the scientific literature shows that many studies have analyzed the relationship between academic achievement and different psychological constructs, such as self-concept, personality, and emotional intelligence. The present work has two main objectives. First, to analyze the academic achievement, as well as the self-concept, personality and emotional intelligence, according to gender and cultural origin of the participants (European vs. Amazigh). Secondly, to identify what dimensions of self-concept, personality and emotional intelligence predict academic achievement. For this, a final sample consisting of 407 students enrolled in the last 2 years of Primary Education were utilized for the study. By gender, 192 were boys (47.2%) and 215 girls (52.8%), with an average age of 10.74 years old. By cultural group, 142 were of European origin (34.9%) and 265 of Amazigh origin (65.1%). The academic achievements were evaluated from the grades obtained in three school subjects: Natural Sciences, Spanish Language and Literature, and Mathematics, and the instruments used for data collection of the psychological constructs analyzed were the Self-Concept Test-Form 5, the Short-Form Big Five Questionnaire for Children, and the BarOn Emotional Quotient Inventory: Youth Version-Short. Based on the objectives set, first, the grades in the subject of Spanish Language and Literature varied depending on the gender of the students. Likewise, differences were found in self-concept, personality, and emotional intelligence according to gender. Also, the physical self-concept varied according to the cultural group. Regarding the second objective, in the predictive analysis for each of the subjects of the curriculum of Primary Education, the academic self-concept showed a greater predictive value. However, so did other dimensions of self-concept, personality and emotional intelligence. The need to carry out a comprehensive education in schools that addresses the promotion of not only academic but also personal and social competences is discussed. Also, that the study of the variables that affect gender differences must be deepened.

Introduction

A review of the scientific literature has shown that many studies have analyzed the relationship between academic achievement and different psychological constructs such as self-concept ( Susperreguy et al., 2018 ; Wolff et al., 2018 ; Sewasew and Schroeders, 2019 ), personality ( Janošević and Petrović, 2019 ; Perret et al., 2019 ; Smith-Woolley et al., 2019 ), and emotional intelligence ( Corcoran et al., 2018 ; Deighton et al., 2019 ; Piqueras et al., 2019 ). In this work, these psychological constructs are analyzed together with primary school children by gender and cultural group. Gender has been a highly studied variable since there are differences between boys and girls in academic performance as well as in the psychological constructs mentioned above ( Chrisler and McCreary, 2010 ; Voyer and Voyer, 2014 ; Carvalho, 2016 ; Herrera et al., 2017 ; Janošević and Petrović, 2019 ). There are also studies that analyze the possible differences that may exist in the school context between children from different cultures ( Schmitt et al., 2007 ; Strayhorn, 2010 ; Cvencek et al., 2018 ; Min et al., 2018 ). In this sense, there is a disadvantage in the school context for children of minority culture. The present study has been developed in Melilla, a Spanish city located in North Africa, close to Morocco. In their schools, children of European culture and children of Amazigh culture (also known as Berber) have been together from early childhood education. In addition, the predictive value of each of the dimensions that integrate self-concept, personality and emotional intelligence regarding the grades in three subjects of the Primary Education curriculum are analyzed. The psychological constructs analyzed in the present study are described below.

Self-Concept

Many research studies have highlighted that the psychological construction of a positive self-concept by the students, during their academic stage, leads to success in educational environments and social and emotional situations ( Eccles, 2009 ; Harter, 2012 ; Nasir and Lin, 2012 ; Chen et al., 2013 ). Therefore, the positive self-concept acquired in the formative years could help in the development of the strategies and skills needed for confronting life challenges ( Huang, 2011 ). It has also been found that self-concept is positively associated with different factors such as the individual experiencing greater happiness ( Hunagund and Hangal, 2014 ); a greater and better academic performance ( Salami and Ogundokun, 2009 ); greater and more pro-social behaviors ( Schwarzer and Fuchs, 2009 ); and lastly, an overall greater well-being ( Mamata and Sharma, 2013 ).

Among the different models that link self-concept and academic performance, we found the Reciprocal Effects Model (REM), with a theoretical, methodological and empirical review conducted by Marsh and Martin (2011) . This model argues that academic self-concept and performance mutually re-enforce themselves, with one producing advances in the other.

Starting with the evolution perspective, the Developmental Equilibrium Hypothesis has also been highlighted. The objective of this hypothesis is centered on achieving equilibrium between two factors that are directly related: self-concept and academic performance ( Marsh et al., 2016a , b ). Hence, achieving a state of equilibrium has important implications for the development of the individual, but it cannot be ignored that each individual’s development of self-concept is different depending on the personal, emotional, and social characteristics surrounding them ( Eccles, 2009 ; Murayama et al., 2013 ; Paramanik et al., 2014 ).

The studies that relate self-concept with school or academic performance are exhaustive in the first educational stages as well as higher education ( Guay et al., 2010 ; Möller et al., 2011 ; Skaalvik and Skjaalvik, 2013 ). The student’s self-concept, and the academic self-concept within it, has a strong influence on student self-efficacy ( Ferla et al., 2009 ). Additionally, academic self-concept significantly correlates with school adjustment in Primary Education ( Wosu, 2013 ; Mensah, 2014 ) and predicts academic achievement ( Marsh and Martin, 2011 ; Guo et al., 2016 ). Therefore, in this research it is expected to find such predictive value.

The results from cross-cultural studies have shown that a negative self-concept had detrimental effects on the academic performance of the students from the different samples and countries ( Marsh and Hau, 2003 ; Seaton et al., 2010 ; Nagengast and Marsh, 2012 ). Cvencek et al. (2018) , when analyzing primary school students from a minority group and a majority group in North America, found that the academic performance, as well as the academic self-concept of the children from the minority group, were lower as compared to those from majority group. Similar results that show the disadvantage of minority groups in schools are found in other studies ( Strayhorn, 2010 ). According to these results, it would be expected that in the present study children of Amazigh cultural origin obtained lower scores than those of European cultural origin in their academic performance and academic self-concept.

Another variable that has been analyzed along with self-concept and academic performance has been gender ( Chrisler and McCreary, 2010 ; DiPrete and Jennings, 2012 ). Thus, in the meta-analysis study by Voyer and Voyer (2014) , it was shown that a certain advantage in school performance existed in women, with their results showing differences in favor of the women for the Language subject. Differences according to gender were also found in self-concept ( Nagy et al., 2010 ). Huang (2013) , in a meta-analysis study, identified that the women had a greater self-concept in the subject matter or courses related to language, as well as the arts as compared to the men. Therefore, in this study we expect to find that girls obtain higher grades than boys in Spanish Language and Literature as well as academic self-concept.

Personality

In general terms, personality and self-concept predict satisfaction with life ( Parker et al., 2008 ). Also, personality moderates the effects of the frame of reference that are central for the shaping of self-concept ( Jonkmann et al., 2012 ).

Within the models of personality, the Five Factor Model ( McCrae and Costa, 1997 ) has been the most developed ( Herrera et al., 2018 ), and it represents the dominant conceptualization of the structure of personality in current literature. It postulates that the five great factors of personality (emotional instability, extraversion, intellect/imagination, agreeableness, and conscientiousness) are found at the highest level in the hierarchy of personality.

Among the strongest arguments utilized to show that the measurements of personality, based on the Big-Five Factor Structure ( Goldberg, 1990 , 1992 ), correlate with academic performance, we find the evidence that supports the importance of the personality factors to predict behaviors that are socially valued and the recognition of personality as a component of the individual’s will ( Chamorro-Premuzic et al., 2006 ). In this respect, the scientific literature shows studies that relate personality, through the five-factor model, with academic performance. Thus, agreeableness, and intellect/imagination (also known as openness) are related to academic performance ( Poropat, 2009 ; Smith-Woolley et al., 2019 ). Specifically, conscientiousness predicts academic achievement ( O′Connor and Paunonen, 2007 ), which is expected to be found in the present study.

Personality has been analyzed in different cultures ( Allik et al., 2012 ). A good example of a broad study, which included 56 countries, is the one conducted by Schmitt et al. (2007) . Among the main results, it was found that the five-factor structure of personality was robust among the main regions of the world. Also, the inhabitants from South America and East Asia were significantly different in their intellect/imagination characteristics as compared to the rest of the world regions. Thus, while the South American and European countries tended to occupy a higher position in openness, the cultures from East Asia were found in lower positions. This is attributed, among other factors, in that the Asian cultures are more collective, so that the openness dimension could be difficult to clearly identify, as proposed in the starting theoretical model. Based on these results, differences in personality dimensions are expected to be found among children of European and Amazigh cultural origin.

As for gender, differences have also been found. For example, the academic achievement in Primary Education is related to a higher conscientiousness in girls than in boys ( Janošević and Petrović, 2019 ).

Emotional Intelligence

Another factor that should be taken into account, as related to the academic achievements and school adjustment, is the emotional intelligence (EI). The models or theoretical approaches of EI are different ( Cherniss, 2010 ; Herrera et al., 2017 ). On the one hand, models have been identified that are based on the processing of emotional information, which are focused on basic emotional abilities ( Brackett et al., 2011 ). On the other hand, mixed models of EI have also been identified, which involve both intellectual and personality factors. The socio-emotional competence model by Bar-On (2006) forms part of the second group. In it, different dimensions are identified: intrapersonal, interpersonal, stress management, adaptability, and general mood.

Numerous research studies have examined the relationship between EI and academic performance ( Pulido and Herrera, 2017 ). They have also analyzed their relationship with other variables such as adjustment and permanence in the school context ( Hogan et al., 2010 ; Szczygieł and Mikolajczak, 2017 ), coping styles ( MacCann et al., 2011 ), the degree of social competence ( Franco et al., 2017 ), and school motivation ( Usán and Salavera, 2018 ).

Emotional intelligence has also been analyzed in groups with different ethnic or cultural origins ( Dewi et al., 2017 ; Min et al., 2018 ), and according to gender, differences were found in EI as well. Thus, for example, Herrera et al. (2017) obtained results that showed that girls in primary schools in Colombia exceeded the boys in the interpersonal dimension, while the boys stood out in the adaptability dimension. Similarly, Ferrándiz et al. (2012) identified that Spanish girls had higher scores in the interpersonal dimensions and the boys had higher scores in adaptability and general mood. Accordingly, we expect to find differences in emotional intelligence based on the cultural origin and gender of primary school children in this study.

As a function of what has been described until now, the present work has two main objectives. Firstly, to analyze the academic performance, as well as self-concept, personality and emotional intelligence, as a function of gender and cultural origin (European vs. Amazigh) of the participants. It is important to mention that the research study took place in the autonomous city of Melilla, a Spanish city that neighbors Morocco, with unique social, cultural and economic characteristics. In it, people from different cultures co-habit: European, Amazigh (also known as Berber, and who come from the Moroccan Rif), Sephardic and Hindu, although the majority of the population is of European and Amazigh descent and culture. The children with an Amazigh culture origin cohabit live and grow between their maternal culture, which counts with the Tamazight (a dialect that is orally transmitted) as a means of communication, and the European culture, with Spanish being the language employed at school and administrative environments of the city ( Herrera et al., 2011 ).

Secondly, to identify which dimensions of self-concept, personality and emotional intelligence predict academic performance.

In addition, different hypotheses are raised based on the results found in the scientific literature that addresses the research topics described above.

Hypothesis 1 . Academic grades differ depending on the gender and cultural origin of students. Thus, for example, as indicated by Voyer and Voyer (2014) , girls will achieve higher grades than boys in the subject of Spanish Language and Literature. Likewise, children of cultural origin different from the school (i.e., children of Amazigh culture) will obtain lower grades than Spanish children ( Strayhorn, 2010 ).

Hypothesis 2 . The psychology constructs evaluated (self-concept, personality and emotional intelligence) differ according to gender and cultural origin. Among other issues, it is expected to find that girls have a higher academic self-concept than boys ( Chrisler and McCreary, 2010 ), higher scores in the personality dimension of conscientiousness ( Janošević and Petrović, 2019 ) as well as in the interpersonal EI dimension ( Ferrándiz et al., 2012 ; Herrera et al., 2017 ). Likewise, children of European cultural origin are expected to obtain higher scores than those of Amazigh cultural origin in academic self-concept ( Cvencek et al., 2018 ), intellect/imagination ( Schmitt et al., 2007 ) and in the intrapersonal and interpersonal EI dimensions ( Dewi et al., 2017 ; Min et al., 2018 ).

Hypothesis 3 . Academic self-concept ( Marsh and Martin, 2011 ; Guo et al., 2016 ), conscientiousness ( O′Connor and Paunonen, 2007 ) and adaptability ( Hogan et al., 2010 ) predict academic achievement.

Materials and Methods

Participants.

A non-probabilistic sampling was used. Initially, 422 Primary school students were included in the research study. Nevertheless, once the non-valid cases were eliminated, defined as those who did not complete the evaluation instruments, or whose scores did not comply to what was set, the final sample was comprised of 407 students. These students were enrolled in eight of the twelve public early childhood and primary education centers in the autonomous city of Melilla, Spain (see Table 1 ), with a minimum age of 10 and a maximum of 12 years old. The description of the participants according to cultural origin, gender, grade and age is presented in Table 2 .

