The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of metacognition as a mediator of the relationship between smoking dependence and depression/anxiety/ negative impact of life experiences. A sample of 202 adult smokers completed the following questionnaires: Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Life Experiences Survey (LES), Meta-Cognitions Questionnaire-30 (MCQ-30), and Fagerstr&ouml / m Test of Nicotine Dependence (FTND). The path analyses were used to test a mediation model in which depression, anxiety, or negative impact of life experiences was the predictor of metacognition, which in turn was a predictor of smoking dependence. Twelve mediation models were tested using total scores of metacognition, and its factors including positive beliefs about worry, negative beliefs about worry, lack of cognitive confidence, beliefs about need to control thoughts, and cognitive self-consciousness as mediator variables. The models included depression, anxiety, or negative impact of life experiences as independent variables / and smoking dependence as dependent variable. The results suggested that neither total metacognition score nor the individual metacognitive dimensions did mediate the relationship between smoking dependence and depression/anxiety/negative impact of life experiences. The results and limitations, as well as the implications of these findings, were discussed by referring to the relevant literature.

The aim of this thesis was to examine the concept of self-compassion in relation to psychopathology with mediating effects of experiential avoidance and metacognition in a Turkish university student sample. Self-Compassion which is a recently formulated promising concept in western psychology consists of three components: self-kindness, common humanity and mindfulness. In addition to self-compassion, recent psychological concepts of cognitive (metacognition) and behavioral (experiential avoidance) perspectives were investigated through models. In this thesis, the negative relationship between self-compassion and psychopathology (depression and anxiety) with mediating effects of experiential avoidance and metacognition was tested. Prior to main analyses, psychometric properties of the scales measuring self-compassion and experiential avoidance were tested. Then, three different models were tested with structural equation modeling (SEM). In these analyses, the proposed full mediation models were compared to empirically alternative models. Self-compassion was found to be significantly and negatively related to both depression, and anxiety. In the first model experiential avoidance fully mediated the relationship between self-compassion and psychopathology. Moreover, metacognitive factors and metacognition as a whole concept mediated the relation between self-compassion and psychopathology. However, they were not as powerful as experiential avoidance. Results of this thesis supported the literature about empowering effect of self-compassion against psychopathology. Furthermore, relationships were mediated by concepts of both modern cognitive and behavior therapies. However, self-compassion, as a fundamental element of psychotherapy, was the focus of this thesis. Findings of the study were discussed in the context of the relevant literature.

In this study, the aim was to investigate the effects of the web-based internet search scaffolding tool (WISST) on the improvement of metacognitive skills of 7th grade students associated with their goal orientation. This study utilized a static-group pretest-posttest design. The first experiment group received web-based metacognitive scaffolding tool treatment / the second experiment group received teacher-based metacognitive scaffolding / and the control group had no scaffolding. The designed tool aimed to scaffold users throughout web searching by emphasizing certain metacognitive skills improvement. Three main instruments were used to gather data: metacognition inventory for Internet search (MIIS), patterns of adaptive learning scale (PALS), and achievement test. 76 7th grade elementary school students in Ankara, Turkey participated in this study. The data gathered from the participants were analyzed through quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods. The results of the study indicated that WISST tool helped students improve certain metacognitive skills including monitoring, planning, controlling, and strategy generation. Its unique effectiveness was on the improvement of controlling skills. Teacher scaffolding group was also successful in improvement of strategy generation skills. No effects of goal orientations on the improvement of metacognitive skills were found in the analyses. Within hierarchical regression models, only pre-MIIS scores significantly contributed to the model. Students having less improved metacognitive skills were found associated with less trials and less visits. Students having poor performance work grades were tended to copy-paste more, try less, and visit less. Task difficulty and task type was observed to influence the search patterns of students. Search patterns and reflections also indicated that scaffolded groups made positive difference in search patterns.

Creative people are most valuable treasures of a nation. In order to cope with the complicated problems of the rapidly changing and developing modern life and to ensure that the society makes progress via new breakthroughs and inventions, we need creative individuals. Thus, the research on creativity in the school environment where creativity takes its roots from is crucial. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the extent to which personality traits, motivation, academic risk-taking and metacognition explain the mathematical creative ability of high school students. The study was carried out during the fall semester of 2011-2012 academic year at two science high schools and a private high school. A total of 217 preparatory and ninth grade students were involved in the study. The participants completed a set of measures about personality traits, motivation, academic risk-taking, metacognition and creative ability in mathematics. Standard multiple regression analysis was conducted to evaluate how well the independent variables predicted creative ability in mathematics. The results revealed that openness to experience and consciousness were significantly correlated with creative ability in mathematics. However, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism were not correlated with creativity scores. Moreover, intrinsic goal orientation followed by openness to experience was the most significant predictor of mathematical creative ability. Yet, academic risk-taking was not significantly correlated with creative ability. Although knowledge of cognition and regulation of cognition showed moderate correlations with creative ability in mathematics, they failed to predict creative ability in multiple regression equation.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Psychology. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Counseling, and Educational Psychology [Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology] / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

