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The previous research on student debt indicates that the financial concerns associated with being in debt have a significant effect on the individual's academic performance. In the present study, a sample of 328 current students at the University of Canterbury was questioned to identify the effects of student debt on students' course selection, motivation, happiness and academic performance. Students' debt levels increased with the level of university study, and the largest form of student borrowing was from the Student Loan Scheme. While students with no debt performed better academically than those with debt, students' attitudes towards debt were found to influence the relationship between debt level and academic performance. Students who were tolerant towards debt performed better as they accumulated more debt while students who were intolerant performed worse. In general, there is little indication that student debt has a direct effect on students' course selection, motivation, happiness and academic performance. Implications of current findings are mentioned. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.

Previous research has shown that insufficient sleep at night and daytime sleepiness contributes to psychological distress, cognitive deficiencies and poor academic performance. The current study examines the effect of nighttime sleep extension on sleep, psychological health, academic performance and cognitive functioning in a sample of adolescents with complaints of daytime sleepiness and insufficient nighttime sleep.Participants were 56 adolescents (34 females) aged 14 - 18 (Mean age = 16.46). Participants were given daily sleep diaries and actiwatch during an initial interview. Sleepiness, psychological, academic and cognitive assessments were completed after one week of sleep data collection. The participants were randomly assigned to either extend their sleep for at least 60 minutes on three consecutive school nights or continue with their normal sleep schedule. After the sleep extension the same battery of tasks were completed. Baseline and post-intervention sleep, psychological, academic and cognitive data included daily sleep diaries, the Pediatric Daytime Sleepiness Scale (PDSS), State Trait Anxiety Scale - Short (STAI-S), AIMS reading comprehension and mathematic questions, digit span, verbal fluency, trail making and go/no go inhibition.Nineteen of those assigned to extend their sleep succeeded (M = 80.35 min.). Repeated measures ANOVAs were performed on sleep, psychological well being, academics and cognitive assessments to evaluate the sleep extension intervention. Interactions for the sleep variables found that Sleep Extenders decreased difficulty in waking in the morning and daytime sleepiness, increased time in bed, total sleep time and sleep efficiency more than Non-Sleep Extenders, (all p < .05). No differences were found for the STAI-S or the academic questions. All participants improved on the forward digit span (p < .05); however, t-tests showed that only the Sleep Extenders improved on the backward digit span (p < .05). All participants performed worse on the verbal fluency task, (p < .01). Everyone improved on trail making part A (p < .01), however, only Sleep Extenders improved on trail making part B, (p < .01).Even small increases in the duration of nighttime sleep can improve sleep variables, reduce daytime sleepiness, and produce improvement on measures of cognitive ability requiring mental control and flexibility in adolescents.

The problem with which this study was concerned was that of determining how the academic performance of entering college freshmen at Jarvis Christian College who participated in a summer preparatory and enrichment program would compare with the academic performance of entering college freshmen who did not participate in the program at the end of the school year.