Table 1. Distribution of participants according to the center of early childhood and primary education.

Table 2. Distribution of participants according to cultural origin, gender, grade, and age.

The children of European cultural origin are mainly of Spanish nationality and Catholic religion. They were born in the autonomous city of Melilla or elsewhere in the Iberian Peninsula. Their parents were born in Melilla or have changed their residence to this city for professional reasons (mainly to work in public administration or in the army). Children of Amazigh cultural origin were born in the autonomous city of Melilla, so their nationality is Spanish, or they reside in that city. Many of them are Muslims and have family in Morocco so, given the short distance away, they usually travel at weekends or holidays to Moroccan cities close to Melilla. Rearing practices of children in families of each cultural group developed, among other things, based on cultural values and identities that define them. Thus, for example, the raising of children of Amazigh cultural origin is similar to that of children in the Rif region of Morocco. However, these same children socialize not only with children of their own cultural group but also with children of European cultural origin in a Spanish city, that is, the autonomous city of Melilla. The same can be indicated for children of European cultural origin.

Instruments

Academic achievement.

The final grades of the students of the school subjects Natural Sciences, Spanish Language and Literature, and Mathematics were obtained through a registry, provided by the student’s teachers. These were classified as insufficient (0–4.9 points), sufficient (5–5.9 points), good (6–6.9 points), notable (7–8.9 points) and outstanding (9–10 points).

A Self-Concept Test-Form 5 (AF-5, García and Musitu, 2001 ) was utilized. It is composed of 30 items that evaluate the self-concept of an individual in academic (e.g., “I do my homework well”), social (e.g., “I make friends easily”), emotional (e.g., “I am afraid of some things”), family (e.g., “I feel that my parents love me”) and physical (e.g., “I take good care of my physical health”) contexts. This form has to be answered according to an attributive scale ranging from 1 to 99, according to how the item adjusts to what the individual evaluated thinks of it. For example, if a phrase indicates “music helps human well-being” and the student strongly agrees, he/she would answer with a high number, such as 94. But if the student disagreed, he/she would choose a low number, for example 9. Esnaola et al. (2011) , when analyzing the psychometric properties of this test in the Spanish population from 12 to 84 years old, indicated that its total reliability was α = 0.74. The index of internal consistency, Cronbach’s alpha , calculated for the present work, had a value of α = 0.795. Also, its factorial or construct validity was corroborated in other research works ( Elosua and Muñiz, 2010 ; Malo et al., 2011 ).

For the evaluation of personality, the Short-Form Big Five Questionnaire for Children (S-BFQ-C, Beatton and Frijters, 2012 ) was utilized. It is based on the model of personality structured by five factors (Big-Five Factor Structure), formulated by Goldberg (1990 , 1992) . These factors are denominated as emotional instability (e.g., “I am often sad”), extraversion (e.g., “I make friends easily”), intellect/imagination (e.g., “When the teacher explains something, I understand immediately”), agreeableness (e.g., “I share my things with other people”) and conscientiousness (e.g., “During class I concentrate on the things I do”), creating the Big Five Questionnaire-Children (BFQ-C). This questionnaire, is directed at children aged between 9 to 15 years old, and was designed and validated by Barbaranelli et al. (2003) . In its initial version, its psychometric properties were analyzed with Italian children, although there are studies that have analyzed them in other populations such as for example the German ( Muris et al., 2005 ), Spanish ( Carrasco et al., 2005 ) or Argentinian ( Cupani and Ruarte, 2008 ) populations. Nevertheless, one of the problems of this instrument is its length, given that is composed by 65 items, 13 for each scale. This is the reason why Beatton and Frijters (2012) , in a broader study that sought to measure the effects of personality and satisfaction with life on the happiness of Australian youth aged from 9 to 14 years old, reduced the BFQ-C to a shorter version. This shorter version, named S-BFQ-C, is composed by 30 items, so that each of the scales is composed by 6 items. In this version, the questions have to be answered using a Likert -type scale with 5 response options (1 = Almost never; 5 = Almost always). The reliability, measured with Cronbach’s Alpha , was found to be between 0.60 and 0.80 for each of the five scales. For the present study, the total reliability found was α = 0.783.

The BarOn Emotional Quotient Inventory: Youth Version-Short (EQ-i: YV-S, Bar-On and Parker, 2000 ) was used. It is directed at children aged from 7 to 18 years old, and is composed of 30 items which have to be answered with a Likert scale with four possible responses (1 = Very seldom or Not true of me, 4 = Very often or True of me). Six items shape each of the following scales: intrapersonal (e.g., “It is easy to tell people how I feel”), interpersonal (e.g., “I care what happens to other people”), adaptability (e.g., “I can come up with good answers to hard questions”), stress management (e.g., “I can stay calm when I am upset”), and positive impression (e.g., “I like everyone I meet”). This last scale is useful for eliminating the cases of high social desirability. The sum of the first four scales provides the total EQ.

The reliability or internal consistency of the EQ-i YV-S scale oscillates between 0.65 and 0.87 ( Bar-On and Parker, 2000 ). For this study, the total reliability was α = 0.745. Its internal structure was confirmed in Spanish ( Esnaola et al., 2016 ), Hungarian ( Kun et al., 2012 ), Mexican ( Esnaola et al., 2018b ), English ( Davis and Wigelsworth, 2018 ) and Chinese ( Esnaola et al., 2018a ) populations.

Information Collection

In the first place, the participation of the management teams of the 12 early childhood and primary school education centers in Melilla was solicited. Of these, eight centers answered affirmatively. Afterward, within each center, the professor-tutor from each class or classes interested were contacted. A group meeting was conducted with the parents from each group-class, where information was provided about the objectives of the research study. The authorization of the children’s parents for the exclusive use of the results obtained, for educational and scientific purposes, was requested.

Once this process was finished, a document was provided to the teachers-tutors of each participating class which explained how to access the web program utilized for the management of the student’s grades in order to download this information in pdf format. Once this information was downloaded, they were asked to write down, in a double-entry table provided for each student, the final grades obtained in the subjects of Natural Sciences, Spanish Language and Literature, and Mathematics, using the scoring system of insufficient, sufficient, good, notable or outstanding. Teachers provided students’ grades to researchers at the end of the academic year.

The AF-5, the S-BFQ-C and the EQ-i: YV-S questionnaires were administered in the first school term to the students in fifth and sixth grade of Primary Education, collectively according to group-class. The maximum time provided for this was 55 min. Previously, the students were told that there were no right or wrong answers, and that they should answer with total sincerity, given that the test was anonymous. Also, that they should not write their name; and that what they were about to answer did not have any relation with the school grades; and lastly, that they should read the questions, and if they had any doubts (for example, not understanding a term), they should raise their hand so that the question could be resolved.

In order to be able to relate the results of the evaluation of the different psychological constructs and the academic grades, the teacher of each class assigned a number to each student. This number was recorded both in the grades provided by him/her and on the first page of each of the questionnaires administered.

Statistical Analysis of the Data

Before proceeding with the statistical analysis, from the 422 students who participated, it was determined if there were students who had not completed the three evaluation tests, and also if they obtained high scores in the positive impression scale of the EQ-i: YV-S. This resulted in the elimination of 15 individuals, resulting in a final sample of 407 students.

The statistical program IBM SPSS Statistics 23 was used to carry out the statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics were utilized to describe the data (frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation). In other words, to answer the first research objective and the first two hypotheses, two Analysis of variance (ANOVA) were performed in which the Academic achievement was used as the dependent variable in one case, and self-concept, personality and EI as dependent variables in the other. In both cases, the independent variables were gender (boy or girl) and cultural group (European vs. Amazigh). The effect size was calculated with the partial eta-squared as the post hoc test, through the use of the Bonferroni test.

To address the second objective and the third hypothesis, three multiple linear regression analysis (with the enter method) were conducted, in which each subject was introduced as the dependent variable, with the predictive variables being the different dimensions which comprised the self-concept, personality and EI constructs. To justify the method used, the non-autocorrelation of the data was determined, using the Durbin Watson test, and the non-existence of multicollinearity, through the Variance Inflation Factor.

Academic Achievement by Gender and Cultural Group

All the subjects had a maximum of five points, and were scored as: 1 = Insufficient, 2 = Sufficient, 3 = Good, 4 = Notable, 5 = Outstanding. The mean grade in Natural Sciences was 3.26 ( SD = 1.33), for Spanish Language and Literature it was 3.33 ( SD = 1.24) and in Mathematics, it was 3.19 ( SD = 1.25).

Academic achievement as a function of the student’s gender and cultural group is presented in Table 3 . The analysis of variance performed as a function of gender and cultural group showed that there were differences according to gender for the subject Spanish Language and Literature, F = 5.812, p = 0.016, Eta2p = 0.014, so that the girls obtained higher grades than the boys, t = 0.313, p = 0.016. No differences were found neither in Nature Sciences, F = 0.763, p = 0.383, Eta2p = 0.002, nor Mathematics, F = 1.692, p = 0.194, Eta2p = 0.004. On their part, no differences were found as a function of the cultural group, F Natural Sciences = 0.376, p = 0.540, Eta2p = 0.001; F Language and Literature = 0.565, p = 0.453, Eta2p = 0.001; F Mathematics = 0.576, p = 0.448, Eta2p = 0.001.

Table 3. Academic achievement by gender and cultural group.

Self-Concept, Personality and EI by Gender and Cultural Group

The analysis of variance results (see Supplementary Table S1 ) showed that there were significant differences as a function of gender for self-concept, more specifically in academic self-concept, with the girls achieving higher grades in post hoc comparisons using the Bonferroni test, t = 0.667, p = 0.007, and self-esteem, t = 1.139, p < 0.001, where the boys stood out. Likewise, differences were found in personality in favor of the girls within the conscientiousness, t = 1.136, p = 0.018, and agreeableness dimensions, t = 1.641, p = 0.001. Also, with respect to the EI, the girls had a higher score in the interpersonal scale, t = 1.016, p = 0.007, while the boys had a higher score in the stress management, t = 1.513, p < 0.001, and adaptability, t = 1.110, p = 0.008. Lastly, with respect to the analysis according to cultural group, there were only significant differences in the physical self-concept, with higher scores reached by the children of Amazigh cultural origin, t = 0.420, p = 0.036.

Predictive Value of the Different Dimensions Evaluated With Respect to Academic Achievement

In first place, a linear regression analysis was conducted, where the dependent variable was the subject Natural Sciences and the predictive variables were the five dimensions of the self-concept, the five dimensions from personality and the four dimensions from EI (see Table 4 ). The model was significant with values F = 11.003, p < 0.001. Likewise, the coefficient of determination was R 2 = 0.311 (adjusted R 2 = 0.282). Durbin–Watson’s d test showed that there was no auto-correlation in the data ( d = 1.583). Values of the Durbin Watson test between 1.5 and 2.5 indicate that the data are not correlated ( Durbin and Watson, 1951 ). Also, the Variance Inflation Factor (VIF) obtained values lower than 5, so multicollinearity was not present ( Berry and Feldman, 1985 ; Belsley, 1991 ).

Table 4. Regression analysis of the different dimensions analyzed with respect to the natural sciences subject.

In the order from greater to lesser predictive value, the dimensions were: academic self-concept, physical self-concept, intrapersonal, intellect/imagination, and family self-concept. The physical self-concept, as well as intrapersonal intelligence, negatively predicted the grades in Natural Sciences.

In second place, as related to the subject Spanish Language and Literature (see Table 5 ), the model was significant with values of F = 10.442, p < 0.001 and with a coefficient of determination of R 2 = 0.299, adjusted R 2 = 0.271. The data was not correlated ( d = 1.672) and no multicollinearity was found.

Table 5. Regression analysis of the different dimensions analyzed with respect to the Spanish language and literature subject.

Once again, the academic self-concept dimension had the greatest predictive value, followed by the physical self-concept, intrapersonal intelligence, and intellect/imagination dimensions. The negative predictions remained the same.

In third and last place, for the subject of Mathematics (see Table 6 ), the model had a statistical significance, as shown by F = 10.790, p < 0.001. The coefficient of determination obtained was R 2 = 0.306, adjusted R 2 = 0.278. The data was not correlated ( d = 1.600) and multicollinearity was not present.

Table 6. Regression analysis of the different dimensions analyzed with respect to the mathematics subject.

The predictive dimensions were academic self-concept, physical self-concept (in a negative manner), adaptability, intellect/imagination, and conscientiousness.

Based on the hypotheses set, first, the grades of the Spanish Language and Literature school subject varied depending on the gender of the students, which coincided with the results from other studies, which highlighted the girls’ higher grades ( Huang, 2013 ; Voyer and Voyer, 2014 ). In this regard, it could be argued that academic and social expectations are different depending on gender ( Voyer and Voyer, 2014 ). Likewise, the influence of socialization on the formation of gender behaviors must be taken into account in accordance with the cultural norms of masculinity and femininity ( Gibb et al., 2008 ). Gender differences in academic achievement remain between different countries, regardless of their political, economic or social equality ( Stoet and Geary, 2015 ). However, it is noteworthy that in adulthood women occupy fewer representations of political, economic and academic leadership than men.

