No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the authors.
Reciprocal relationships between depressive symptoms and academic amotivation in college students
Educational Psychology
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any citations for this publication.
Based on self-determination theory (SDT), we examined mediational models connecting autonomy support and self-criticism to negative affect (NA), positive affect (PA), and goal progress (GP) via autonomous and controlled motivation. Separate measures were obtained within eight domains (e.g., academic performance and intimate relationships) for 346 university students. Multilevel structural equation modeling was used to test whether, both between-persons and within-person, autonomy support and self-criticism predicted autonomous and controlled motivation, which in turn predicted NA, PA, and GP. In addition to several between-persons indirect effects, we found numerous significant within-person indirect effects, including: (1) in domains where they experienced greater autonomy support, people experienced greater PA and greater GP, mediated by greater autonomous motivation and (2) in domains where they experienced greater self-criticism, people experienced more NA mediated by greater controlled motivation, and less PA mediated by greater controlled motivation and lesser autonomous motivation. These results support systematically adopting a multilevel perspective in SDT research.
Part of the evidence used to corroborate school motivation theories relies on modeling methods that estimate cross-lagged effects between constructs, that is, reciprocal effects from one occasion to another. Yet, the reliability of cross-lagged models rests on the assumption that students do not differ in their trajectories of growth over time (e.g., no high- or low-achievers). The present review explains why deviations from this assumption produce unreliable findings by confounding between- and within-person processes of change.
To relax this assumption, next-generation cross-lagged models are presented and illustrated using panel data on high school students (N = 944). These issues and solutions are discussed using, as a case study, the pervading theory that motivation develops as a function of reciprocal effects between beliefs about the self (e.g., academic self-concept) and school achievement. Implications regarding the use of cross-lagged models and knowledge building in school motivation research are discussed. Supplementary material (containing technical notes on cross-lagged models, as well as open-source data and cripts for R and Mplus) is provided to aid educational researchers use and compare these alternative models.
The action crisis is a critical phase in goal striving during which the goal pursuer feels conflicted about persevering with the goal or initiating disengagement. Recent research suggests that action crises in goal pursuit are linked to increased depression symptoms and cortisol. In turn, goal motivation, specifically controlled motivation (i.e., pursuing a goal out of obligation and pressure), increases the likelihood of experiencing action crises. The present 8-month longitudinal study tracked university students’ personal goals to examine whether the pursuit of controlled goals and the experience of action crises was associated with increasing levels of hair cortisol, perceived stress, poor health and depression symptoms (N= 156). Structural equation modelling suggested that experiencing action crises in goal pursuit was associated with increases in all four markers of stress, depression and ill-being. This effect was partially explained by controlled goal motivation. The clinical and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.
What did young lived experience experts think about how mental health professionals can enhance hopefulness? What did the evidence say hopefulness can do for young people with depression?
Adolescence can be a difficult period of life characterised, among many other things, by a significant increase in depressive symptoms among girls. Recent studies have suggested that sedentary habits and self-determined motivation can be associated with depressive symptoms. The main goal of the present study was to examine the associations between physical activity levels, sedentary behaviours, and self-determined motivation and depressive symptoms in girls during adolescence. A total of 714 adolescent girls (16.53 ± 1.01 years) agreed to participate in the study. They completed a questionnaire including the scale of depressive symptoms, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and the Situational Motivation Scale. Participants’ smoking habits and body mass index were also assessed. Results showed that those adolescents who performed physical activity of moderate (odds ratio (OR): 0.55; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.31, 0.99) or high intensity level (OR: 0.22; 95% CI: 0.10, 0.21) had a significantly lower probability of suffering from depressive symptoms. Accordingly, the most sedentary group had a higher probability of suffering from depressive symptoms (OR: 4.90; 95% CI: 2.00, 11.54). Vigorous self-determined motivation was also a significant predictor of the lowest levels of depressive symptoms. In conclusion, results seemed to indicate that educators should promote the most self-determined types of motivation and physical activity habits in their students if they want to help prevent depressive symptoms.
Introduction:
The nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) is widely used to determine the severity of depression in adult populations, but its psychometric properties with regard to adolescents has been poorly explored. The present study aims to identify the factor structure and examine the measurement invariance of this instrument across genders and age groups in a Chinese adolescent sample.
Methods:
A large sample of Chinese schoolchildren completed the PHQ-9 in a cross-sectional survey in Hong Kong (N = 10 933). A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to test the factor structure and a multiple group CFA to test the gender and age invariances of the PHQ-9 in adolescents were conducted. Cronbach alpha was used to assess the reliability of the questionnaire, and Pearson correlations with anxiety, self-esteem, and perceived control were used to assess its construct validity.
Results:
The CFA results indicate that a one-factor model with three pairs of item correlations fitted the PHQ-9 data well, and measurement invariances by age and gender were supported. The PHQ-9 also possesses adequate internal consistency (>.84) and is strongly correlated with anxiety (>.77), self-esteem (<-.57), and perceived control (<-.56) in the expected directions in the overall sample and in the gender and age subsamples.
Discussion:
The results support the claim that the PHQ-9 is a reliable and valid scale and can be used to assess and compare depressive severity across ages and genders during the period of adolescence.
