The relationship of self-control, procrastination, motivational interference and regret with school grades and life balance

"Eine typische Herausforderung für Jugendliche ist die Bewältigung von Aufgaben im akademischen Bereich und verschiedenen anderen Lebensbereichen. Die vorliegende Arbeit betrachtet Selbstkontrolle, Prokrastination, motivationale Interferenz und Bedauern nach einer getroffenen Entscheidung als Determinanten von Schulnoten und Lebensbalance. Diese Prädiktoren werden für die Bewältigung multipler Handlungsalternativen als relevant angesehen. Während Selbstkontrolle als generelle Ressource betrachtet wird, die mit verschiedensten positiven Ergebnisvariablen in Verbindung steht, werden die anderen drei Determinanten in Zusammenhang mit dem Umgang mit Konflikten bei multiplen Handlungsalternativen gesehen. An der Studie nahmen 348 Zehntklässler teil, die während der regulären Unterrichtszeit einen Fragebogen ausfüllten. Die Ergebnisse der Regressionsanalyse zeigten, dass Selbstkontrolle ein signifikanter Prädiktor für Schulnoten und Lebensbalance war, wohingegen Prokrastination nur mit Schulnoten zusammenhing und motivationale Interferenz sowie Bedauern mit Lebensbalance verknüpft waren. Die Bedeutung dieses differenziellen Musters wird im Hinblick auf die Lebensbewältigung von Jugendlichen diskutiert." (Autorenreferat)"In this study, self-control, procrastination, motivational interference, and regret are regarded as determinants of school grades and of life balance (defined as the experience of a subjectively balanced life). Dealing with tasks in the academic field and in various other life arenas is typical for adolescents. The predictors are regarded as relevant for handling multiple alternative activities. Selfcontrol is seen as a resource associated with positive outcomes in people's lives. The other variables are seen as tightly associated with handling multiple alternative activities in goal conflicts. The sample consisted of 348 tenth graders who completed a questionnaire during regular school lessons. Results of regression analyses showed that self-control was a significant predictor of school grades and life balance, while procrastination was only related to school grades, and that motivational interference as well as regret were associated with life balance. The significance of this differential pattern for adolescents' lives is discussed." (author's abstract

Recruiting young pre-symptomatic children for a clinical trial in type 1 diabetes: insights from the Fr1da insulin intervention study

Background: Although detection of children at high risk of developing type 1 diabetes and diagnosis of early stages is possible, up to now there exists no approved therapy to delay or prevent type 1 diabetes. Thus it is vital to develop evidence-based interventions. For this a sufficient number of trial participants is crucial but difficult to obtain especially in asymptomatic children. Aim: Identifying family characteristics that lead to or impede trial participation and analyze reasons stated by families for non-participation. Methods: Participants for the Fr1da Insulin Intervention study are recruited from the Fr1da study, a population based screening for early stage type 1 diabetes in Bavaria. Families with eligible children were invited to enroll. We analyzed sex and age of the child, distance of the family to the study center in Munich and the existence of a first degree family member with type 1 as possible influential factors for study participation. We also analyzed reasons stated by families who declined study participation in a phone interview. Results: Of 146 eligible children 77 (53%) were enrolled into the trial. None of the tested family characteristics differed significantly between the enrolling and the families not participating, but in general enrolling families lived closer to the study site than families not participating. This is also reflected in the reasons given by non-participating families. The most frequent reason stated were time restrictions. The second most frequent reason was the venous blood draw. Conclusion: The factors for non-participation identified in this project need be taken into account for the design of future trials in young children to ensure proper recruitment and thus to generate valid results for medical treatment of children. More research on the reason of participation and non-participation in clinical trials is needed. Keywords: Type 1 diabetes, Trial recruitment, Trial enrollment, Infants, Children, Asymptomati

Re‐evaluation of sodium, potassium and calcium salts of fatty acids (E 470a) and magnesium salts of fatty acids (E 470b) as food additives

The EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food (ANS) provides a scientific opinion re‐evaluating the safety of sodium, potassium and calcium salts of fatty acids (E 470a) and magnesium salts of fatty acids (E 470b) when used as food additives. In 1991, the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) established a group acceptable daily intake (ADI) ‘not specified’ for the fatty acids (myristic‐, stearic‐, palmitic‐ and oleic acid) and their salts. The sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium salts of fatty acids are expected to dissociate in the gastrointestinal tract to fatty acid carboxylates and their corresponding cations. There were no data on subchronic toxicity, chronic toxicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity of the salts of fatty acids. There was no concern for mutagenicity of calcium caprylate, potassium oleate and magnesium stearate. From a carcinogenicity study with sodium oleate, a no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) could not be identified but the substance was considered not to present a carcinogenic potential. Palmitic‐ and stearic acid which are the main fatty acids in E 470a and E 470b were already considered of no safety concern in the re‐evaluation of the food additive E 570. The fatty acid moieties of E 470a and E 470b contributed maximally for 5% to the overall intake of saturated fatty acids from all dietary sources. Overall, the Panel concluded that there was no need for a numerical ADI and that the food additives sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium salts of fatty acids (E 470a and E 470b) were of no safety concern at the reported uses and use levels

Do individual values influence motivation and learning success in case of conflicts between school and leisure time?

Viele Schüler sind nachmittags angesichts hoher schulischer Erwartungen und breiter Freizeitangebote zwischen dem Erledigen von Aufgaben für die Schule und selbstbestimmten Aktivitäten hin- und hergerissen. In einem Experiment wurde untersucht, ob die Leistungs- bzw. Wohlbefindensorientierung von Studierenden die motivationale Regulation und das Ergebnis des Lernens bei einem Lern-Freizeit-Konflikt beeinflusst. Wertorientierungen wurden durch Priming aktiviert und ihr Einfluss auf motivationale Interferenz und Erfolg beim Erlernen naturwissenschaftlicher Inhalte ermittelt. Während des Lernens konnten die Studierenden auf Musikvideos übergehen, wobei variiert wurde, ob jeweils ein oder zwei Videos zur Verfügung standen. Die Regulation des Lernens wurde über einen Fragebogen zum Erleben motivationaler Interferenz erhoben. Lernerfolg wurde über einen Multiple Choice Test sowie die Anzahl korrekt reproduzierter Abbildungselemente erfasst. Studierende in der Wohlbefindens-Bedingung zeigten wie erwartet höhere motivationale Interferenz als die Kontrollgruppe, wohingegen Studierende in der Leistungs-Bedingung weder geringere Interferenz noch höhere Lernleistungen aufwiesen. Bei Studierenden in der Wohlbefindens-Gruppe zeigte sich im Multiple Choice Test eine bessere Leistung bei einer im Vergleich zu zwei attraktiven Alternativhandlungen. (DIPF/Orig.)In view of high academic expectations and a broad offer of leisure time activities in the afternoons, students are torn between doing schoolwork and attending to self-determined activities. In an experiment, the authors examined whether the students´ orientation towards achievement or towards well-being influences the motivational regulation and the result of learning in the case of a conflict between study and recreation. Value orientations were activated through priming and their influence on motivational interference and success in learning scientific contents was determined. While learning, students were allowed to switch to music videos, with the number of available videos varying between one and two. The regulation of learning was ascertained by means of a questionnaire on the experience of motivational interference. Learning success was determined through a multiple choice test as well as the number of correctly reproduced elements of mapping. As was to be expected, wellness-oriented students showed a higher motivational interference than the control group, whereas students oriented towards achievement showed neither lower interference nor higher achievement. Students in the group oriented towards well-being showed higher achievement in the multiple choice test when being offered one as compared to two attractive alternative actions. (DIPF/Orig.