Contrary to expectations ( Strayhorn, 2010 ; Whaley and Noël, 2012 ), children of Amazigh origin did not obtain lower grades than those of European origin. These results may be due to the fact that in the city of Melilla children of both cultures are educated from early childhood education in schools where the language used is Spanish. Thus, the academic performance at the end of Primary Education does not differ depending on the cultural origin of the students. However, it is necessary to show that early childhood teachers dedicate great efforts so that children of Amazigh cultural origin develop the linguistic skills necessary for the correct learning and use of the Spanish language ( Herrera et al., 2011 ). Therefore, hypothesis 1 is partially confirmed. That is, the results found indicate that academic achievement varies according to gender but not the cultural origin of the students.

Likewise, differences were found according to gender in self-concept, specifically in the academic self-concept and self-esteem; for personality, within the factors of conscientiousness and agreeableness; in addition to emotional intelligence, particularly in the interpersonal, stress management and adaptability scales. As for the differences found for self-concept according to gender ( Nagy et al., 2010 ), the results found for academic self-concept showed differences in favor of the girls ( Malo et al., 2011 ). Nevertheless, other factors should be taken into account, such as the academic responsibilities associated to school success and failure, given that, for example, the boys in Compulsory Secondary Education attribute their academic success to their skills, while the girls attribute them to their effort ( Inglés et al., 2012 ). As for emotional self-concept or self-esteem, the boys exceeded the girls ( Xie et al., 2019 ). Cross-cultural studies show that differences in self-esteem according to gender are maintained in different countries, although their magnitude differ according to the cultural differences found in the socioeconomic, sociodemographic, gender equality and cultural value indicators ( Bleidorn et al., 2016 ). In this respect, the emotion literacy programs, based on the development of emotional intelligence, could be a useful tool for the development of self-esteem ( Cheung et al., 2014 ).

As for the differences in the personality dimensions conscientiousness and agreeableness in favor of the girls, the results were in agreement with previous studies ( Rahafar et al., 2017 ; Janošević and Petrović, 2019 ). Within the differences in EI according to gender, the girls scored higher in the interpersonal scale, while the boys did so in stress management and adaptability ( Ferrándiz et al., 2012 ; Herrera et al., 2017 ). In this way, the girls showed competencies and skills that were higher than the boys in empathy, social responsibility, and interpersonal relationships. On the contrary, the boys stood out in stress tolerance and impulse control (stress management), as well as in reality-testing, flexibility, and problem-solving (adaptability). These differences, as a function of gender, could be due to cultural factors and family rearing practices differentiated as a function of gender ( Joseph and Newman, 2010 ).

Also, the physical self-concept varied according to the cultural origin, where children from the Amazigh culture obtained higher scores than children of European culture origin. This may be due to the influence of cultural values (their own, meaning Amazigh, as well as the context in which they live in, given that the children are socialized in a European context), with respect to body image and physical self-concept ( Marsh et al., 2007 ).

Based on the results found, the second hypothesis is partially confirmed. The three psychological constructs evaluated differ according to gender in the expected direction but only in the self-concept are differences found according to the cultural origin. Although it was expected to find differences in favor of children of European cultural origin in academic self-concept ( Cvencek et al., 2018 ), they have been found in physical self-concept in favor of children of Amazigh cultural origin. As previously indicated, children of European and Amazigh culture develop in the same school contexts from the early educational stages. Thus, educational policies developed in schools may have contributed to eliminating the possible socio-cultural disadvantages of children of Amazigh cultural origin. This implies, therefore, that there are no differences depending on the cultural group in the academic self-concept.

In the predictive analysis developed for each of the school subjects of the curriculum of Primary Education, with the aim of answering the second objective and the third hypothesis of the study, the academic self-concept showed a greater predictive value ( Marsh and Martin, 2011 ; Jansen et al., 2015 ; Guo et al., 2016 ; Lösch et al., 2017 ; Susperreguy et al., 2018 ). This result confirms the third hypothesis. That is, the relevance of academic self-concept in school performance. However, so did other dimensions of self-concept. More specifically, the physical self-concept negatively predicted the academic results in the three subjects evaluated ( Lohbeck et al., 2016 ). Children who participated in the study are in the process of transition from childhood to adolescence. Biological changes in their bodies due to this stage of evolutionary development as well as greater attention to appearance and physical abilities may interfere at the end of Primary Education in their academic performance. Furthermore, the family self-concept predicted the grades of the Natural Sciences school subject. This last result points to the influence of the family on self-concept as well as academic results ( Corrás et al., 2017 ; Mortimer et al., 2017 ; Häfner et al., 2018 ).

Personality also predicted the academic results in the three school subjects from the Primary Education curriculum analyzed ( O′Connor and Paunonen, 2007 ; Spengler et al., 2016 ; Bergold and Steinmayr, 2018 ), i.e., the intellect/imagination dimension for the three subjects and conscientiousness for Mathematics. In the first case, it may be because intellect/imagination or openness is a personality dimension that reflects cognitive exploration ( DeYoung, 2015 ). It refers to the ability and tendency to find, understand and use complex patterns of both sensory and abstract information. Therefore, those children who score higher in intellect/imagination will get better academic results than those with lower scores. In the second case, conscientiousness relates to responsibility, persistence, trustworthiness, and being purposeful ( Conrad and Patry, 2012 ). Children with high conscientiousness can develop a variety of effective learning strategies, which may be associated with higher academic performance in Mathematics.

Likewise, EI predicted academic achievement in every case ( Salami and Ogundokun, 2009 ; Hogan et al., 2010 ; Brackett et al., 2011 ; MacCann et al., 2011 ). More specifically, the intrapersonal scale predicted it for the subjects of Natural Sciences and Spanish Language and Literature. Intrapersonal intelligence involves the knowledge and labeling of one’s own feelings. This ability may contribute to achieving better grades in both subjects of the curriculum. For example, in the subject of Spanish Language and Literature it can facilitate the communicative skills related to the reading of different kinds of texts, their reflection and their understanding. On the other hand, in the subject of Nature Sciences it can contribute to interpret reality in order to address the solution to the different problems that arise, as well as to explain and predict natural phenomena and to face the need to develop critical attitudes before the consequences that result from scientific advances. In the case of the Mathematics subject, the adaptability scale predicted the academic achievement. Adaptability implies abilities such as being able to adjust one’s emotions and behaviors to changing situations or conditions, which is closely related to mathematical thinking.

In general, scientific literature shows that academic achievement is related to self-concept ( Susperreguy et al., 2018 ; Wolff et al., 2018 ; Sewasew and Schroeders, 2019 ), personality ( Perret et al., 2019 ; Smith-Woolley et al., 2019 ), and EI ( Corcoran et al., 2018 ; Deighton et al., 2019 ; Piqueras et al., 2019 ). Also, that within these construct, academic self-concept ( Ferla et al., 2009 ; Guay et al., 2010 ; Chen et al., 2013 ; Marsh et al., 2014 ), intellect/imagination ( Poropat, 2009 ; Smith-Woolley et al., 2019 ), and adaptability ( MacCann et al., 2011 ; Szczygieł and Mikolajczak, 2017 ) correlate significantly with academic achievement. In this research the predictive value of the dimensions of self-concept, personality and EI regarding the academic grades obtained in three subjects of the Primary Education curriculum has been established. One of its strengths is that it analyzes the predictive value of these psychological constructs together, not separately as in other studies.

In addition, the study has been developed in a multicultural context where children of European and Amazigh cultural origin coexist. Children of Amazigh cultural origin usually have access to early childhood education centers with a lower knowledge of the Spanish language than children of European cultural origin ( Herrera et al., 2011 ). Although studies carried out with groups of cultural minorities show differences in their school performance ( Strayhorn, 2010 ; Whaley and Noël, 2012 ), in the present study they are not at the end of Primary Education. This fact may be due to the linguistic policy developed in Melilla educational centers, which means that the mother language of children of Amazigh origin does not represent a disadvantage for academic achievement.

Further, gender differences found in the study seem to be more relevant than cultural differences. In fact, they are only in the physical self-concept in the latter case. Personality can mediate in adapting to school demands, so that girls are more conscientiousness than boys and follow norms in a more adaptive way ( Carvalho, 2016 ). Moreover, since girls excel in their academic self-concept, their self-efficacy may also be superior to that of boys, which contributes to a better school adjustment ( Ferla et al., 2009 ). Girls also have greater interpersonal intelligence, indicating better empathy, social responsibility and interpersonal relationships ( Ferrándiz et al., 2012 ). Such non-cognitive abilities can stimulate the development of positive interpersonal relationships in the classroom with both the teachers and their peers. These individual differences may be due to family and social influences where, for example, girls are expected to be more emotionally expressive than boys ( Meshkat and Nejati, 2017 ). In this same direction it could explain why children have greater self-esteem and stress management that girls.

Practical Implications for Education

In light of the results obtained in the present research study, the need to carry out a comprehensive education in schools that addresses the promotion of not only academic but also personal, social and emotional competences, are underlined ( Cherniss, 2010 ; Hunagund and Hangal, 2014 ; Herrera et al., 2017 ; Szczygieł and Mikolajczak, 2017 ; Corcoran et al., 2018 ; Cvencek et al., 2018 ). For this, the application of the principles derived from Positive Psychology in the education field would be an adequate strategy ( Suldo et al., 2015 ; Chodkiewicz and Boyle, 2017 ; Domitrovich et al., 2017 ; Shoshani and Slone, 2017 ). Thus, intellectual, procedural and emotional aspects have to be worked on in learning, the latter being clear drivers of learning. The pleasant emotions experienced by children in educational settings will allow greater happiness and emotional well-being in them ( Gil and Martínez, 2016 ). For it, teachers must be trained in good teaching practices that allow the interest of students to learn as well as guide them in the emotional domain ( Castillo et al., 2013 ; Oberle et al., 2016 ; Conners-Burrow et al., 2017 ).

Likewise, schools must respond to the gender and cultural differences of students ( Chrisler and McCreary, 2010 ; DiPrete and Jennings, 2012 ), particularly the first based on the results of this study. Thus, for example, the development of greater self-esteem in girls ( Bleidorn et al., 2016 ; Xie et al., 2019 ) should be encouraged. As indicated by Cheung et al. (2014) , emotional literacy programs that are based on emotional intelligence are an appropriate strategy for promoting self-esteem. Similarly, gender differences must be taken into account in response to other factors such as cultural group, family beliefs and parenting practices ( Chrisler and McCreary, 2010 ; Joseph and Newman, 2010 ; Nagy et al., 2010 ; Allik et al., 2012 ; Marsh et al., 2015 ).

Study Limitations and Proposal for Future Research

The present study has been developed taking into account only the last two school years of the education stage of Primary Education, just before the transition to Compulsory Secondary Education. Given that the scientific literature shows evolutionary changes in the development of the constructs analyzed ( Huang, 2011 ; Murayama et al., 2013 ; Marsh et al., 2015 ; Bleidorn et al., 2016 ), longitudinal studies could be conducted in future research studies from Primary Education to Compulsory Secondary Education in order to determine the magnitude and direction of these changes.

On the other hand, all the instruments for data collection used to evaluate the psychological constructs analyzed in the present study are based on self-report measures. Different types of measuring instruments (self-report measures and performance measures) should be combined in future studies ( Petrides et al., 2010 ; Mayer et al., 2012 ).

Gender differences in academic achievement as well as the psychological constructs analyzed have been revealed. However, it has to deepen the analysis of personal variables, family, social and cultural factors that contribute to that, even though women get better scores on their school performance across the different educational stages, at adulthood that reach fewer representations than men in leadership positions ( Stoet and Geary, 2015 ).

Finally, given the cultural diversity in schools it is necessary to develop studies that analyze academic achievement as well as its relationship with different psychological variables in students of different cultural groups. Cross-cultural studies comparing different countries are necessary ( Marsh and Hau, 2003 ; Nagengast and Marsh, 2012 ; Bleidorn et al., 2016 ; Min et al., 2018 ) but teachers have to know how to deal with coexistence and cultural diversity within the classrooms.

Data Availability Statement

The datasets generated for this study are available on request to the corresponding author.

Ethics Statement

The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by the Research Commission, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Sports, University of Granada, Melilla, Spain. Written informed consent to participate in this study was provided by the participants’ legal guardian/next of kin.

Author Contributions

LH, MA-L, and LM shared conception, design, and the final version of the work, were jointly accountable for the content of the work, ensured that all aspects related to accuracy or integrity of the study were investigated and resolved in an appropriate way, and shared the internal consistency of the manuscript. MA-L and LM contributions were mainly in the theoretical part and in revising it critically. LH contribution was mainly in methodological question and data analysis.