The association between academic self-concept and achievement is assumed to be reciprocal. Typically, the association is analyzed by variants of the classical cross-lagged panel model. Results with more recently developed methodological approaches, for example, the random intercept cross-lagged panel model, its continuous-time implementation, and the latent change score model, are not available so far. The present study aimed to test the association between reading self-concept and reading achievement with different models to evaluate whether positive cross-lagged effects can be demonstrated with the alternative models. Drawing on a sample of 2,014 elementary students from Grade 1 to Grade 4, results of alternative models yielded noticeable differences. Support for reciprocal effects between reading self-concept and reading achievement was found using the classical and the full-forward cross-lagged panel models. No such effects were found in the other models. Thus, the reciprocal effect model can be called into question for elementary schoolchildren. The results are discussed with regard to the theoretical assumptions and appropriate methodological approaches
Objective:
Depression is the most common mental illness worldwide. It has become an important public health problem. This study aimed to determine the global burden of depression and how it has changed between 1990 and 2017.
Methods:
We used information on depression obtained by the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study from 1990 to 2017. The age-standardized incidence rate (ASR) and estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) were used to assess the global burden of depression.
Results:
The number of incident cases of depression worldwide increased from 172 million in 1990 to 25,8 million in 2017, representing an increase of 49.86%. The ASR of depression varied widely between the 195 analyzed countries and regions in 2017, being highest in Lesotho (6.59 per 1000) and lowest in Myanmar (1.28 per 1000). The ASR increased the most between 1990 and 2017 in Belgium (EAPC = 0.88, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.78 to 0.97), and decreased the most in Cuba (EAPC = -1.26, 95% CI = -1.36 to -1.14). The ASR increased in regions with a high sociodemographic index, such as high-income North America (EAPC = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.31 to 0.51), and decreased significantly in South Asia (EAPC = -0.63, 95% CI = -0.85 to -0.41). The proportions of the population with major depressive disorder and dysthymia were essentially stable both globally and in various countries, with a much larger proportion having major depressive disorder.
Conclusion:
Depression remains a major public health issue, and governments should support the research necessary to develop better prevention and treatment interventions.
This study aimed to establish a method for assessing implicit meaning in life (MIL), as well as to determine the relationship between implicit MIL and explicit MIL. This study also tested the hypothesis that implicit MIL would moderate the relationship between explicit MIL and depression. The participants were 242 undergraduate university students (120 women) aged between 18 and 23 (M = 19.71, SD = 1.25) years. Implicit MIL was assessed via a standard implicit association test. In addition, participants completed the Chinese version of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Structural equation modeling and other methods were used to analyze data. The results showed that implicit MIL demonstrated good validity in the implicit association test. Implicit and explicit MIL were uncorrelated and structurally distinct. In addition, the implicit presence of meaning moderated the relationship between the explicit presence of meaning and depression.
Habits form a crucial component of behavior. In recent years, key computational models have conceptualized habits as arising from model-free reinforcement learning mechanisms, which typically select between available actions based on the future value expected to result from each. Traditionally, however, habits have been understood as behaviors that can be triggered directly by a stimulus, without requiring the animal to evaluate expected outcomes. Here, we develop a computational model instantiating this traditional view, in which habits develop through the direct strengthening of recently taken actions rather than through the encoding of outcomes. We demonstrate that this model accounts for key behavioral manifestations of habits, including insensitivity to outcome devaluation and contingency degradation, as well as the effects of reinforcement schedule on the rate of habit formation. The model also explains the prevalent observation of perseveration in repeated-choice tasks as an additional behavioral manifestation of the habit system. We suggest that mapping habitual behaviors onto value-free mechanisms provides a parsimonious account of existing behavioral and neural data. This mapping may provide a new foundation for building robust and comprehensive models of the interaction of habits with other, more goal-directed types of behaviors and help to better guide research into the neural mechanisms underlying control of instrumental behavior more generally.
Educational Impact and Implications Statement
Motivation processes provide a promising avenue for addressing attrition and representation issues in STEM fields. Yet, little is known about the development of specific forms of motivation and their correlates during the first 2 years of college, a key time for shaping motivational beliefs and future choices. Among college engineering students, positive motivational beliefs (expectancy for success, interest value, attainment value, and utility value) regarding engineering declined over time while negative motivational beliefs (perceived opportunity cost, effort cost, and psychological cost) increased over time. Differential rates of change for each motivation construct suggest that developmental processes differ across motivational constructs. Women did not report different trajectories than men; however, underrepresented minority students and first-generation college students reported more adaptive patterns of motivation when beginning college. Developmental trajectories of motivation constructs were significantly related to retention and grades, with expectancy most strongly predicting grades and identity-related attainment value most strongly predicting major retention. Lastly, students enrolled in a supportive gateway course in their first semester (vs. later) exhibited slower declines in attainment and utility value, and slower increases in effort cost. Results highlight the importance of supporting college students’ motivation in STEM fields and of the key role of supportive gateway courses. Furthermore, differences in developmental trajectories and their relations to predictors highlight the need to understand students’ specific motivational needs. Results also suggest implications for the timing and design of motivational interventions to support college student success in STEM.