In recent years, the application of Information Technologies has fostered a tremendous growth in e-learning courses at colleges and universities in the United States. Subsequently, some colleges and universities have reported dropout rates of over 60% in e-learning courses. Therefore, the persistence of identifiable groups of students enrolled in e-learning courses has garnered increased attention and research. Information Systems researchers suggested that studies of persistence e-learning courses identify and investigate specific constructs as well as identifiable target populations. Furthermore, as a separate and identifiable group, the college student athlete has received extensive coverage in the research literature, however, limited attention for their dropout in e-learning courses. Therefore, this research investigated persistence in e-learning courses of an identified population of college student athletes. In order to predict the persistence of college student athletes enrolled in e-learning courses, this research an empirically assessed a conceptual model, e-Learning Persistence Model (e-LPM). e-LPM was based on selected constructs that have previously shown tendencies to persistence in e-learning courses. This research, therefore, empirically assessed the constructs of e-LPM in the predication of persistence in a population of 187 college student athletes enrolled in e-learning courses. The constructs of e-LPM includes, student's attitude toward computers, student's intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, student's perceived satisfaction from the e-learning system, and student's previous academic performance measures (high school GPA and SAT score). The e-LPM constructs were empirically assessed and weighted in order to evaluate their contribution to persistence in e-learning courses. Survey response data from college student athletes at the beginning and at the end of e-learning courses were quantitatively analyzed using Ordinal Logistic Regression, ANOVA, chi-square, and t-test statistical techniques. Results of this research showed that e-LPM was able to predict persistence in e-learning course 81.4% of the time. The previous academic performance measure of GPA was shown to significantly predict e-learning course persistence in the research population. In the analysis of gender, female college student athletes exhibited higher intrinsic and extrinsic motivation than their male counterparts.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Academic success, which is measured by continuous assessment and examination results, is one of the major goals of higher education. However, Higher Education institutions worldwide are faced with a challenge on how to improve the academic performance, success and ultimately the retention of students during their studies. Aim: The aim of this study was to develop an intervention towards the improvement of academic performance, success and retention among undergraduate nursing students at a university in the Western Cape, South Africa. Methods: A multi-method research approach was employed to meet the study aim and objectives. The study was conducted in three phases that were guided by the adapted phases of the Design and Development (D&D) model by Rothman and Thomas (2013). Phase one (Study 1– 4) was the problem analysis and information gathering phase. Phase two was the design and early development during which designing observational elements and specifying procedural elements were applied. Phase three (Study 5) was the validation phase. Results: This thesis comprised of five interdependent studies. Study 1: A systematic review of literature was conducted encompassing previous literature from 2006 to 2016 regarding the predictors of academic performance and success among undergraduate nursing students. It was found that satisfactory academic performance among nursing students is associated with older age, female gender, English language proficiency, majority ethnic status, pre-admission academic achievements, selecting nursing as first choice for study, participating in organised music programmes, active academic engagement, as well as psychological and emotional factors. Study 2: Undergraduate nursing students’ (n =232) perceptions regarding their educational environment were explored. This study showed that generally the nursing students were positive about their educational environment. However, the findings indicated that enhancements are required to improve the conditions of the educational environment. Study 3: The study explored the challenges experienced by undergraduate nursing students (6 - focus group discussions) regarding their academic performance and success and the measures implemented to overcome these challenges. The findings revealed that students’ academic performance is influenced by the students’ economic background, place of residence, inadequate theoretical and clinical support and the unfavorable educational environment. However, the findings also indicated that students employ a surface approach to learning, maintain a positive attitude and remain academically engaged in response to these challenges. Study 4: The study explored the challenges experienced by nurse educators (n = 8) regarding the academic performance, success and retention of undergraduate nursing students and the measures implemented to overcome these challenges. The findings revealed that students’ academic performance is influenced by poor class attendance, lack of academic readiness, socioeconomic backgrounds, English language proficiency, structure of the programme, the educational environment and the working conditions for nurse educators. Study 5: A three round Delphi study was conducted to validate an intervention towards improving the academic performance, success and retention among nursing students. The intervention was structured into eleven categories that emerged from phase 2: (1) Select high quality prospective nursing students; (2) Provide English language support; (3) Promote class attendance; 4) providing financial support to deserving students; (5) Provide university residence to undergraduate nursing students; (6) Encourage family support and involvement; (7) Make the undergraduate nursing programme student-friendly; (8) Ensure a conducive teaching and learning environment; (9) Enhance theoretical and clinical support to undergraduate nursing students at all times; (10) Ensure uniformity and consistency in the process of teaching and learning as well as; (11) Provide support to nurse educators and clinical supervisors. Conclusion: The findings of this study have several implications for the education of nursing students. The developed intervention may help promote better understanding of the academic performance, success and retention of nursing students.

Academic performance of first year university students in the international arena as well as locally, has been a point of concern for all stakeholders because of high dropout rates and failure. Although many explanations for this have been offered and accepted, all have located the problem external to the individual. This study examined the interplay between interpersonal and intrapersonal factors on academic performance of first year university students in South Africa. A sociocognitive perspective was employed by an investigation of student identity processing styles as a means to explain academic performance. A mixed sample of 419 first year psychology students at a South African university was randomly chosen. Berzonsky’s Identity Style Inventory (ISI3) was used to categorise students’ identity processing styles which was then correlated to students’ mid-year examination results. Although similar research was conducted overseas, the findings of the present study did not match previous results. Unlike any other known study the correlation between normative processing style and academic performance of first year university students was statistically significant but was negative. There was significant difference only between informational and normative identity processing styles on academic performance and between informational and diffuse-avoidant processing styles on academic performance. It was found in this study that culture and race played a role in student identity processing styles and in turn influenced student academic performance in the first year of university. A discussion of results, educational implications of findings, limitations of the study and recommendations for future research are included at the end of this study.