This research was co-financed by the Research Group Development, Education, Diversity, and Culture: Interdisciplinary Analysis (HUM-742).

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Supplementary Material

The Supplementary Material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.03075/full#supplementary-material

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Keywords : academic achievement, self-concept, personality, emotional intelligence, gender, cultural group

Citation: Herrera L, Al-Lal M and Mohamed L (2020) Academic Achievement, Self-Concept, Personality and Emotional Intelligence in Primary Education. Analysis by Gender and Cultural Group. Front. Psychol. 10:3075. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.03075

Received: 12 September 2019; Accepted: 28 December 2019; Published: 22 January 2020.

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Copyright © 2020 Herrera, Al-Lal and Mohamed. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Lucía Herrera, [email protected]

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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An empirical study of college students’ reading engagement on academic achievement

Xiao-wu wang.

1 Anhui Xinhua University, Hefei, China

Yu-Juan Zhu

2 Institute of Higher Education, Anhui Xinhua University, Hefei, China

Yi-Cheng Zhang

3 Quality Education Research Center, Anhui Xinhua University, Hefei, China

4 School of Management, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China

Associated Data

The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.

With the popularity of Internet technology, reading has developed in the direction of digitalization and mobileization. And entering the metaverse era, both the subject and object of reading may be redefined, presenting a new developmental pattern. This process brings a crisis to reading, such as the fragmentation of reading, the obstruction of reading needs, and the replacement of classical reading. However, reading is still an important way for college students to acquire new knowledge, broaden their horizons and improve their skills. The existence of reading crises inevitably affects the academic achievement of college students. Therefore, from the perspective of university management, this paper conducts regression analysis on 1,155 effective samples of colleges and universities in Anhui Province, extracts the factors that affect college students’ reading engagement, and further explores the relationship between college students’ reading engagement and academic achievement. The study concluded that: (1) in terms of family reading culture, students who grow up in families with good family reading culture perform better in reading engagement. The amount of family books, family reading education and family reading atmosphere all have significant positive effects on reading time and reflective reading strategies of college students. (2) In the cultivation of reading habits in colleges and universities, the course-driven mechanism and the atmosphere stimulating mechanism have a significant positive effect on students’ reading time. The course-driven mechanism, resource supporting mechanism and atmosphere stimulating mechanism have a significant positive effect on the critical reading strategy of college students. (3) In terms of reading time, it is only found that the reading time spent on paper books has a significant positive effect on college students’ academic achievement and professional quality. (4) In terms of reading strategies, the replicative reading strategy only has a significant positive effect on the improvement of college students’ academic achievement and professional quality. The critical reading strategy has a significant positive effect on the professional quality, general ability and career planning ability of college students.

Introduction

The year 2021 is regarded as the “meta-universe year” ( Zhao et al., 2021 ), and the phenomenon of “meta-universe” has received widespread attention, reflecting the new trend of digital technology development after new technologies such as big data, blockchain, 5G and cloud computing. The metaverse is linked and created by using technology, a virtual world mapped and interacted with the real world, and a digital living space with a new social system. Combing through the literature related to metaverse reveals that many scholars focus on the impact of metaverse on games, literary travel, education and other fields, but there are few studies on the connection between metaverse and reading and how metaverse will bring changes to reading. With the popularity of Internet technology, reading has developed in the direction of digitalization and mobilization. And entering the era of metaverse, both the subject and the object of reading may be redefined and take on a new developmental shape. This process brings a crisis to reading, such as reading fragmentation, hindered reading demand, and the replacement of classical reading ( Cai and Zhao, 2022 ; Dwivedi et al., 2022 ; Zhu, 2022 ).

The acquisition of intellectual capabilities and development of high level manpower which is the goal of tertiary education implies a crop of students with good study habits because effective study habits and strategies have been attributed to the secret of success in school, graduation, entering the universities as well as the attainment of job advancement ( Musingati and Zebron, 2014 ).

Reading is an important way for contemporary college students to acquire new knowledge, expand their horizons and improve their skills, which is not only beneficial to their academic progress and quality improvement, but also plays an important role in creating a good cultural atmosphere and playing the function of educating people in colleges and universities. As an important means of educating people in colleges and universities, reading is related to the mission of cultivating talents in colleges and universities and the effectiveness of cultivating talents in universities. Therefore, reading for college students is one of the very important research topics in college education management. ( Leal-Rodriguez and Albort-Morant, 2019 ; Gao, 2021 ; Weli and Nwogu, 2022 ).

Based on the above, from the perspective of university management, this study explores: (1) What factors affect college students’ reading engagement? (2) What is the influence mechanism of college students’ reading engagement on their academic performance? Thus, the university reading management mechanism can be constructed to improve their academic achievement.

Literature review and research hypotheses

College students’ reading engagement.

Different scholars hold different views on the connotation of reading engagement, and so far, there is no unified standard. Csikszentmihalyi (1990) believes that reading engagement is a state of concentration. Pearson et al. (2016) believed that reading engagement is the interaction between students’ motivation and strategies. Different scholars have different views on the dimensions of reading engagement. PISA2009 divides reading engagement into personal reading engagement and school reading engagement. Personal reading engagement includes four dimensions: love of reading, diversity of reading, online reading activities and reading time. The school reading engagement specifically includes four dimensions: text interpretation, use of non-consecutive texts, reading activities of traditional literary works, and instrumental text use. Zhang et al. (2014) drew on the PISA2009 definition of reading engagement, and divided reading engagement into reading time, reading quantity and reading interest. Wen et al. (2016) studied reading engagement from three dimensions: length of reading time, amount of reading, and diversity of reading content.

The reading engagement proposed in this study refers to the time and energy input of college students in the process of reading, which specifically includes college students’ reading time and reading strategies ( Brookbank et al., 2018 ; McDaniel, 2018 ). See Table 1 for details.

Specific indicators of reading engagement.

Academic achievement

Research on the academic achievement of college students can be traced back to the 1960s. In 1966, the American Educational Advisory Council created the “Cooperative Program on Institutional Research.” After the 1990s, countries all over the world began to pay attention to the investigation and research on the academic achievement of college students. This is not only an effective way to judge the value growth of college students, but also an important way to explore the learning and development of college students, and an effective method to measure the quality of college education ( Douglass et al., 2012 ). Park et al. (2014) summarized the academic achievement of college students as knowledge, values and attitudes, skills or appropriate behaviors. American university scholars developed a standardized test tool CLA (Collegiate Learning Assessment), which reflects the academic achievement status of college students by measuring critical thinking ability, analytical reasoning ability, problem-solving ability and communication ability. Developmental psychology believes that there is an interaction mechanism between value orientation and behavioral choice, and there is a causal relationship between academic achievement orientation and behavior, that is, college students with higher academic achievement will have better future development ( Morgan, 2004 ; Aharony and Bar-Ilan, 2018 ). Maniaci et al. (2021) evaluated the relationship between healthy lifestyle and academic performance of 373 Italian adolescents, and found that academic achievement was conducive to healthy lifestyle and good eating habits.

Reading engagement and academic achievement of college students

According to the input-environment-output model proposed by Astin (1984) , output refers to students’ ability, that is, the target of education and teaching in colleges and universities, input refers to the personal characteristics of students before receiving higher education, including the student’s family background, academic qualifications before admission, etc., environment refers to all kinds of actual experiences that students experience in universities and colleges, including those from course teaching, campus activities, social practice, and others ( Astin, 1984 ).

A study environment therefore refers to the physical, social and psychological situations that affect a student’s well being as well his studies. A study environment must be safe, healthy and promote the study life of a student ( Dempsey, 2020 ). A satisfying learning environment is conducive to college students’ reading engagement (time and energy), which in turn enhances their academic achievement. Therefore, the more college students participate in various practical activities, the better their comprehensive ability and quality will be improved ( Camelo and Elliott, 2019 ; Wu, 2019 ; Marley and Wilcox, 2022 ).

Research hypothesis

Reading is essentially the inheritance and innovation of knowledge (object) in the interactive relationship between subject (reader) and carrier (reading material). The differences of reading subjects (readers) mainly depend on individual preconditions and post-environments. In the preconditions, family reading characteristics (mainly the pros and cons of the students’ family cultural capital) play a leading role. In the post-endowment environment, the cultivation of reading habits in colleges and universities plays a leading role. Different kinds of colleges and universities play different roles in the cultivation of reading habits, which affects reading engagement. The object of reading is composed of explicit knowledge and tacit knowledge. Explicit knowledge is mainly composed of disciplinary professional knowledge, interdisciplinary integration knowledge and fragmented knowledge, while tacit knowledge is obtained through comprehension, and in university campus, it is mainly manifested as scholarly campus and cultural influence. Reading carriers are mainly composed of paper carriers and digital carriers. Under the background of technological change, intelligent knowledge production (IR, AI), interactive knowledge transmission and lively knowledge experience (AR, VR) are the inevitable trends of the development of reading carriers.

Therefore, this study explores the influence mechanism of college students’ reading engagement on the improvement of academic achievement from the perspective of students and universities. Based on this, this study puts forward the following hypotheses:

Hypothesis 1: The characteristics of reading subjects (preconditions and college endowments) have a significant influence on the academic achievement of college students. The better the subject endowment, the better the academic achievement of college students.

Hypothesis 1a: Controlling other variables, the better the college students’ pre-existing conditions, the better their academic achievement;

Hypothesis 1b: Controlling other variables, the better the endowment of college students in colleges and universities, the better their academic achievement;

Hypothesis 2: College students’ reading engagement has a significant influence on academic achievement, that is, the more college students engage in reading, the better their academic achievement.

Hypothesis 2a: Controlling other variables, the more time college students devote to reading, the better their academic achievement;

Hypothesis 2b: Controlling other variables, the better the reading strategy of college students, the better their academic achievement;

Hypothesis 3: The cultivation of reading habits in colleges and universities has a significant impact on the academic achievement of college students by influencing their reading engagement, that is, the better the university’s curriculum driving mechanism, resource support mechanism, atmosphere stimulation mechanism and interaction promotion mechanism are played, the better the academic achievement of college students will be.

The logic of this research is to construct the relationship between reading engagement and academic achievement, and explore the influence mechanism of reading engagement on academic achievement by investigating the respective effects of reading engagement at the student level and the university level. The reading engagement (time and strategy) level of college students, from the individual level, is mainly affected by the individual’s preconditions. From the perspective of group characteristics, it is mainly affected by the endowment of colleges and the cultivation of college reading habits. The combined effect of the individual level and the university level constitutes a research system of college students’ reading engagement on academic achievement.

Research design

Questionnaire design and data collection, questionnaire design.

First of all, literature was sorted out to collect authoritative classical scales, and some mature scales were used for reference. In this study, the reading engagement questionnaire of college students draws on the questionnaire of “Research on Reading Motivation of College Students” by Chen Xiaoli of Jinan University and the questionnaire of “Chinese Reading Behavior in the Digital Age” by Li Xinxiang of Wuhan University. The college students’ academic achievement questionnaire was based on the “University Quality and Student Development Monitoring Project in Beijing” questionnaire and NSSE-China.

Secondly, through discussion among members of the research team and consultation with authoritative experts in this field, the contents of the questionnaire items and the wording of the questionnaire were modified, and the design content of the questionnaire was initially determined. In the first part, the purpose of the study was explained to the research subjects. The second part defines the background data of this study. The third part is mainly about the impact of college students’ reading engagement on academic achievement, including time reading motivation, family reading culture, college reading habit training, college organizational endowment and so on. The fourth part is the basic information of the research object, including age and other demographic variables.

Finally, a small number of qualified samples were screened, and the proposed questionnaire was used for pre-investigation, and the data of the recovered questionnaire was sorted out. At the same time, the reliability and validity of the questionnaire items were tested, and the inconsistent questions were deleted to form the final draft of the questionnaire.

Questionnaire distribution and collection

After the preliminary questionnaire survey, the re-adjustment and modification of the questionnaire were completed to improve reliability and validity, and the final questionnaire of this study was formed.

In this study, cluster sampling method was mainly adopted. This method is to merge the units in the population into several non-intersecting and non-repeating sets, that is, cluster; and then use the cluster as a sampling unit to draw samples.

Considering the representativeness and comprehensiveness of the sample, three undergraduate universities in Anhui Province were selected, one is a university of Project 985, one is a government-run undergraduate university, and one is a private undergraduate university. The student sample covers freshmen to seniors, and the majors cover humanities and social sciences, science and engineering. In the questionnaire survey, we gathered the students together and conducted the survey in the form of answering online questionnaires through smartphones. Finally, a total of 1,155 valid questionnaires were obtained.

Measurement of variables

This study takes the academic achievement of college students as the dependent variable, which includes three dimensions, namely, professional ability, general competence, and career planning ability. The reading engagement of college students was taken as the explanatory variable, and the individual characteristics of college students, reading motivation, family reading culture, college reading habit training and college organizational endowment were used as control variables. The definitions of main explanatory variables, explained variables and control variables are shown in Table 2 .

Measurement of variables.