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The objective with this research was to establish the correlation between problem solving and the teaching and learning of mathematics in grade 4. The results of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) showed that South Africa is behind other countries in terms of the teaching and learning of mathematics, especially with regard to problem solving. Because problem solving is an integral part of the teaching and learning of mathematics, a literature study was conducted (1) to investigate the learning of school mathematics and (2) to describe the manner in which problem solving can take place in the classroom. The learning of school mathematics was studied by focusing on different approaches to the learning of mathematics. The constructionist approach to learning was identified as the appropriate approach towards learning, which correlates with outcomes-based education (OBE) and with the approach currently taught in South African schools. Factors which contribute towards the meaningful learning of school mathematics, namely mathematical knowledge and skills, meta-cognition, learning strategies and tasks and assignments in mathematics, have been discussed. The role of problem solving in the learning of mathematics was studied by means of a possible problem-solving model which may be developed together with the learners. The teaching of problem solving was investigated by referring to the planning of a problem-based lesson and attention was paid to the learning content of the lesson and the planning of the teaching-learning activities. Together with the learners a problem-solving model was developed for the teaching of problem solving. The implementation of the teaching of problem solving was described with reference to the use of big-group presentations as well as problem solving in small groups. Attention was also paid to problem solving, and the use of different assessment techniques was discussed. The empirical investigation was done by means of a case study, and the focus was firstly on the influence of problem solving on the learning of mathematics, and secondly on the manner in which problem solving may be taught. Information was collected during the qualitative investigation by using a questionnaire which was completed by the learners, as well as an interview and observation schedule. The class work, homework and group work books of the learners were studied and transcribed. Video recordings were made of the learners' participation in the big group, small groups and written work, and the transcribed information was used to make deductions about the teaching of problem solving to the learners. From the empirical investigation it became clear that there is a correlation between problem solving and the teaching and learning of mathematics. Problem solving may be taught to learners by means of a problem-solving model, although this does not necessarily result in successful problem solving by all learners. While learners are solving problems, they are also learning mathematical concepts and acquiring and applying mathematical skills. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of metacognition-based teaching and teaching mathematics via problem solving on students' understanding of mathematics, and the ways in which the students' beliefs about themselves as doers and learners of mathematics and about mathematics and mathematical problem solving were influenced by the instruction. The 60 hours of instruction occurred in the context of a day-to-day mathematics course for undergraduate non-science students, and that gave mea chance to teach mathematics via problem solving. Metacognitive strategies that were included in the instruction contributed to the students' mathematical learning in various ways. The instruction used journal writing, small groups, and whole-class discussions as three different but interrelated strategies that focused on metacognition. Data for the study were collected through four different sources, namely quizzes and assignments (including the final exam), interviews, the instructor's and the students' autobiographies and journals, and class observations (field notes, audio and video tapes). Journal writing served as a communication channel between the students: and the-instructor, and as a result facilitated the individualization of instruction. Journal writing provided the opportunity for the students to clarify their thinking and become more reflective. Small groups proved to be an essential component of the instruction. The students learned to assess and monitor their work and to make appropriate decisions by working cooperatively and discussing the problems with each other. Whole-class discussions raised the students' awareness about their strengths and weaknesses. The discussions also helped students to a great extent become better decision makers. Three categories of students labeled traditionalists, incrementalists, and innovators, emerged from the study. Nine students, who rejected the new approach to teaching and learning mathematics were categorized as traditionalists. The traditionalists liked to be told what to do by the teacher. However, they liked working in small groups and using manipulative materials. The twelve incrementalists were characterized as those who propose to have balanced instruction in which journal writing was a worthwhile activity, group work was a requirement, and whole-class discussions were preferred for clarifying concepts and problems more than for generating and developing new ideas. The nineteen other students were categorized as innovators, those who welcomed the new approach and utilized it and preferred it. For them, journal writing played a major role in enhancing and communicating the ideas. Working in small groups seemed inevitable, and whole-class discussions were a necessity to help them with the meaning-making processes. The incrementalists and the innovators gradually changed their beliefs about mathematics from viewing it as objective, boring, lifeless, and unrelated to their real-lives, to seeing it as subjective, fun, meaningful, and connected to their day-to-day living. The findings of the study further indicated that most of the incrementalists and the innovators changed their views about mathematical problem solving from seeing it as the application of certain rules and formulas to viewing it as a meaning-making process of creation and construction of knowledge.