The aim of the current study was to determine whether academic burnout/engagement mediated the relationship between academic obstacles/facilitators and academic performance within a South African university context. Participants received a web link to an online survey host in which a questionnaire was presented. The questionnaire included a selfdeveloped demographic questionnaire, an adapted version of the Student Stress Scale (Da Coste Leite & Israel, 2011), an adapted version of the Factors of Academic Facilitators Scale (Salanova, Schaufeli, Martinez, & Breso, 2010), the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Scale (Schaufeli, Salanova, Gonzalez-Roma, & Bakker, 2002) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-Student (Schaufeli, Salanova, et al., 2002). The final sample (n=351) consisted of both full-time and part-time first year psychology students. The results of the current study demonstrated that academic obstacles were positively related to academic burnout while academic burnout was negatively related to academic performance. Academic facilitators were also negatively related to academic burnout and positively related to academic engagement. Academic burnout was also found to mediate the relationship between academic obstacles/facilitators and academic performance. The results of the study also demonstrated some non-hypothesised, but not unexpected, findings. Academic burnout, for one, was found to be negatively related to academic engagement. In addition, the indirect effect between academic obstacles and engagement was negative while the indirect effect between academic facilitators and engagement was positive. The results of the current study further demonstrated a novel finding whereby academic performance was positively related to burnout. Furthermore, the indirect effect between academic burnout and engagement was positive while the indirect effects between academic burnout and burnout, academic performance and engagement, and academic performance and performance, were negative. These findings were supported by previous research within both the work and student context. The results of the current study demonstrated, however, that academic engagement was not significantly related to academic performance and therefore was not a mediator in the relationship between academic obstacles/facilitators and academic performance. These results were unexpected given the literature available, however, may have been due to the way in which academic performance was operationalised within the current study. The implications of the results and the limitations of the current study were discussed, and suggestions for further research were made.

Submitted by Geyciane Santos (geyciane_thamires@hotmail.com) on 2015-05-21T13:26:28Z No. of bitstreams: 3 Capa - Rockson Costa Pessoa.pdf: 340351 bytes, checksum: 966a2164e83d019e7989d89fe92d2390 (MD5) Ficha catalográfica - Rockson Costa Pessoa.pdf: 1946 bytes, checksum: 1423109ed95b0fbc6935b27e7ce7e7a5 (MD5) Dissertação -Rockson Costa Pessoa.pdf: 1870822 bytes, checksum: b06812a31f34493ba5c0f1040e82024a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-21T13:26:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 3 Capa - Rockson Costa Pessoa.pdf: 340351 bytes, checksum: 966a2164e83d019e7989d89fe92d2390 (MD5) Ficha catalográfica - Rockson Costa Pessoa.pdf: 1946 bytes, checksum: 1423109ed95b0fbc6935b27e7ce7e7a5 (MD5) Dissertação -Rockson Costa Pessoa.pdf: 1870822 bytes, checksum: b06812a31f34493ba5c0f1040e82024a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-06-25 / FAPEAM - Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Amazonas / The dynamics of academia requires a high effort of college students to adapt to their demands and overcome their challenges successfully. Requiring the investigation of phenomena resilience and subjective well - being of these students. Resilience is a terminology borrowed from the hard sciences, and relates to the ability of certain materials to withstand external pressures. The subjective well - being refers to the assessment of quality of life for the individual, allowing them to think about how they feel and experience their lives. This research aimed to examine the effects of resilience on the subjective well -being and academic performance of college . The specific objectives were to identify the style of resilience of university students; investigate possible connections between styles of resilience and academic achievement and to examine possible relationships between styles of resilience and subjective well - being of the students. The theoretical framework chosen to build this work was: resilience, subjective well -being and academic performance. The survey was field with quantitative character. The instruments were administered the Brief Resilient Behavior Scale (Ribeiro; MORAL 2010 - adapted by Mascarenhas , 2011), the PANAS scale (Positive and Negative Affect Schelude) (DIENER et al, 1999, Adapted by Mascarenhas , 2008) and the Scale SWLS ( Satisfaction with Life Scale) (DIENER et al., 1985, Adapted by Mascarenhas, 2008). The sample consists of 342 students from the city of Manaus and the municipality of Humaita. Data were statistically analyzed with SPSS support. As for the results it is prudent to affirm that compared college with strong traits of resilience with with faint traces, there are disagreements on what matters to consider coping strategies. The data show that college with faint traces of resilience , feature more significantly focused on emotion coping strategy, whereas the group of students with strong traits of resilience, use problem-focused coping. Even with the data analysis it was observed that there is close relationship between the phenomena of resilience and subjective well -being, credible state that individuals with strong traits of resilience have higher scores on SWLS and PANAS scales - positive, compared with opposite group. The study failed to demonstrate the relationship between academic performance and resilience, once both strong and weak individuals with traces of resilience showed no differences. It appears then, the need for continued research to expand the supply of information associated with the topic. / A dinâmica do mundo acadêmico exige um elevado esforço dos estudantes universitários para se adaptarem às suas demandas e vencerem seus desafios com sucesso, onde uma investigação sobre os fenômenos resiliência e bem-estar subjetivo destes acadêmicos se faz necessário. Diane do exposto, esta pesquisa teve como objetivo geral analisar os efeitos da resiliência sobre o bem-estar subjetivo e rendimento acadêmico de universitários da Amazônia. Os objetivos específicos foram: identificar o estilo de resiliência dos estudantes universitário; relacionar os estilos de resiliência às estratégias coping dos universitários; investigar as possíveis relações entre estilos de resiliências e rendimento acadêmico e verificar possíveis relações entre estilos de resiliência e o bem – estar subjetivo dos acadêmicos. Quanto ao problema se propôs a seguinte pergunta: Quais análises podem ser construídas a partir da possível influência do fenômeno psicológico resiliência sobre o bem estar subjetivo e o rendimento acadêmico de estudantes universitários da Amazônia? No intuito de responder a essa sentença foi realizada uma pesquisa de campo e quanti-qualitativa, a partir de uma amostra intencional não probabilística de (n=342 acadêmicos de universidade pública do município de Humaitá e de faculdade particular da cidade de Manaus. Para coleta de dados foram utilizados os instrumentos: Escala Breve do Comportamento Resiliente (RIBEIRO; MORAIS, 2010 - adaptada por MASCARENHAS, 2011), a Escala PANAS (Positive and Negative Affect Schelude) (DIENER et al, 1999, Adaptada por MASCARENHAS, 2008) e a Escala SWLS (Satisfaction with Life Scale) (DIENER et al, 1985, Adaptada por MASCARENHAS, 2008). Os dados obtidos foram compilados em planilha Excel e analisados estatisticamente com apoio do programa SPSS 19.0 e para a análise qualitativa foi utilizado a análise de conteúdo. Quanto aos resultados se pode afirmar que quando comparados os universitários com traços fortes de resiliência com os com traços frágeis, há divergências no que importa considerar as estratégias de coping. Os dados demonstram que os universitários com traços frágeis de resiliência, apresentam de modo mais significativo estratégia coping focada na emoção, enquanto que o grupo de alunos com traços fortes de resiliência, utilizam o coping focado no problema. Ainda com a análise dos dados se observou que existe uma correlação forte entre os fenômenos da resiliência e do bem-estar subjetivo, sendo correto afirmar que indivíduos com traços fortes de resiliência apresentam maior pontuação nas escalas SWLS e PANAS – aspecto positivo, quando comparados com o grupo oposto. No que importa problematizar sobre a relação entre desempenho acadêmico e resiliência, a pesquisa demonstrou que avaliar desempenho acadêmico pela ideia de notas é insuficiente uma vez que rendimento acadêmico é algo complexo e dinâmico e neste sentido, estudos sobre o fenômeno da resiliência e o rendimento acadêmico só se mostrarão adequados quando considerarem os aspectos complexos de ambos os fenômenos. Constata-se então a necessidade da continuidade das pesquisas para ampliar a oferta de informações associadas ao tema.