In order to verify the mechanism of college students’ reading engagement on college students’ academic achievement proposed in this paper, the following multiple regression models were used to analyze from the student level and the university level. The specific model is as follows:

Among them, X ij represents the reading engagement of college students, A ij represents the individual characteristics of college students; B ij represents the reading motivation of college students; C ij represents the reading culture of college students’ families; D ij represents the cultivation of reading habits in colleges and universities; E ij stands for organizational endowment of colleges and universities; Y ij is for academic achievement of college students. β i is the regression coefficient.

In Model 1, the dependent variable is X ij , and other variables are independent variables, which are used to explore the factors affecting college students’ reading engagement. In Model 2, the dependent variable is Y ij , and other variables are independent variables, which are used to explore the impact of college students’ reading engagement on their academic achievement.

Analysis of empirical results

Descriptive statistical analysis.

In terms of the grade distribution of the sample, there are fewer seniors. The main reason is that the courses of seniors have finished, and many students have been practicing abroad, so the number of seniors in school is small. The sample number of freshmen, sophomores and juniors was relatively balanced, with 238 freshmen, accounting for 20.6%, 436 sophomore students, accounting for 37.7%, 359 juniors, accounting for 31.1 percent. In terms of the types of colleges and universities, 203 students are from 985 colleges and universities, accounting for 17.6%. The number of students from local public undergraduate universities is 283, accounting for 24.5%; the number of local private undergraduate students is 669, accounting for 57.9%. In terms of gender, there are 633 boys, accounting for 54.8%, and 522 girls, accounting for 45.2%. In terms of majors, 382 students are in humanities and social sciences, accounting for 28.5%, while 826 in science and engineering, accounting for 71.5%. In terms of the source of students, 606 students are from rural areas, accounting for 52.5%, and 549 from urban areas, accounting for 47.5%. In terms of the types of high schools, 788 students, accounting for 68.2%, are enrolled in key high schools, and 367 students, or 31.8 percent, are enrolled in regular high schools. From the perspective of annual family income, 58.4% (674 students) have an annual family income of 50,000 yuan or less, 25% (289 students) 60,000–100,000 yuan, and the remaining 17.6% (242 students) 100,000 yuan or more. See Table 3 for details.

Descriptive statistics of the sample.

Reliability analysis

The reliability test of the questionnaire is mainly to ensure the reliability of the questionnaire, so we conducted the reliability test of the questionnaire by using SPSS21.0. According to the structure of the questionnaire, we selected the following dimensions for reliability analysis, as shown in Table 4 .

Reliability analysis.

Cronbach’s α coefficient is used to measure the reliability of the internal consistency of the questionnaire. If the Cronbach’s α coefficient is larger, it indicates that the degree of internal consistency of the questionnaire is higher, and the reliability of the questionnaire results is stronger. It is generally believed that the reliability coefficient should be between 0 and 1. If the reliability coefficient of the questionnaire is above 0.9, it means that the reliability of the questionnaire is very good. If the reliability coefficient of the questionnaire is between 0.8 and 0.9, it indicates that the reliability of the questionnaire is acceptable. If the reliability coefficient of the questionnaire is between 0.7 and 0.8, it indicates that some items of the questionnaire need to be revised. If the reliability coefficient of the questionnaire is below 0.7, it indicates that some items in the questionnaire need to be deleted.

The reliability of this questionnaire can be found from the above table, the reliability of each dimension of the questionnaire is above 0.8, indicating that the reliability of the questionnaire in this paper is good.

Validity analysis

The paper used structural equation modeling to test the construct validity of the main variables, including academic achievement and reading engagement. As can be seen from Figure 1 , the path coefficients of the three abilities of academic achievement are all above 0.7, and other observation indicators meet the requirements, indicating that the validity of the academic achievement in the questionnaire is good. As can be seen from Figure 2 , the path coefficients of the two aspects of reading engagement are both above 0.6, and the other observed indicators are consistent, indicating that the validity of reading engagement in the questionnaire is good.

Construct validity analysis chart of academic achievement (after normalization). Significance level * P < 0.1, ** P < 0.05, and *** P < 0.01.

Construct validity analysis diagram of reading input (after standardization). Significance level * P < 0.1, ** P < 0.05, and *** P < 0.01.

Analysis of influencing factors of college students’ reading engagement

The above analysis shows that different individual characteristics, different reading motivation, different family reading culture, different reading habit cultivation and different organizational endowment of colleges and universities show different reading input. Therefore, the paper took college students’ reading engagement as the dependent variable and college students’ individual characteristics, reading motivation, family reading culture, college reading habit cultivation and college organizational endowment as independent variables to construct a multiple regression model and analyze the influencing mechanism of these factors on college students’ reading engagement. The regression results are shown in Table 5 .

Results of multiple linear regression of college students’ reading engagement.

Significance level * P < 0.1, ** P < 0.05, *** P < 0.01.

The influence of college students’ individual characteristics on reading engagement

As can be seen from Table 5 , in the prediction of paper reading time, the grade of college students has a positive and significant effect on reading time, that is, with the rise of grade, college students will spend more and more time on paper reading. In the prediction of reading strategies, the grade of college students plays a significant role in the replication reading strategy. With the rise of grade, college students are more and more inclined to choose the replication reading strategy. Gender of college students plays a significant role in critical reading strategies, and male students are more inclined to think and reflect when reading.

The influence of college students’ reading motivation on reading engagement

As can be seen from Table 5 , in terms of reading motivation, both practical motivation and entertainment motivation have positive and significant effects on paper reading time, which also indicates that college students spend more time on practical and entertainment paper reading materials.

In terms of reading motivation, entertainment motivation has a positive and significant effect on e-reading time, while developmental motivation has a negative and significant effect on e-reading time. This also indicates that the main purpose of e-reading is entertainment, but college students choose to read from the perspective of their own development, so they spend less time on e-reading.

In terms of the impact of reading motivation on reading strategies, practical motivation, entertainment motivation and developmental motivation all play a positive and significant role in the replication and reflective reading strategies. In other words, on the whole, the stronger the reading motivation of college students, the better they will use the replication and reflective reading strategies.

The influence of college students’ family reading culture on reading engagement

As can be seen from Table 5 , in the prediction of reading time, only the father’s education years play a negative and significant role in the paper reading time of college students. That is, the higher the father’s education level, the less reading time of college students, which is obviously not in line with our conventional cognition, and the specific reasons need to be further analyzed.

However, the amount of family books, family reading education and family reading atmosphere all have significant positive effects on the paper reading time and electronic reading time of college students, which indicates that the more books in the family, the better the family reading education, the better the family reading atmosphere, and the longer the reading time of college students.

In the prediction of reading strategies, family reading education and family reading atmosphere had positive and significant effects on college students’ duplicative reading strategies and reflective reading strategies. The amount of family books has a positive and significant effect on the reflective reading strategy, which also indicates that family reading education, family reading atmosphere and the amount of family books are an important factor affecting the reading strategy of college students.

Influence of reading habit cultivation on reading input in colleges and universities

In terms of the prediction of reading time, the course-driven mechanism and the atmosphere stimulation mechanism have positive and significant effects on paper reading time and electronic reading time, which indicates that the opening of college guidance courses and the development of college reading activities will increase the reading time of college students.

In the prediction of reading strategies, the course-driven mechanism and the atmosphere stimulating mechanism play a positive and significant role in the replication reading strategy of college students, while the course-driven mechanism, the resource supporting mechanism and the atmosphere stimulating mechanism play a positive and significant role in the reflective reading strategy of college students. Generally speaking, the cultivation mechanism of college reading habits plays a very important role in the selection of reading strategies for college students. The more attention colleges pay to the cultivation of students’ reading habits, the better college students can use reading strategies.

Influence of organizational endowment on reading input in colleges and universities

In the prediction of organizational endowment of colleges and universities, the type of colleges and universities plays a positive and significant role in paper reading time, electronic reading time, replicative reading strategy and reflective reading strategy, that is, with the improvement of college selection, the longer the reading time of college students and the better the use of reading strategies.

Analysis of the impact of college students’ reading engagement on college students’ academic achievement

Through the above analysis, we can find that college students with different levels of reading engagement show different levels of academic achievement. Therefore, taking college students’ reading engagement as the independent variable, college students’ academic achievement as the dependent variable, and college students’ individual characteristics, reading motivation, family reading culture and organizational endowment as control variables, we constructed a multiple regression model to test whether college students’ reading engagement has an impact on college students’ academic achievement. At the same time, it also examines whether the individual characteristics of college students, reading motivation, family reading culture and organizational endowment of colleges and universities affect the academic achievement of college students. The regression results are shown in Table 6 .

Results of multiple linear regression of college students’ academic achievement.

The influence of college students’ reading engagement on their academic achievement

(1) The influence of college students’ reading engagement on college students’ professional quality.

As can be seen from Table 6 , paper reading time, replicative reading strategy and speculative reading strategy all play a significant positive role in the prediction of professional literacy of college students. However, e-reading time has no significant effect on college students’ professional quality. The explanatory power of the whole model is 58.3%. The data show that paper reading time and critical reading strategy can promote the improvement of college students’ professional ability, that is, the more paper reading time of college students, the more professional quality can be promoted. The use of critical reading strategy can also significantly improve the professional quality of college students. The measurement of professional literacy includes the improvement of professional performance and self-directed learning ability. It can be seen that if college students want to improve their professional knowledge and enhance their autonomous learning ability, they must first increase their reading time of paper books. Secondly, we should use the critical reading strategy, that is, we should keep thinking while reading, so as to improve our professional ability.

(2) The influence of college students’ reading engagement on college students’ general ability.

As can be seen from Table 6 , only the critical reading strategy plays a significant positive role in predicting the general ability of college students. Paper reading time, electronic reading time and Replicative reading strategy have no significant effect on college students’ general ability. The explanatory power of the whole model is 48.3%. The data show that the critical reading strategy can promote the general ability of college students. The measurement of general ability includes two elements: expressive ability and organizational leadership ability. From the perspective of the function of reading, if college students want to improve their general ability, that is, their expressive ability and organizational leadership ability, they must strengthen the use of critical reading strategies in reading, think in reading, and constantly improve their general ability.

(3) The impact of reading engagement on college students’ career and career planning

As can be seen from Table 6 , in terms of the prediction of career and career planning ability, the critical reading strategy has a significant positive effect on college students’ career and career planning ability. Paper reading time, electronic reading time and replicative reading strategy have no significant effect on college students’ general ability. The explanatory power of the whole model is 62.7%. The data show that the critical reading strategy can improve college students’ career and career planning ability. The measurement of career and career planning ability includes two elements: determining future career direction and forming stage development goals. The more college students use critical reading strategies in reading, the more they can improve their career and career planning ability.

Path analysis of the impact of college students’ reading engagement on academic achievement

The above multiple linear regression analysis shows the degree of influence of college students’ reading engagement on academic achievement. For how each dimension of college students’ reading engagement affects college students’ academic achievement, it is necessary to construct structural equation model to conduct path analysis and analyze the specific impact mechanism of college students’ reading engagement on academic achievement. AMOSS20.0 was used for path analysis in this paper. The chi-square of the model was 135.873, the degree of freedom was 13, and the overall significance probability of the model was P&LT. 0.001, the model fit is good, and the indicators are shown in Table 7 .

Fitting index of the model.

According to the Maximum Likelihood method, the model is analyzed. Figure 3 summarizes the standardized influence mechanism between “reading engagement and academic achievement.” The effect of college students’ reading engagement on standardized academic achievement reached 0.57, and the probability of significance was P&LT. 0.001, which indicates that college students’ reading engagement can indeed have a positive role in promoting academic achievement. This also confirms the conclusion in the regression model that college students’ reading engagement has a significant promoting effect on academic achievement, and verifies the basic hypothesis of this paper.

Structural equation model of college students’ reading engagement and academic achievement (after normalization). Significance level * P < 0.1, ** P < 0.05, and *** P < 0.01.

The impact of other factors on college students’ academic achievement

In this study, the individual characteristics, reading motivation, family reading culture of college students and the organizational endowment of colleges and universities were added into the regression model as control variables. The regression model was used to test whether college students’ individual characteristics, reading motivation, family reading culture, reading habit training in colleges and universities, and organizational endowment in colleges and universities would have an impact on college students’ academic achievement. The regression results are shown in Table 6 .

(1) The influence of college students’ individual characteristics on college students’ academic achievement.

In terms of professional literacy, it can be seen from Table 6 that both the place of origin and developmental motivation have significant positive effects on college students’ professional literacy, that is, the professional literacy of urban students is better than that of rural students, and the more college students read for their own development, the stronger their professional literacy will be.

In terms of general ability, it can be seen from Table 6 that grade, subject and place of origin all have negative and significant effects on college students’ general ability, that is, with the improvement of college students’ grade, their own general ability decreases. Compared with students majoring in science and engineering, students majoring in humanities and social sciences improve their general ability better. The origin of students has a positive and significant effect on the general ability of college students. Urban students improve their general ability more than rural students.