Mental health promotion in schools is a key priority for national governments. The aim of this meta-aggregation is to synthesise the findings from universal, depression and/or anxiety, cognitive behavioural therapy and/or interpersonal therapy-based, programmes implemented in schools, which are focused on reducing depression and anxiety in student populations aged 8–17 years. Electronic databases were searched for published original qualitative studies which assess students’ perceptions and experiences from participating in universal, school-based, depression and/or anxiety, prevention programmes. Extraction and synthesis of findings were assisted by NVivo qualitative data analysis software. The Joanna Briggs Institute-Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI QARI) Critical Appraisal Checklist for Interpretative and Critical Research was used for assessing methodological quality of the included studies. The confidence of synthesised qualitative findings (ConQual) approach was followed for assessing the confidence in the estimates of syntheses output. Five studies from Australia, Sweden, and UK met the inclusion criteria. Modification in the structure and mode of implementation of universal prevention programmes is required in order to enhance programmes’ applicability and impact. The study provides key practical recommendations to stakeholders and policy makers about the content, delivery, and implementation of school-based, universal, prevention programmes.
Motivational impairment is a common feature of both depression and psychosis; however, the psychological and neural mechanisms that give rise to motivational impairment in these disorders are poorly understood. Recent research has suggested that aberrant effort-cost decision-making (ECDM) may be a potential contributor to motivational impairment in both psychosis and depression. ECDM refers to choices that individuals make regarding the amount of ‘work’ they are willing to expend to obtain a certain outcome or reward. Recent experimental work has suggested that those with psychosis and depression may be less willing to expend effort to obtain rewards compared with controls, and that this effort deficit is related to motivational impairment in both disorders. In the current review, we aim to summarize the current literature on ECDM in psychosis and depression, providing evidence for transdiagnostic impairment. Next, we discuss evidence for the hypothesis that a seemingly similar behavioral ECDM deficit might arise from disparate psychological and neural mechanisms. Specifically, we argue that effort deficits in psychosis might be largely driven by deficits in cognitive control and the neural correlates of cognitive control processes, while effort deficits in depression might be largely driven by reduced reward responsivity and the associated neural correlates of reward responsivity. Finally, we will provide some discussion regarding future directions, as well as interpretative challenges to consider when examining ECDM transdiagnostically.
Cognitive dysfunction in depression is associated with poorer clinical outcomes and impaired psychosocial functioning. However, most treatments for depression do not specifically target cognition. Neurocognitive deficits such as memory and concentration problems tend to persist after mood symptoms recover. Improving cognition in depression requires a better understanding of brain systems implicated in depression. A comprehensive approach is warranted for refined methods of assessing and treating cognitive dysfunction in depression.
Background
Depression is a major mental health issue worldwide, and university students with heavy burdens of study are at a high risk for depression. While a number of studies have been conducted regarding depression among university students in China, there is a lack of information regarding the national prevalence of depression among Chinese university students. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to statistically pool the prevalence of depression among Chinese university students.
Methods
A systematic search of scientific databases was conducted, including Chinese Web of Knowledge, Embase, PubMed, Wanfang (a Chinese database) and Weipu (a Chinese database) to find relevant publications published between 1995 and December 2015. This was supplemented by a secondary review of the reference lists of all retrieved papers to find additional relevant citations. Studies published in either English or Chinese that provided prevalence estimates of depression in Chinese university students were considered. Prevalence estimates of each eligible study were extracted and pooled in our meta-analysis using a random-effects model.
Results
A total of 39 studies conducted between 1997 and 2015 including 32,694 university students were analyzed. Our results indicate that the overall prevalence of depression among Chinese university students is 23.8% (95% CI: 19.9%–28.5%). Substantial heterogeneity in prevalence estimates was noted. Subgroup analysis revealed that the prevalence of depression among medical students is higher than among other students.
Conclusions
Overall, the prevalence of depression among Chinese university students is exceedingly high. This suggests that it is imperative that more attention be given to the development of appropriate mental healthcare strategies for university students in China.
The cross-lagged panel model (CLPM) is believed by many to overcome the problems associated with the use of cross-lagged correlations as a way to study causal influences in longitudinal panel data. The current article, however, shows that if stability of constructs is to some extent of a trait-like, time-invariant nature, the autoregressive relationships of the CLPM fail to adequately account for this. As a result, the lagged parameters that are obtained with the CLPM do not represent the actual within-person relationships over time, and this may lead to erroneous conclusions regarding the presence, predominance, and sign of causal influences. In this article we present an alternative model that separates the within-person process from stable between-person differences through the inclusion of random intercepts, and we discuss how this model is related to existing structural equation models that include cross-lagged relationships. We derive the analytical relationship between the cross-lagged parameters from the CLPM and the alternative model, and use simulations to demonstrate the spurious results that may arise when using the CLPM to analyze data that include stable, trait-like individual differences. We also present a modeling strategy to avoid this pitfall and illustrate this using an empirical data set. The implications for both existing and future cross-lagged panel research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record
(c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).