Students of color experience numerous educational disadvantages compared to White students. These disadvantages begin in elementary school and continue into college and adulthood. Ethnic minority students typically have less resources available to them than White students and are typically less prepared for college—academically and financially. Once students of color enroll in college, they face additional barriers due to discrimination and negative attitudes towards diversity. These factors play a key role in student engagement and persistence. The campus racial climate of a university, defined as the overall racial environment of the campus, has been shown to strongly influence students’ feelings of belonging to an institution. This study examined the links among experiences of discrimination, campus openness to diversity, multicultural experiences, academic success, and feelings of school belonging for students of color, in order to identify ways in which we can improve the educational experiences of disadvantaged students. The current study found evidence that many diversity-related experiences such as cross-racial interactions, campus racial climate, cocurricular diversity activities, and discrimination, strongly influenced feelings of school belonging for students of color. These findings add support to previous research that suggests that diversity experiences on college campuses play a significant role in making students feel welcome at an institution. However, diversity-related experiences examined in this study appeared to have little correlation to academic performance and retention. School belonging did not correlate with academic performance. It seems students’ grades may be better explained by internal factors, like motivation, rather than external factors, like the campus environment. Perceptions of more negative cross-racial interactions and more discrimination experiences were linked with more negative perceptions of the campus racial climate. Campus racial climate was linked to students’ desire to pursue higher education in the future. As the amount of positive cross-racial interactions students experienced increased, so did the amount of negative cross-racial interactions. This suggests that higher levels of cross-racial interactions result in both positive and negative experiences. More cross-racial interactions and cocurricular diversity activities were associated with more experiences of discrimination. This suggests that students of color are likely to experience discrimination when interacting with persons of different racial backgrounds or engaging in conversations related to diversity. Overall, diversity-related experiences linked to feelings of school belonging more than academic performance. Findings provide guidance for college-based initiatives to improve campus racial climates, in order to create more welcoming environments for students of color.