In terms of college students’ career planning ability, from Table 6 , the grade of career and career planning ability of college students has negative significant effect, namely as college students’ grade rises, the cognitive ability of college students decreases in their career planning, and the reason may be that as their grade grows, especially when they need to find a job, their self-efficacy for their career planning ability becomes even lower. Discipline has a significant negative effect on career and lifetime planning ability, that is, the improvement of career planning ability of humanities and social science students is higher than that of science and engineering students.

(2) The impact of reading motivation on the academic achievement of college students.

In terms of professional quality, Table 6 shows that developmental motivation has a significant positive effect on the professional quality of college students, which indicates that the more they pay attention to long-term development in reading, the higher their career planning ability will be.

In terms of general ability, Table 6 shows that practical motivation, recreational motivation and developmental motivation all have a significant positive effect on general ability, which indicates that the stronger the reading motivation of college students, the better they can improve their general ability.

In terms of career planning ability, Table 6 shows that practical motivation and developmental motivation have a significant positive effect on career planning ability, which shows that the more college students pay attention to practicality and long-term development in reading, the better they can improve their career planning ability.

(3) The influence of family reading culture on the academic achievement of college students.

In terms of professional quality, Table 6 shows that the schooling years of fathers have a significant negative effect on the professional quality of college students, which is contradictory to conventional understanding. The possible reason is that most of the students come from private colleges and are not enthusiastic about their major. So the more educated their father, the more they will be motivated to learn knowledge. That being said, due to their psychological inversion, their professional quality is usually not very good.

In terms of general ability and career planning ability, Table 6 shows that the variables of family reading culture have no significant impact on the dimensions of college students’ academic achievement.

The impact of the organizational endowment of colleges on the academic achievement of college students

In terms of the organizational endowment of colleges, that is, the types of colleges, Table 6 shows that the types of colleges have a significant positive impact on students’ general ability, and as college selection improves, college students can better improve their general ability. This shows that the better the organizational endowment of colleges, the more prominent the general abilities of college students, including organizational and communication skills.

Conclusion and recommendation

Factors affecting college students’ reading engagement.

(1) From the perspective of college students, in terms of college students’ reading time, grades, practical motivation, recreational motivation, family collection of books, family reading education, and family reading atmosphere have a significant positive impact on paper reading time. The same is true of the education level of fathers. College students’ grade, recreational motivation, developmental motivation, family book collection, family reading education, and family reading atmosphere have a significant positive impact on e-reading time. In terms of reading strategies, grades, practical motivation, recreational motivation, developmental motivation, family reading education, and family reading atmosphere have significant positive effects on replicative reading strategies, while gender, practical motivation, recreational motivation, developmental motivation, family book collection, family reading education, and family reading atmosphere have significant positive effects on critical reading strategies.

(2) From the perspective of colleges, the curriculum-driven mechanism, atmosphere stimulation mechanism, and organizational endowment have a significant positive impact on paper reading time and e-reading time. In terms of reading strategies, curriculum-driven mechanism, atmosphere-based incentive mechanism, and college organizational endowment have a significant positive impact on replicative reading, while curriculum-driven mechanism, resource support mechanism, atmosphere incentive mechanism, and college organizational endowment have a significant positive impact on critical reading.

Mechanism of factors affecting the academic achievement of college students

From the analysis on how college students’ reading engagement affect their academic achievement, the following two points are drawn: (1) Among others, reading time is the most important factor affecting reading behavior and reading volume. It is found that the reading time of paper books has a significant positive effect on the professional quality of college students, but has no significant effect on the general ability, career and lifetime planning ability of college students. Many students prefer paper books while studying professional knowledge, because they can take notes on them and they are conducive to systemic learning. This may be an important reason why paper-book reading time has a significant positive effect on the professional quality of college students. In addition, e-book reading time has no significant effect on the three abilities concerning college students’ academic achievement, which to some extent reflects the drawbacks of e-book reading. E-book reading can easily lead to fragmented reading, and it is difficult to form a systematic knowledge system. Moreover, students also reported that e-books are basically recreational. Therefore, it is difficult for such reading to have a significant impact on the three abilities, but this does not mean that e-reading is useless. (2) In terms of reading strategies, critical reading strategies have a significant positive effect on college students’ professional quality, general ability, career and lifetime planning. While reading, college students should not only rely on passive memory, but also learn to think and make explorations actively, which is conducive to the improvement of academic achievement.

Based on the analysis on how the individual characteristics, reading motivation, family reading culture and institutional endowment of college students on the academic achievement of college students, the following four conclusions are drawn: (1) Grades have a significant negative effect on college students’ general ability and career and lifetime planning ability. With the increase of grades, the general ability and the ability of career and lifetime planning decrease. Disciplines have a significant negative effect on the general ability and ability of career and lifetime planning: feedback from students of humanities and social sciences shows that they can better improve their general ability through reading than those of science and engineering. The source of students has a positive effect on the professional quality, general ability, career and lifetime planning of college students, that is, the self-evaluation of urban students on their academic achievement is higher than that of rural students. (2) Practical motivation has a positive and significant effect on college students’ general ability and career planning ability. Students believe that practical reading can promote the two abilities; recreational motivation has a significant impact on general ability; motivation has a significant positive effect on academic achievement overall. (3) In terms of family reading culture, only the education level of fathers has a significant negative effect on college students’ professional quality, while that of others has no significant effect, which is contrary to our cognition and requires further verification and analysis. (4) The organizational endowment of colleges has a significant positive effect on general ability. With the improvement of college selectivity, college students have a higher evaluation of their general ability.

Recommendation

This research verifies the functional mechanism of reading subject, reading object and reading carrier, and concludes that the core of the operating mechanism of college reading management lies in the management of reading input (reading time and reading strategy), and the mechanism of college reading management makes sure that the reading subject, reading object and the reading carrier are effectively integrated. The joint effect of the operation mechanism and the action mechanism of reading management in colleges can promote the effective implementation of reading management, and then improve the academic achievement of college students.

First of all, find the individual, group and epochal characteristics of college students, and based on systematically grasping their individual characteristics, encourage them to read and improve their reading efficiency. Based on the cultivation of reading content tendencies and reading habits, actively promote the application and conversion of replicative reading and critical reading. Second, give play to the role of the reading object, well manage and serve knowledge content, promote the transformation between tacit knowledge and explicit knowledge, and play the role of tacit knowledge and tacit curriculum. In particular, promote reading atmosphere and provide a comfortable reading space for students to combine the role of the environment and culture in talent cultivation. Finally, in terms of reading carriers, combine technology and reading form. The construction of resources and platforms in colleges is the foundation of reading management. The construction and application of electronic resources and online platforms has become an inevitable trend under the background of technological change. The application of new technologies to improve and promote reading, especially the method of “intelligence plus reading” will be the main trend leading the development of reading carrier management.

Improve the construction of reading system

A sound system can guarantee the effective operation of reading management. The study found that the intended purpose of reading management cannot be achieved only through encouragement and advocacy. It is also necessary to systematically build a flexible and rigid institutional system that combine universities, libraries, counselors, teachers and student.

(1) In the construction of flexible restraint system, requirements concerning the number of books that students should read (for example one hundreds Chinese and foreign classics) and thought sharing should be implemented in each term, and relevant achievements, such as the number of book sharing and essays on book reading, are directly linked to student awards, party membership, and student cadre elections.

(2) In terms of rigid system construction, the responsibility assessment system for university administrators such as librarians, counselors and teachers should consider whether they participate in and guide students’ reading activities. Libraries and curators promote reading services and counseling, extend the functions of libraries in a timely manner based on technological progress and actual needs. In particular, they are responsible for selecting and recommending classic books and offer monthly lectures on famous classics. The work assessment system for counselors should consider whether they organize and take part in reading group activities in class management activities. Teachers, especially those with senior professional titles, should regularly offer lectures on professional reading, which has become an important part of teacher assessment. At the same time, colleges have established a reading assistance system for students with financial difficulties through student scholarships and other means.

Enrich reading resources and promote platform building

Reading resources and platforms are the material basis of reading management in colleges. Efforts should be made to strengthen the information construction of libraries, encourage teachers to develop relevant reading websites, share proper reading resources among students, and students with a “reading corner” for sharing and reading, thus building a bridge connecting teachers and students and promoting communication among students. In addition, new technologies should be used to improve college students’ reading strategies. In particular, the method of “artificial intelligence plus reading” such as virtual reality and augmented reality can effectively resolve shortcomings caused by “fragmented reading,” and find a reasonable and effective way for the promotion of classic reading.

Build a better long-term reading mechanism

(1) Establish a mechanism for reading promotion. The formation of a reading culture is a long-term and accumulative process, which cannot be achieved by just one or two reading activities. Through online and offline reading tutoring and various reading promotion activities (special lectures, reading salons, etc.), colleges can effectively improve students’ reading enthusiasm and participation, and form an institutionalized and systematic reading tradition. Libraries should improve their reading service, and introduce themselves to freshmen so that they know their services. Efforts should also be made to optimize the information building, and build a recommendation column for new and good books. At the same time, we should focus on guiding students to use electronic resources, and conduct regular activities to let them know how to use electronic resources better.

(2) Build a reading interaction system. The reading interaction between teachers and students and among students is an important part of campus interaction, and also a beautiful “learning landscape” on campus. On the one hand, it is necessary to construct a benign reading interaction mechanism between teachers and students, involving the reading interaction between professional teachers and students, and between counselors and students, and the informal reading organization of teachers and students. On the other hand, it is also necessary to build an active classmate reading interaction mechanism that include formal reading interaction and informal reading activities.

(3) Build a development mechanism for college students’ reading behavior. First, increase the reading time. Through opening characteristic reading courses, building a wealth of electronic reading resources, and providing an elegant and comfortable reading environment on campus, students are encouraged to read at any time. Second, use appropriate reading strategies. Encourage teachers to offer guidance on reading in their teaching process; organize clubs and library activities; invite famous teachers to give reading strategy lectures. Third, optimize the structure of reading contents, help students choose reading contents reasonably based on their needs and major, promote classic reading, and prevent recreational reading from becoming the main body of reading.

Research outlook

(1) Expand the distribution area and number of samples. The follow-up research will cover more samples, select some colleges and universities in the eastern, central and western regions as the survey objects, expand the sample size to about 4,000, and conduct interviews with graduates and teachers to further explore factors influencing college students’ reading and their relationship with academic achievement.

(2) Systematically carry out reading management in colleges and universities. Reading management needs to implement targeted reading intervention measures for 2–3 years and quantify specific indicators, which will inevitably produce good practical results. Reading management in colleges and universities should further expand its thinking and pay attention to the reading intervention of college students before they go to college. Especially for students who come from rural areas and have a relatively weak cultural background, it is necessary to transfer reading management to the stage of compulsory education.

(3) Promote classic reading. Classical reading has always been the most important part among college students, but there are various reading difficulties in practice. How to use the reform of reading carriers brought by technological reform, especially the method of “artificial intelligence plus classics” in practice, to improve the popularity and efficiency of classic reading is one of focuses for follow-up research.

(4) Research on the relationship between e-reading and academic achievement. With the increase of electronic resources and the popularization of media such as film, television media and e-readers, television, the Internet, and mobile phones have become the major reading methods used by the Chinese people. How to effectively use the “artificial intelligence plus reading” method, especially the application of VR and AR, to improve the academic achievement of college students, is worthy of further research in the context of technological innovation.

Data availability statement

Author contributions.

X-WW proposed the research hypothesis and research design, analyzed the experimental data, and analyzed the experimental results. Y-JZ contributed to questionnaires and collected data. Y-CZ designed the framework of the manuscript and discussed the experimental results. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.

This study was supported by the major teaching and research project of Anhui Province, Construction and Exploration of Quality Culture System of Private Universities (Project No. 2020jyxm0779) and the construction of school-level scientific research team of Anhui Xinhua College (Project No. kytd202206).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher’s note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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Between snakes and ladders: Trajectories of a group of Indigenous university students

Indigenous students represent 1% of the enrollment in Mexican higher education. The exclusion they have been subjected to is a structural problem, in which factors external and internal to the educational system come together. In this paper, we analyzed the barriers and enablers faced by Indigenous university students. The research was based on collaborative ethnography, and, for the empirical work, we conducted in-depth interviews in a sample of Indigenous students from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). The students’ discourses highlight three kinds of barriers: economic, academic, and attitudinal.  All these barriers have different consequences, on both student learning and educational achievement as well as students’ chances of being included in the university. However, at the same time, students point out to the existence of support at the institutional level and from relatives, classmates, and teachers. We conclude that the circumstances experienced by Indigenous students are complex, due to several obstacles they have to overcome. For that reason, it is important to enhance institutional actions in order to identify Indigenous student needs and improve their educational conditions.

Author Biography

Judith perez-castro, universidad nacional autónoma de méxico (unam) – instituto de investigaciones sobre la universidad y la educación (iisue).