Recent years have seen a rejuvenation of interest in studies of motivation-cognition interactions arising from many different areas of psychology and neuroscience. The present issue of Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience provides a sampling of some of the latest research from a number of these different areas. In this introductory article, we provide an overview of the current state of the field, in terms of key research developments and candidate neural mechanisms receiving focused investigation as potential sources of motivation-cognition interaction. However, our primary goal is conceptual: to highlight the distinct perspectives taken by different research areas, in terms of how motivation is defined, the relevant dimensions and dissociations that are emphasized, and the theoretical questions being targeted. Together, these distinctions present both challenges and opportunities for efforts aiming toward a more unified and cross-disciplinary approach. We identify a set of pressing research questions calling for this sort of cross-disciplinary approach, with the explicit goal of encouraging integrative and collaborative investigations directed toward them.
Social relationships play a key role in depression. This is apparent in its etiology, symptomatology, and effective treatment. However, there has been little consensus about the best way to conceptualize the link between depression and social relationships. Furthermore, the extensive social-psychological literature on the nature of social relationships, and in particular, research on social identity, has not been integrated with depression research. This review presents evidence that social connectedness is key to understanding the development and resolution of clinical depression. The social identity approach is then used as a basis for conceptualizing the role of social relationships in depression, operationalized in terms of six central hypotheses. Research relevant to these hypotheses is then reviewed. Finally, we present an agenda for future research to advance theoretical and empirical understanding of the link between social identity and depression, and to translate the insights of this approach into clinical practice.
The aim of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of a Chinese version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 item (PHQ-9) and its 2 subscales (1 item and 2 items) for the screening of major depressive disorder (MDD) among adolescents in Taiwan.
A total of 2257 adolescents were recruited from high schools in Taipei. The participants completed assessments including demographic information, the Chinese version of the PHQ-9, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and data on the number of physical illnesses and mental health service utilizations were recorded. Among them, 430 were retested using the PHQ-9 within 2 weeks. Child psychiatrists interviewed a subsample of the adolescents (n = 165) using the Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorder and Schizophrenia Epidemiological Version as the criterion standard.
The PHQ-9 had good internal consistency (α = 0.84) and acceptable test-retest reliability (0.80). The participants with higher PHQ-9 scores were more likely to have MDD. Principal component factor analysis of the PHQ-9 yielded a 1-factor structure, which accounted for 45.3% of the variance. A PHQ-9 score ≥15 had a sensitivity of 0.72 and a specificity of 0.95 for recognizing MDD. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.90. The screening accuracy of the 2 subscales was also satisfactory, with a Patient Health Questionnaire-2 item cutoff of ≥3 being 94.4% sensitive and 82.5% specific and a Patient Health Questionnaire-1 item cutoff of ≥2 being 61.1% sensitive and 87.7% specific.
The PHQ-9 and its 2 subscales appear to be reliable and valid for detecting MDD among ethnic Chinese adolescents in Taiwan.
the type of models we discuss in this chapter fall under the larger heading of structural equation models (SEMs) for longitudinal data. Many different names have been used for these models, including causal models (Bentler, 1980; Kenny, 1979), cross-lagged panel models (Mayer, 1986), linear panel models (Greenberg & Kessler, 1982), and autoregres-sive cross-lagged models (Bollen & Curran, 2006). These models are also related to the autoregressive model and the simplex model. For simplicity, we refer to these models as panel models. What all these hold in common is that they are used to examine the struc-tural relations of repeatedly measured constructs. Recently, several authors have critiqued the frequent use of panel models. We believe that, although many of the criticisms are justi-fied, the panel model remains a useful tool for developmental scientists. Figure 16.1 shows a path diagram for a two-wave, two-variable panel model. Here two latent variables, X and Y, are measured on two occasions. For convenience, only the struc-tural portion of the model is displayed, and the underlying measurement model with mul-tiple indicators is omitted. See Little (in press) and Little, Preacher, Selig, and Card (2007) for a thorough treatment of measurement models for longitudinal data. This model can be described with the two following equations: Here, X and Y are two different constructs measured at two time points (denoted with a subscript 1 for time 1 and 2 for time 2). The linear regression coefficients b 1 and b 3 describe the autoregressive effects, or the effect of a construct on itself measured at a later time. The autoregressive effects describe the stability of the constructs from one occasion to the next.
Amotivation refers to a state in which individuals cannot perceive a relationship between their behavior and that behavior's subsequent outcome. With the belief that considering amotivation as a multidimensional construct could reflect the complexity of motivational deficits in physical education, we developed this study to validate an amotivation model. In study 1 (N = 156), an exploratory factor analysis provided preliminary support with the model comprising four dimensions: ability beliefs, effort beliefs, values placed on the task, and characteristics of the task. In study 2 (N = 499), the four-dimensional model was further corroborated through a confirmatory factor analysis. Its construct validity and predictive validity were also confirmed. Overall, the findings lend evidence to the conceptual validation of the four-dimensional structure of amotivation. Lack of motivation in physical education may result from different reasons. The multifaceted nature of amotivation in physical education must be considered and instructionally addressed during teaching and learning. (Contains 2 tables and 1 figure.)
The present research used multiple methods to examine the hypothesis that perceived true self-knowledge and decision satisfaction are inextricably linked together by a widely held "true-self-as-guide" lay theory of decision making. Consistent with this proposition, Study 1 found that participants rated using the true self as a guide as more important for achieving personal satisfaction than a variety of other potential decision-making strategies. After establishing the prevalence of this lay theory, the remaining studies then focused on examining the proposed consequent relationship between perceived true self-knowledge and decision satisfaction. Consistent with hypotheses, 2 cross-sectional correlational studies (Studies 2 and 3) found a positive relationship between perceived true self-knowledge and decision satisfaction for different types of major decisions. Study 4 used daily diary methods to demonstrate that fluctuations in perceived true self-knowledge reliably covary with fluctuations in decision satisfaction. Finally, 2 studies directly examined the causal direction of this relationship through experimental manipulation and revealed that the relationship is truly bidirectional. More specifically, Study 5 showed that manipulating perceived knowledge of the true self (but not other self-concepts) directly affects decision satisfaction. Study 6 showed that this effect also works in reverse by manipulating feelings of decision satisfaction, which directly affected perceived knowledge of the true self (but not other self-concepts). Taken together, these studies suggest that people believe the true self should be used as a guide when making major life decisions and that this belief has observable consequences for the self and decision making. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).
The present series of studies sought to develop and conceptually validate a taxonomy of reasons that give rise to academic amotivation and to investigate its social antecedents and academic consequences. In Study 1 (N = 351), an exploratory factor analysis offered preliminary support for an academic amotivation taxonomy comprising four dimensions: ability beliefs, effort beliefs, characteristics of the task, and value placed on the task. In Study 2 (N = 349), the proposed taxonomy was further corroborated through 1st- and 2nd-order confirmatory factor analyses, and its discriminant validity and construct validity were documented. Study 3 (N = 741) offered evidence for a model of the relationships among social support (from parents, teachers, and friends), amotivation, and academic outcomes (e.g., achievement, academic self-esteem, intention to drop out). Results are considered in terms of an increased conceptual understanding of academic amotivation, and implications for curricula and interventions are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Low self-esteem and depression are strongly related, but there is not yet consistent evidence on the nature of the relation. Whereas the vulnerability model states that low self-esteem contributes to depression, the scar model states that depression erodes self-esteem. Furthermore, it is unknown whether the models are specific for depression or whether they are also valid for anxiety. We evaluated the vulnerability and scar models of low self-esteem and depression, and low self-esteem and anxiety, by meta-analyzing the available longitudinal data (covering 77 studies on depression and 18 studies on anxiety). The mean age of the samples ranged from childhood to old age. In the analyses, we used a random-effects model and examined prospective effects between the variables, controlling for prior levels of the predicted variables. For depression, the findings supported the vulnerability model: The effect of self-esteem on depression (β = -.16) was significantly stronger than the effect of depression on self-esteem (β = -.08). In contrast, the effects between low self-esteem and anxiety were relatively balanced: Self-esteem predicted anxiety with β = -.10, and anxiety predicted self-esteem with β = -.08. Moderator analyses were conducted for the effect of low self-esteem on depression; these suggested that the effect is not significantly influenced by gender, age, measures of self-esteem and depression, or time lag between assessments. If future research supports the hypothesized causality of the vulnerability effect of low self-esteem on depression, interventions aimed at increasing self-esteem might be useful in reducing the risk of depression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).
According to self-determination theory, when the social context is autonomy supportive, people are motivated to internalize the regulation of important activities, and whereas when the context is controlling, self-determined motivation is undermined. A model that incorporates perceptions of coaches' interpersonal behaviors (autonomy support vs. control), 5 forms of regulation (intrinsic motivation, identified, introjected and external regulation, and amotivation), and persistence was tested with competitive swimmers (N = 369) using a prospective 3-wave design. Analyses using structural equation modeling revealed that experiencing relationships as controlling fostered non–self-determined forms of regulation (external regulation and amotivation). Greater levels of self-determined motivation occurred when relationships were experienced as autonomy supportive. Individuals who exhibited self-determined types of regulation at Time 1 showed more persistence at both Time 2 (10 months later) and Time 3 (22 months later). Individuals who were amotivated at Time 1 had the highest rate of attrition at both Time 2 and Time 3. Introjected regulation was a significant predictor of persistence at Time 2 but became nonsignificant at Time 3. External regulation was not a significant predictor of behavior at Time 2, but became negatively associated with persistence at Time 3. The findings are discussed in light of the determinants of the internalization process and the consequences of different forms of self-regulation for psychological functioning.
Cognitive impairments are now widely acknowledged as an important aspect of major depressive disorder (MDD), and it has been proposed that executive function (EF) may be particularly impaired in patients with MDD. However, the existence and nature of EF impairments associated with depression remain strongly debated. Although many studies have found significant deficits associated with MDD on neuropsychological measures of EF, others have not, potentially due to low statistical power, task impurity, and diverse patient samples, and there have been no recent, comprehensive, meta-analyses investigating EF in patients with MDD. The current meta-analysis uses random-effects models to synthesize 113 previous research studies that compared participants with MDD to healthy control participants on at least one neuropsychological measure of EF. Results of the meta-analysis demonstrate that MDD is reliably associated with impaired performance on neuropsychological measures of EF, with effect sizes ranging from 0.32 to 0.97. Although patients with MDD also have slower processing speed, motor slowing alone cannot account for these results. In addition, some evidence suggests that deficits on neuropsychological measures of EF are greater in patients with more severe current depression symptoms, and those taking psychotropic medications, whereas evidence for effects of age was weaker. The results are consistent with the theory that MDD is associated with broad impairment in multiple aspects of EF. Implications for treatment of MDD and theories of EF are discussed. Future research is needed to establish the specificity and causal link between MDD and EF impairments. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).