Doctora en Ciencia Social con especialidad en Sociología, por El Colegio de México. Investigadora titular en el Instituto de Investigaciones sobre la Universidad y la Educación – UNAM. Profesora del Posgrado en Pedagogía en la misma institución. Miembro del Sistema Nacional de Investigadores (Nivel 2), del Consejo Nacional de Humanidades, Ciencia y Tecnología. Líneas de investigación: Equidad e inclusión educativa y Políticas educativas. Última publicación: Pérez-Castro, J. y Piña, J. M. (2024). Representaciones sociales de estudiantes de bachillerato sobre las personas de los pueblos originarios. Sinéctica. Revista Electrónica de Educación, (62), 1-21.

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• Non-verbal communication cues across cultures
• The role of cultural context in interpreting messages
• Cross-cultural differences in communication styles and conflict resolution
• The influence of bilingualism on cognitive development
• Cultural norms and their effects on public speaking and persuasion
• Translation challenges in cross-cultural research
• Social media and digital communication in a cross-cultural context
• Intercultural relationships and communication barriers
• Language policies and their psychological implications
• Cultural conceptions of happiness and well-being
• Prevalence and treatment of mental disorders in different cultural settings
• Stigma and mental health in diverse cultural contexts
• Coping mechanisms and resilience among minority groups
• The role of community and family support in mental health
• Cross-cultural differences in experiencing and expressing emotions
• Indigenous healing practices and Western psychotherapy
• Cultural competency in mental health services
• Suicide rates and prevention strategies across cultures
• The impact of migration and acculturation on mental health
• Comparative studies of parenting practices and child outcomes
• The influence of cultural values on parenting behaviors
• Early childhood education and development in various cultural settings
• Discipline and moral development across cultures
• Attachment styles in different cultural contexts
• The role of extended family in child-rearing practices
• Cross-cultural perspectives on adolescence and autonomy
• Parental expectations and academic achievement
• Cultural variations in play and socialization
• Impact of modernization on traditional parenting roles
• Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and organizational behavior
• Leadership styles and management practices in different cultures
• Cross-cultural teamwork and collaboration in multinational corporations
• Cultural influences on job satisfaction and motivation
• Work-life balance across cultures
• Cultural adaptation in international assignments
• Negotiation and decision-making in a cross-cultural context
• Diversity and inclusion in the workplace
• The impact of cultural intelligence on career development
• Ethical business practices and cultural considerations
• Cross-cultural differences in visual perception and interpretation
• Cultural influences on memory and recall
• Decision-making processes in diverse cultural contexts
• The effect of language on thought and categorization
• Spatial orientation and navigation across cultures
• Cultural variations in problem-solving strategies
• Time perception and management in different cultural frameworks
• The role of culture in creative thinking and innovation
• Moral reasoning and ethical judgments across cultures
• Perception of risk and uncertainty in decision-making
• Cultural norms and the expression of emotions
• Universal vs. culture-specific emotions
• Emotional intelligence and cultural empathy
• The psychology of happiness across cultures
• Cultural differences in experiencing and coping with grief
• Love, attachment, and relationships in different cultural contexts
• The impact of cultural background on emotional regulation
• Cross-cultural studies on anger, fear, and other basic emotions
• The role of emotions in cross-cultural conflicts and negotiations
• Emotional contagion and collective emotions in cultural events
• Cross-cultural perspectives on altruism and prosocial behavior
• Cultural influences on group dynamics and conformity
• Friendship, kinship, and social networks in diverse societies
• Trust and cooperation in multicultural settings
• Intercultural marriages and family dynamics
• Social exclusion, prejudice, and discrimination across cultures
• Cultural norms governing social roles and statuses
• The impact of cultural diversity on community cohesion
• Cross-cultural communication in romantic relationships
• Social identity and intergroup relations in a globalized world
• Models of acculturation and their psychological impacts
• Identity conflicts and resolution in the acculturation process
• The role of language acquisition in cultural adaptation
• Psychological well-being of expatriates and immigrants
• Cultural shock and coping strategies
• Biculturalism, multiculturalism, and psychological adjustment
• The effects of international education on cultural adaptation
• Intergenerational differences in acculturation within immigrant families
• Policies and programs supporting cultural adaptation
• The impact of global mobility on cultural identities
• Ethical considerations in conducting cross-cultural psychology research
• Challenges in translating and validating psychological measures across languages
• Issues of cultural bias and ethnocentrism in psychological research
• Comparative research designs in cross-cultural studies
• Collecting and analyzing cross-cultural data
• The role of indigenous methodologies in psychological research
• Ensuring cultural sensitivity and respect in research practices
• Informed consent and autonomy in diverse cultural settings
• Addressing power imbalances in cross-cultural research collaborations
• The future of cross-cultural psychology research: Trends and innovations

The exploration of cross-cultural psychology research paper topics offers a unique opportunity to delve into the rich tapestry of human culture and its profound influence on psychological processes. By engaging with this wide array of topics, students can contribute valuable insights into the universal and culture-specific aspects of human behavior, fostering a deeper understanding of the diverse ways people across the globe experience and navigate the world. This endeavor not only enriches the academic field but also equips future psychologists with the knowledge and sensitivity required to address global challenges and promote intercultural understanding and cooperation. Encouraged to explore topics that resonate with their interests and aspirations, students can make significant strides towards advancing cross-cultural psychology and its application in creating a more inclusive and empathetic global society.

What is Cross-Cultural Psychology

Research Importance

Research in cross-cultural psychology is crucial for revealing the profound influence of culture on human psychology. Studies in this field examine everything from basic cognitive processes to complex emotional and social behaviors, demonstrating how cultural norms and values mold individual and collective experiences. This research is instrumental in broadening our understanding of mental health, informing culturally sensitive approaches to psychological assessment and intervention.

The implications of cross-cultural psychology research extend far beyond academic curiosity, impacting global mental health strategies, educational policies, and international relations. By identifying culturally specific risk factors for mental health issues, this research supports the development of targeted, effective mental health interventions. In education, understanding cultural variations in learning and motivation can lead to more inclusive, effective teaching methods. Moreover, insights into cross-cultural communication and conflict resolution are invaluable for fostering international cooperation and understanding.

In today’s interconnected world, research in cross-cultural psychology plays a pivotal role in addressing global challenges. By exploring cultural differences and similarities, this field helps dismantle stereotypes, reduce prejudice, and promote empathy among individuals from diverse backgrounds. It underscores the importance of cultural competence in a range of professions and advocates for policies that respect cultural diversity and promote social justice.

Recent Advancements

Recent advancements in cross-cultural psychology include significant improvements in research methodology, ensuring studies are both culturally sensitive and scientifically rigorous. Researchers now employ a variety of techniques to ensure cultural concepts are accurately represented and measured across different cultural contexts. This methodological refinement enhances the validity and reliability of cross-cultural comparisons, facilitating a deeper understanding of cultural influences on psychology.

Technological advancements have revolutionized cross-cultural psychology research, enabling scholars to collect data from vast, diverse populations. Online surveys, virtual reality, and social media analytics offer novel ways to study psychological phenomena across cultures. These tools have expanded the scope of research possibilities, allowing for the exploration of previously inaccessible topics and contributing to a more comprehensive global perspective on human psychology.

Another significant advancement is the increased recognition and integration of indigenous knowledge systems into psychological research. Acknowledging the value of non-Western perspectives, researchers collaborate with indigenous communities to explore cultural concepts of well-being, healing practices, and community dynamics. This inclusive approach enriches the field with diverse viewpoints, challenging Western-centric models and contributing to a more holistic understanding of human psychology.

Ethical Considerations

Ethical considerations in cross-cultural psychology emphasize the necessity of cultural competence in research. Researchers must be aware of and sensitive to cultural differences, avoiding ethnocentric biases that can skew interpretations and conclusions. Ethical cross-cultural research involves collaboration with cultural insiders, respect for cultural norms and values, and methodologies that do not impose one culture’s perspectives onto another.

Respecting cultural diversity and promoting equity are central ethical concerns. Cross-cultural psychology research strives to highlight the richness of cultural experiences while advocating for the rights and dignity of all cultural groups. This commitment involves challenging stereotypes, addressing power imbalances in research settings, and contributing to the empowerment of marginalized communities through scholarly work.

The promotion of equity in psychological science is a critical ethical goal. Cross-cultural psychology research seeks not only to understand cultural differences but also to use that understanding to advocate for social justice and equitable treatment for individuals across cultural contexts. This involves critically examining the societal implications of research findings and using knowledge to support policies and practices that enhance the well-being of culturally diverse populations.

Future Directions

Looking forward, cross-cultural psychology is increasingly adopting interdisciplinary approaches, integrating insights from anthropology, sociology, linguistics, and neuroscience. This collaboration enriches the field, offering more nuanced analyses of how culture interacts with psychological processes. Interdisciplinary research expands the theoretical frameworks and methodological tools available, paving the way for more comprehensive studies.

The role of technology in cross-cultural understanding continues to grow, with digital platforms offering new spaces for cultural exchange and research. Future research may focus on how virtual interactions influence cultural identity, global empathy, and intercultural relationships. Additionally, technology facilitates the collection of large-scale data across cultures, offering unprecedented opportunities to study psychological phenomena on a global scale.

As globalization brings cultures closer together, cross-cultural psychology faces the challenge of understanding these complex interactions. Future research will likely explore the psychological impacts of cultural blending, identity in a globalized world, and the resilience of cultural traditions. This work is crucial for navigating the challenges of cultural preservation and change in an increasingly interconnected world.

Research in cross-cultural psychology is indispensable for enhancing our understanding of the diverse tapestry of human culture and psychology. It offers critical insights that contribute to more inclusive, empathetic, and harmonious global societies. By exploring the rich variety of human experience across cultures, cross-cultural psychology research fosters a deeper appreciation for cultural diversity and promotes practices that support the well-being of all individuals, regardless of their cultural background. As the field continues to evolve, its contributions will remain vital to addressing the complexities of human behavior in a culturally diverse world.

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Office of the Vice President for Research

Ovpr announces recipients of 2024 discovery and innovation awards.

The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) is honoring 11 faculty and staff for their exceptional contributions to research, scholarship, and creative activity as part of the 2024 Discovery and Innovation Awards .

“ The winners represent the best and the brightest of our University of Iowa faculty and staff, who are making an impact across a range of disciplines,”  said Marty Scholtz, vice president for research. “Their research and scholarship enhance undergraduate and graduate education on campus, and their efforts to expand the frontiers of discovery betters our community, state, and world.”

The OVPR solicited nominations from across campus for the awards, which include: Scholar of the Year, Early Career Scholar of the Year, Leadership in Research, and awards that recognize achievement in communicating scholarship with public audiences, community engagement, arts and humanities, mentorship, research administration and safety. A campuswide event on April 30 will celebrate the winners.

Faculty Awards

Jun Wang , James E. Ashton Professor and interim departmental executive officer in the College of Engineering’s

 Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, is the 2024 Scholar of the Year . The award celebrates nationally recognized recent achievement in outstanding research, scholarship, and/or creative activities. 

Wang’s research centers on the development of novel remote sensing techniques to characterize aerosols and fires from space. He serves as the University of Iowa’s lead investigator on NASA’s TEMPO, Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring Pollution, which Time magazine named one of its best inventions of 2023. 

“Professor Wang's scholarly endeavors over the past two years stand out as a paradigm of excellence, serving as an exemplary model for both emerging and seasoned faculty members to aspire toward,” said Karim Abdel-Malek, professor of biomedical engineering and director of the Iowa Technology Institute.

James Byrne , assistant professor of radiation oncology in the Carver College of Medicine ( CCOM ), is the 2024 Early Career Scholar of the Year . The award honors assistant professors who are currently involved in research, scholarship, and/or creative activity and show promise of making a significant contribution to their field. 

As a physician scientist, Byrne continues to care for patients while developing novel biomedical therapies for cancer, finding inspiration in everything from latte foam to tardigrades. In his first two years as faculty at the UI, he has earned more that $2.5M in external research funding, including a K08 award from the NIH.

“Dr. Byrne’s scientific creativity stems from both an active and curious mind as well as his ability to bridge diverse fields from engineering to biology to medicine,” said Michael Henry, professor and interim director of the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center. “These interdisciplinary boundaries are where some of the most interesting and important work is happening today.”

Donna Santillan , research professor and director of the Division of Reproductive Science Research in the CCOM Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, received the Leadership in Research Award , which recognizes research and scholarly accomplishments throughout a career. 

While Santillan’s research has spanned across the field of reproductive science, she has a particular interest in the deadly diseases of pregnancy, including preeclampsia and its intergenerational effects. She designed and directs the Women’s Health Tissue Repository. Santillan’s work has been cited more than 2,700 times, and she has mentored 114 early career scientists and students, a testament to her expansive impact.

“Dr. Santillan has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to fostering the professional and personal development of trainees in research, including myself,” said Banu Gumusoglu, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology. “Her mentorship extends beyond the confines of traditional academic settings, touching the lives of many aspiring trainees from high school through residency, clinical fellowship, and faculty levels.”

Stephen Warren , professor of history and American studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), received the Distinguished Achievement in Publicly Engaged Research Award . The award recognizes an individual faculty member who has put addressing public needs and direct engagement with the public, in the service of improving quality of life through research, at the forefront of his or her academic activities.