Anxiety and depression are linked to lower academic performance. It is proposed that academic performance is reduced in young people with high levels of anxiety or depression as a function of increased test-specific worry that impinges on working memory central executive processes. Participants were typically developing children (12 to 13-years-old) from two UK schools. The study investigated the relationship between negative affect, worry, working memory, and academic performance using self-report questionnaires, school administered academic test data, and a battery of computerized working memory tasks. Higher levels of anxiety and depression were associated with lower academic performance. There was support for a mediation hypothesis, where worry and central executive processes mediated the link between negative affect and academic performance. Further studies should test these hypotheses in larger longitudinal samples. Implications for school psychology practice and interventions in schools are discussed.
College freshmen face a variety of academic and social challenges as they adjust to college life that can place them at risk for a number of negative outcomes, including depression and alcohol-related problems. Orientation classes that focus on teaching incoming students how to better cope with college-oriented stress may provide an opportunity to prevent the development of these adjustment problems. This article outlines a program based on behavioral activation that can be integrated into college orientation programs to provide a more comprehensive orientation experience. Data are presented from an initial pilot study in which 71 first-semester freshman at the University of Maryland participated in a 15-week, 2 hr per week orientation class (n = 37 in the behavioral activation-enhanced orientation classes and n = 34 in the control orientation as usual classes). Students' depression and alcohol use were evaluated at the beginning, middle, and end of the course. Results indicated a Time × Group interaction such that problem drinking (but not consumption) was significantly reduced across assessments in the behavioral activation classes and largely unchanged in the standard classes. No difference was observed in depression scores; however, fairly low depression scores across the 3 time points may have limited the opportunity to observe any meaningful impact of the orientation classes on depression. The authors conclude with a discussion of the implications of their findings for preventing adjustment problems among incoming college students and future directions.
A brief intervention aimed at buttressing college freshmen's sense of social belonging in school was tested in a randomized controlled trial (N = 92), and its academic and health-related consequences over 3 years are reported. The intervention aimed to lessen psychological perceptions of threat on campus by framing social adversity as common and transient. It used subtle attitude-change strategies to lead participants to self-generate the intervention message. The intervention was expected to be particularly beneficial to African-American students (N = 49), a stereotyped and socially marginalized group in academics, and less so to European-American students (N = 43). Consistent with these expectations, over the 3-year observation period the intervention raised African Americans' grade-point average (GPA) relative to multiple control groups and halved the minority achievement gap. This performance boost was mediated by the effect of the intervention on subjective construal: It prevented students from seeing adversity on campus as an indictment of their belonging. Additionally, the intervention improved African Americans' self-reported health and well-being and reduced their reported number of doctor visits 3 years postintervention. Senior-year surveys indicated no awareness among participants of the intervention's impact. The results suggest that social belonging is a psychological lever where targeted intervention can have broad consequences that lessen inequalities in achievement and health.
Objectives: This longitudinal study was designed to examine the growth trajectory of depressive symptoms among early-stage college students and how the development of vigorous, moderate, and light leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) was related to the growth trajectory. Participants: Four hundred and eighty-eight first- and second-year undergraduate students completed measures of depressive symptoms and LTPA at the beginning, middle, and end of a semester. Methods: Latent growth mixture modeling (LGMM) was conducted. Results: On average, students reported mild levels of depressive symptoms with significant variability at the semester start, but the symptoms elevated over time. LGMM identified two trajectories: low/gradual (75.8%) and high/increasing (24.2%). For both groups, neither vigorous nor moderate LTPA development predicted the growth trajectory of depressive symptoms. However, the change of light LTPA was negatively and significantly associated with the growth trajectory. Even when controlling for covariances, increased light LTPA still had a unique effect on buffering depressive symptoms. Conclusion: There is great potential in targeting comprehensive LTPA strategies to improve college students' mental health and promote an active lifestyle.
Purpose: To identify the role of content specificity in moderating situational interest and its relationship with physical activity (PA), we examined the between- and within-content relations of situational interest and PA in an urban elementary physical education context using fitness and basketball as comparative contents. Method: Fourth and fifth graders (N = 125) completed questionnaires and wore pedometers to assess situational interest and PA across a fitness unit and a basketball unit, respectively. Results: Based on our confirmatory factor analyses and fit indexes, situational interest, and PA demonstrated strong content specificity. Strengths of associations between the two units differed by situational interest dimensions and PA (r ≤ .50). Within-content interrelations of these dimensions and PA were not consistent (X² Decrease ≥ 3.40, p < .05). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that content specificity in physical education plays a significant role in moderating students’ motivation and its function on PA.
Depression is linked to deficits in cognitive control and a host of other cognitive impairments arise as a consequence of these deficits. Despite of their important role in depression, there are no mechanistic models of cognitive control deficits in depression. In this paper we propose how these deficits can emerge from the interaction between motivational and cognitive processes. We review depression-related impairments in key components of motivation along with new cognitive neuroscience models that focus on the role of motivation in the decision-making about cognitive control allocation. Based on this review we propose a unifying framework which connects motivational and cognitive control deficits in depression. This framework is rooted in computational models of cognitive control and offers a mechanistic understanding of cognitive control deficits in depression.
According to prominent models in cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and economics, effort (be it physical or mental) is costly: when given a choice, humans and non-human animals alike tend to avoid effort. Here, we suggest that the opposite is also true and review extensive evidence that effort can also add value. Not only can the same outcomes be more rewarding if we apply more (not less) effort, sometimes we select options precisely because they require effort. Given the increasing recognition of effort's role in motivation, cognitive control, and value-based decision-making, considering this neglected side of effort will not only improve formal computational models, but also provide clues about how to promote sustained mental effort across time.
Two studies (N = 649) examined the association between self-alienation (SA; i.e., feelings of detachment from one’s true self) and academic amotivation (AA; i.e., lack of motivation in the academic domain). Based on classical and contemporary theories, a strong link between alienation and amotivation was predicted. A cross-sectional correlation study (Study 1) found that SA significantly predicted AA controlling for relevant variables (e.g., self-efficacy). A four-wave longitudinal design (Study 2) tested the reciprocal relationship between SA and AA within persons. Contrary to the a priori hypothesis that SA would predict amotivation, the path from AA to SA was more consistent and reliable than the other path. The potential bidirectional links between SA and AA, implications, and future directions are discussed.
Within the expectancy-value framework, much work has been done linking expectancies and task values to academic outcomes such as performance, persistence, and choice. Research on the associations between student motivation (including efficacy and task values) and behavioral and emotional problems, however, is nascent. The present study examined a structural equation model using efficacy, utility value, attainment value, and cost to predict internalizing risk and hyperactivity-distractibility risk within a sample of 5,126 high school students (76.5% African American) in a high-needs school district. The results indicated that efficacy negatively predicted both domains of risk, attainment value negatively predicted hyperactivity-distractibility risk only, and cost positively predicted both domains of risk. Implications for both theory and practice are discussed, including the relative importance of cost in the prediction of behavioral and emotional risk.
The present study investigated the nomological validity of the Amotivation Inventory–Physical Education (Shen, Wingert, Li, Sun, & Rukavina, 2010b35.
Shen , B. ,
Wingert , R. K. ,
Li , W. ,
Sun , H. and
Rukavina , P. B. 2010b. An amotivation model in physical education. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 29: 72–84. [Web of Science ®]View all references) scores by examining the associations of ability, effort, value, and task characteristics amotivation beliefs with self-determination theory variables. Data were collected from 401 fifth- and sixth-grade students, 416 middle-school students, and 401 high-school students. After providing support for the correlated four-factor structure, the hierarchical structure, internal consistency, and composite reliability of the Amotivation Inventory–Physical Education scores, large negative correlations emerged with perceived autonomy support by the PE teacher; needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness; identified regulation; intrinsic motivation; and students' subjective vitality. Strong positive correlations were obtained with unidimensional amotivation and external regulation, and weak correlations were obtained with introjected regulation. Also, multidimensional amotivation beliefs partially mediated the relationship between the need for autonomy and subjective vitality. The results provided support for the nomological aspect of construct validity of the Amotivation Inventory–Physical Education scores.
The transition to college, which for the majority of youth coincides with the transition to emerging adulthood, is stressful and disruptive. Using latent growth curve modeling (LGM), this study examines the longitudinal course of psychosocial adjustment in a sample of 2,095 emerging adults, at three time-points across this transition: In the week prior to college entry and at the end of each semester of the first year. Overall, the immediate transition is characterized by steep declines in psychological well-being, cognitive-affective strengths, and social well-being as well as increases in psychological distress and cognitive-affective vulnerabilities. These setbacks generally plateau, but do not resolve, later in the year. Examining gender differences in developmental trajectories revealed that females experience additional elevations in psychological distress even after the immediate transition, while males evidenced worse baseline levels in cognitive-affective vulnerabilities, cognitive-affective strengths, and social well-being. These findings indicate the need for services that promote well-being across this challenging developmental transition. © 2014 Society for the Study of Emerging Adulthood and SAGE Publications.
Measurement invariance is usually tested using Multigroup Confirmatory Factor Analysis, which examines the change in the goodness-of-fit index (GFI) when cross-group constraints are imposed on a measurement model. Although many studies have examined the properties of GFI as indicators of overall model fit for single-group data, there have been none to date that examine how GFIs change when between-group constraints are added to a measurement model. The lack of a consensus about what constitutes significant GFI differences places limits on measurement invariance testing. We examine 20 GFIs based on the minimum fit function. A simulation under the two-group situation was used to examine changes in the GFIs (ΔGFIs) when invariance constraints were added. Based on the results, we recommend using Δcomparative fit index, ΔGamma hat, and ΔMcDonald's Noncentrality Index to evaluate measurement invariance. These three ΔGFIs are independent of both model complexity and sample size, and are not correlated with the overall fit measures. We propose critical values of these ΔGFIs that indicate measurement invariance.