A prolific scholar of Native American culture, Warren’s research has centered on the Shawnee people of Oklahoma for the past two decades. He has published four books and co-authored the most recent one , Replanting Cultures: Community-Engaged Scholarship in Indian Country, with Chief Benjamin Barnes of the Shawnee Tribe. 

“Over the last two decades, Professor Warren has established himself as a leading community-engaged scholar, and his achievements in research and publishing demonstrate that community engagement and strong scholarship are not mutually exclusive,” said Nick Benson, director of the Office of Community Engagement. “Professor Warren’s work serves as an inspiration for researchers at Iowa and nationally who seek not only to make a difference in academia, but also in our communities.”

Kaveh Akbar , associate professor of English in CLAS, received the Distinguished Achievement in Arts and Humanities Research Award . This award honors distinguished achievement in humanities scholarship and work in the creative, visual and performing arts. 

Akbar joined Iowa in 2022 to serve as the director of the English and creative writing major. In January, his new novel, Martyr!, was published to critical acclaim. Akbar previously published two prize-winning poetry collections and has served as poetry editor for The Nation  since 2021. 

“Akbar’s leadership in the profession and on campus continues: his transformative work in our department not only enriches the academic experiences of 700+ English and creative writing majors, but also enhances the profile of UI as ‘The Writing University,’” said Blaine Greteman, professor and departmental executive officer of the Department of English.

Cara Hamann , associate professor of epidemiology, received the Faculty Communicating ideas Award . This award recognizes excellence in communication about research and scholarship in the sciences and humanities and the study of creative, visual, and performing arts to a general audience directly or via print and electronic media.

Hamann has frequently shared her work on transportation issues, including teen driving, bike and scooter safety, and pedestrian safety, through peer-reviewed journals and extensive media outreach. Her recent op-ed, “The most deadly traffic policy you’ve never heard of leaves you vulnerable, too,” drew widespread attention to a legal loophole in crosswalk laws and appeared in more than 50 news outlets nationwide, including USA Today .

“Dr. Hamann’s work is not only academically rigorous but also accessible and impactful to a

wide audience,” said Diane Rohlman, associate dean for research in the College of Public Health. “Her ability to communicate with clarity, creativity, and passion coupled with her extensive media outreach, exemplifies how she utilizes multiple approaches to address transportation challenges impacting society.”

Bob McMurray , F. Wendell Miller Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, and Caroline Clay , assistant professor of acting in the Department of Theatre Arts, were recipients of the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) Distinguished Mentor Awards . The awards honors mentors’ dedication to making their students research experiences successful.

“I can’t imagine my research journey without Bob’s welcoming kindness, thriving lab community, and confident mentorship, and I am so deeply grateful for his impact on me,” said Hannah Franke, a psychology and linguistics major mentored by McMurray.

“I know I am far from the only student whose life has been impacted by Caroline Clay,” said Isabella Hohenadel, a second-year theatre arts major. “She deserves to be recognized of all of the wonderful work she does and how much she cares about us as students. I cannot think of anyone more deserving of recognition than her.”

Staff Awards

Angie Robertson , department administrator for CCOM’s Department of Microbiology and Immunology, received the Distinguished Research Administrator Award . The award recognizes staff members who performed exceptional service in support of research at the UI by exploring funding opportunities, assisting in grant proposal preparation, submission, post-award administration, and operational support. 

In addition to overseeing every aspect of daily operations for the department, Robertson manages nearly 100 research grants for the department and three longstanding NIH T32 training grants. 

“Angie plays a leading role in our department office, inspiring us to achieve all aspects of our missions ,” said Li Wu, professor and department chair. “She is innovative, collaborative, accountable, and respectful  in her daily work. She exceeds any expectations and sets a great example for staff members in the department.”

Min Zhu , research specialist in the Iowa Institute for Oral Health Research (IIOHR) within the College of Dentistry, received the Distinguished Research Professional Award . The award recognizes staff members who performed exceptional service in support of research at the UI by conducting experiments, collecting, and analyzing results and performing operational duties associated with a laboratory or research program. 

Zhu has worked as a lab bench scientist in the College of Dentistry since 2006, executing experimental work for grants and other research, working closely with IIOHR faculty members, overseeing lab maintenance and environmental health and safety efforts. 

“Beyond her research skills, Dr. Zhu has been an exceptional mentor and educator for my students and other junior researchers,” said Liu Hong, professor of prosthodontics. “Her kindness and willingness to share her knowledge have made her a beloved figure among them.”

Curtis Iberg , manager of sterilization services in the College of Dentistry, received the Innovation in Safety Award, which celebrates exceptional and ground-breaking innovations that advance safety at the UI. Iberg led a major renovation of the College of Dentistry’s instrument processing and sterilization area, with the aim of encouraging better workflow and support for future growth. 

“His innovations in workspace are a valuable asset to the greater University and demonstrates that the most important people to be involved in a space renovation are those that use the area because they can see how the facility can better function and how it can be designed for future needs,” said Kecia Leary, associate dean of clinics.

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SRU recognized several students for research, academic leadership and more at 2024 Celebration of Achievement

From left, Kelli Galbraith was recognized for being Slippery Rock University's  finalist for Syed Ali-Zaidi Award for Academic Excellence by Michael Zieg, SRU’s provost.

April 3, 2024

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — Slippery Rock University recognized several students at its annual Celebration of Achievement awards ceremony, April 2, in the Smith Student Center Ballroom, highlighted by the announcement of SRU's nominee for the Syed Ali-Zaidi Award for Academic Excellence.

Kelli Galbraith, a senior mathematics major from Gibsonia, is SRU's finalist for the Ali-Zaidi award, which is given to a graduating senior in Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education who exemplifies academic excellence and involvement. A selection committee appointed by the State System chancellor reviews all nominees' accomplishments and selects a winner. The winner will receive $1,000 and will be announced later this month. The award was established by Syed Ali-Zaidi, a charter member of the PASSHE Board of Governors.

Galbraith has a 4.0 grade-point average who presented two research projects in three states earlier this year, including a presentation on fractal dimension applied to human iris recognition, presented at the 2024 Joint Mathematical Meeting, and a case study for support vector machines, decision tree and random forest, presented at the 2023 North American Power Symposium. Last summer, she was an intern with the U.S. Department of Energy Omni Technology Alliance at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee.

Galbraith is also involved with the SRU Honors College and the Math Club and Delight Christian Ministries at SRU.

She plans to pursue her master's degree at SRU in secondary education and enter a teaching career in education at the secondary or college levels.

Other awards presented at the Celebration of Achievement included:

The Outstanding Students in Research , Scholarship or Creative Activity. These awards recognize students from each of SRU's five colleges -- College of Business, College of Education, College of Engineering and Science, College of Health Professions and College of Liberal Arts -- based on their involvement in a variety of research, scholarly and creative projects:

• Jessica Stroh, a graduate student majoring in business administration from Monroeville. Stroh authored a research paper titled "Breaking Through Barriers: Women in Finance" which she presented as a poster during the Spring 2023 Student Research Symposium. This paper explored the lack of female representation in the upper echelons of the finance industry. Stroh furthered her research by looking into careers in the financial services industry over the following summer and through Fall 2023.
• Mitchell McCleary, a senior physical and health education major from Slippery Rock. McCleary has been the most active and accomplished physical and health education undergraduate student in both grant acquisition and scientific research for the last three years. During the 2022 spring semester, he won a $1,500 SRU Student Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities Grant to research "The Effects of Muscular Power versus Muscular Strength for Upper Body Strength of College Aged Students." He followed that with another grant in the Spring of 2023: the Summer Collaborative Research Experience grant for Community Strength Training: Muscular Power versus Muscular Strength Upper Body Training, for more than $4,000. Mitchell's research has been presented at the SRU's research symposium and nationally at the SHAPE America convention.
• Olivia Kaminski, a junior biology major from New Castle. Kaminski started an extracurricular research project with Stacey Hrizo, professor of biology, in March of 2022, in which they examined if a commonly used pesticide activates stress responses in three different human cell lines. They received an SRU SCORE grant that enabled them to work in the lab during the summer of 2022. Kaminski presented her research at a national meeting, Discover Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, in Seattle, Washington, in March of 2023, and at the SRU Research Symposium in April 2023. During the summer of 2023, Kaminski completed a summer undergraduate research experience with the cardiac program at Washington University of St. Louis Medical School, completing 10 weeks of research on ultrasound data collection for a cardiac research program at the medical school. She then presented her research results at an international cardiac research meeting in Seattle in October 2023.
• Riley Page, a junior recreational therapy major from Windber. Page has assisted in the SRU faculty-student research project comparing the effectiveness of education and seated yoga for fall prevention. His research poster won the 2023 Best Research Poster at the American Therapeutic Recreation Association annual meeting and he is working with SRU faculty members on a full-length research article for the Therapeutic Recreation Journal. Last summer, Page worked in an undergraduate research fellowship at the University of Utah where he was paired into biking buddies to complete shared rides using a side-by-side adaptive bike. He presented a poster at the University of Utah student symposium, and published his research, in an Undergraduate Research Journal.
• Michael LaBella, a senior music education major from Glenshaw. LaBella has received more than $10,000 in grant money while at SRU, including a $1,500 SRU Student Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities Grant for the implementation of SRU Bassoon Day that addressed gaps in teachers' knowledge. During the summer of 2022, LaBella secured a $5,000 SRU SCORE grant for a project titled "Music Education in Urban, Suburban, and Rural Schools," in which he conducted Zoom interviews with music educators, and he presented his research at the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association conference in April 2023. He also did research through a SRU Faculty-Student Research grant, worth $5,000, for a field experience immersion in music project in New Mexico. He is currently working on a book about the history of the Shaler Area School District Band Program.

The Outstanding Student Academic Leaders . These awards recognize students from each of SRU's five colleges based on their outstanding leadership within an academic department or college:

• Bhodie Cummings, a junior dual finance and economics major from Warren. Cummings is co-president of the Finance and Economics Club at SRU. He and other executive board members have revived the club, holding bi-weekly meetings, coordinating field trips, and organizing activities including guest speaker events and Google certificate signups.
• Heaven Jacoway, a junior elementary education/early childhood major from Sharon. Jacoway has demonstrated leadership in the Jump Start Program, as a peer leader for the FYRST seminar, and a RockTeach Ambassador who actively goes to schools, presents research, and leads groups of students on campus. 
• Daniel Miller, a senior mathematics major from Pittsburgh. Miller is the president of the Pre-Service Teachers of Mathematics Club at SRU. As president, Miller has both continued the success of the Math Family Nights and organized new outreach opportunities for the club. Miller and several other club members led three mini-mathematics lessons for students at Slippery Rock Elementary School. He has also served as a FYRST Seminar peer leader, tutor in the Mathematics and Statistics Assistance Center and worked as a supplemental instruction tutor.
• Leanne Digman, a junior recreational therapy major from Denver. Digman is the secretary of the Recreational Therapy Club at SRU and has served as a FYRST seminar peer leader for two years. Leanne is the founder and inaugural president of the Interprofessional Education Club, and she ensures the Brain Injury Support Program runs smoothly for participants and their families, as well as the student volunteers. In the RT Research Lab, she has helped organize and facilitate the research process for the falls prevention for older adults research grant. Her research poster won the Best Research Poster Award at the ATRA conference.
• Ericka Morton, a senior dance major from Pittsburgh. Mortan has served as student leader of the Palenque, the SRU Dance Department's outreach and touring company. She currently leads rehearsals, participates in the production of the company's many performances throughout the academic year, and she helps coordinate the touring aspects of the company and serves as the main liaison between the students and the artistic director. She is one of two student directors for the SRU Dance Theatre company, and she served as the student rehearsal director for Martha Graham's historic work "Steps in the Street," and she is currently serving as a student rehearsal director for guest artist Nathan Trice's "Their Speech is Silver, Their Silence is Gold."

The Global Leader Awards. These awards are presented to students who have demonstrated the desire to pursue a truly global education, through committed involvement in the opportunities provided by SRU for global learning, global experiences and meaningful engagement with people from other countries and cultures. The recipients include:

• Kaylee Villanueva Santos, a graduate student in the TESOL program from Kissimmee, Florida. Villanueva Santos participated in a short-term program abroad to Sweden with the College of Education in May 2023 and then took part in a summer 2023 language and culture program in South Korea. She also completed her studies at SRU by student teaching in Madrid, Spain.
• Hailie Moggee, a senior accounting major from Spanish Fort, Alabama. Moggee, who was born and raised in South Africa until age 7, has participated in campus and community initiatives, highlighting her commitment to fostering diversity, inclusion, and mutual respect among her peers. Moggee has served as an International Club Executive Board member at SRU, an international orientation student worker, and a contributor to the Office for Global Engagement.

SRU President's Award recipients , consisting mostly of SRU employees, were also recognized at the Celebration of Achievement.

MEDIA CONTACT: Justin Zackal | 724.738.4854  | [email protected]

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