OBJECTIVE: While considerable attention has focused on improving the detection of depression, assessment of severity is also important in guiding treatment decisions. Therefore, we examined the validity of a brief, new measure of depression severity.
MEASUREMENTS: The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) is a self-administered version of the PRIME-MD diagnostic instrument for common mental disorders. The PHQ-9 is the depression module, which scores each of the 9 DSM-IV criteria as “0” (not at all) to “3” (nearly every day). The PHQ-9 was completed by 6,000 patients in 8 primary care clinics and 7 obstetrics-gynecology clinics. Construct validity was assessed using the 20-item Short-Form General Health Survey, self-reported sick days and clinic visits, and symptom-related difficulty. Criterion validity was assessed against an independent structured mental health professional (MHP) interview in a sample of 580 patients.
RESULTS: As PHQ-9 depression severity increased, there was a substantial decrease in functional status on all 6 SF-20 subscales. Also, symptom-related difficulty, sick days, and health care utilization increased. Using the MHP reinterview as the criterion standard, a PHQ-9 score ≥10 had a sensitivity of 88% and a specificity of 88% for major depression. PHQ-9 scores of 5, 10, 15, and 20 represented mild, moderate, moderately severe, and severe depression, respectively. Results were similar in the primary care and obstetrics-gynecology samples.
CONCLUSION: In addition to making criteria-based diagnoses of depressive disorders, the PHQ-9 is also a reliable and valid measure of depression severity. These characteristics plus its brevity make the PHQ-9 a useful clinical and research tool.
This article examines the adequacy of the “rules of thumb” conventional cutoff criteria and several new alternatives for various fit indexes used to evaluate model fit in practice. Using a 2‐index presentation strategy, which includes using the maximum likelihood (ML)‐based standardized root mean squared residual (SRMR) and supplementing it with either Tucker‐Lewis Index (TLI), Bollen's (1989) Fit Index (BL89), Relative Noncentrality Index (RNI), Comparative Fit Index (CFI), Gamma Hat, McDonald's Centrality Index (Mc), or root mean squared error of approximation (RMSEA), various combinations of cutoff values from selected ranges of cutoff criteria for the ML‐based SRMR and a given supplemental fit index were used to calculate rejection rates for various types of true‐population and misspecified models; that is, models with misspecified factor covariance(s) and models with misspecified factor loading(s). The results suggest that, for the ML method, a cutoff value close to .95 for TLI, BL89, CFI, RNI, and Gamma Hat; a cutoff value close to .90 for Mc; a cutoff value close to .08 for SRMR; and a cutoff value close to .06 for RMSEA are needed before we can conclude that there is a relatively good fit between the hypothesized model and the observed data. Furthermore, the 2‐index presentation strategy is required to reject reasonable proportions of various types of true‐population and misspecified models. Finally, using the proposed cutoff criteria, the ML‐based TLI, Mc, and RMSEA tend to overreject true‐population models at small sample size and thus are less preferable when sample size is small.
Depression, anxiety and somatization are the most common mental disorders in primary care as well as medical specialty populations; each is present in at least 5-10% of patients and frequently comorbid with one another. An efficient means for measuring and monitoring all three conditions would be desirable.
Evidence regarding the psychometric and pragmatic characteristics of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9 depression, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)-7 anxiety and PHQ-15 somatic symptom scales are synthesized from two sources: (1) four multisite cross-sectional studies (three conducted in primary care and one in obstetric-gynecology practices) comprising 9740 patients, and (2) key studies from the literature that have studied these scales.
The PHQ-9 and its abbreviated eight-item (PHQ-8) and two-item (PHQ-2) versions have good sensitivity and specificity for detecting depressive disorders. Likewise, the GAD-7 and its abbreviated two-item (GAD-2) version have good operating characteristics for detecting generalized anxiety, panic, social anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. The optimal cutpoint is > or = 10 on the parent scales (PHQ-9 and GAD-7) and > or = 3 on the ultra-brief versions (PHQ-2 and GAD-2). The PHQ-15 is equal or superior to other brief measures for assessing somatic symptoms and screening for somatoform disorders. Cutpoints of 5, 10 and 15 represent mild, moderate and severe symptom levels on all three scales. Sensitivity to change is well-established for the PHQ-9 and emerging albeit not yet definitive for the GAD-7 and PHQ-15.
The PHQ-9, GAD-7 and PHQ-15 are brief well-validated measures for detecting and monitoring depression, anxiety and somatization.
Charting change in behavior as a function of age and investigating longitudinal relations among constructs are primary goals of developmental research. Traditionally, researchers rely on a single measure (e.g., scale score) for a given construct for each person at each occasion of measurement, assuming that measure reflects the same construct at each occasion. With multiple indicators of a latent construct at each time of measurement, the researcher can evaluate whether factorial invariance holds. If factorial invariance constraints are satisfied, latent variable scores at each time of measurement are on the same metric and stronger conclusions are warranted. In this paper we discuss factorial invariance in longitudinal studies, contrasting analytic approaches and highlighting strengths of the multiple-indicator approach to modeling developmental processes.