Cognitive ability and personality variables as predictors of school grades and test scores in adolescents

Hofer M, Kuhnle C, Kilian B, Fries S. Cognitive ability and personality variables as predictors of school grades and test scores in adolescents. Learning and Instruction. 2012;22(5):368-375.The predictive power of cognitive ability and self-control strength for self-reported grades and an achievement test were studied. It was expected that the variables use of time structure, academic procrastination, and motivational interference during learning further aid in predicting students' achievement because they are operative in situations of school-leisure conflict. A sample of 697 eighth-graders was tested twice within the interval of a single school year (about eight months). Cognitive ability and self-control explained substantial variance of grade changes. Procrastination displayed a further portion of the variance. Personality variables were better predictors of grades, while cognitive ability showed higher variance with the achievement test. Variables tapping aspects of self-control strength have been interpreted as key determinants of learning outcomes. The findings suggest that it might be useful to identify students who are at risk, allowing these students to train their ability to shield studying from leisure distractions. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Do individual Values Influence Motivation and Learning Success in case of Conflicts between School and Leisure Time? An experimental investigation

Hofer M, Kilian B, Kuhnle C, Schmid S. Do individual Values Influence Motivation and Learning Success in case of Conflicts between School and Leisure Time? An experimental investigation. ZEITSCHRIFT FUR PADAGOGIK. 2011;57(3):385-403.In view of high academic expectations and a broad offer of leisure time activities in the afternoons, students are torn between doing schoolwork and attending to self-determined activities. In an experiment, the authors examined whether the students' orientation towards achievement or towards well-being influences the motivational regulation and the result of learning in the case of a conflict between study and recreation. Value orientations were activated through priming and their influence on motivational interference and success in learning scientific contents was determined. While learning, students were allowed to switch to music videos, with the number of available videos varying between one and two. The regulation of learning was ascertained by means of a questionnaire on the experience of motivational interference. Learning success was determined through a multiple choice test as well as the number of correctly reproduced elements of mapping. As was to be expected, wellness-oriented students showed a higher motivational interference than the control group, whereas students oriented towards achievement showed neither lower interference nor higher achievement. Students in the group oriented towards well-being showed higher achievement in the multiple choice test when being offered one as compared to two attractive alternative actions

Reciprocal relationships between value orientation and motivational interference during studying and leisure

Hofer M, Schmid S, Fries S, Kilian B, Kuhnle C. Reciprocal relationships between value orientation and motivational interference during studying and leisure. British Journal of Educational Psychology. 2010;80(4):623-645.Background Motivational interference is defined as the amount of impairment in a target activity due to the incentives of a non-chosen attractive alternative The amount to which pupils experience motivational interference while studying or while performing a leisure activity in a school leisure conflict situation is seen as depending on the values they attach to achievement and well-being At the same time values may also be effects of frequent experience of motivational interference in the respective areas Aims The study is aimed at investigating the reciprocal relationship between personal value orientations and the experience of motivational interference during studying and leisure Sample A total of 363 pupils (sixth to eighth graders at the time of first measurement) completed the same questionnaire twice in a 2-year interval Method The questionnaire included measures of achievement and well being value orientation and the experience of motivational interference during studying and during leisure in school leisure conflicts For this two scenarios were created In regression analyses achievement and well being value orientations as well as their interaction terms were used as predictors for experience of motivational interference at t(2) while controlling for experience of motivational interference at t(1) and vice versa Additionally in path models these relations were tested in an integrative way Results Pupils achievement value orientations were connected to differential changes in experiencing motivational interference during leisure and during studying in one scenario but only for pupils low or medium in well being value orientation Conversely experience of motivational interference at t(1) was related to changes in value orientations 2 years later High motivational interference during studying led to an increase in well being value orientation while high motivational interference during leisure was followed by a decrease in well being value orientation and an increase in achievement value orientation Overall path models supported these results Conclusions The results are discussed in terms of value change and are linked to self control and motivation researc

Representation upon a Power of Attorney

The aim of this thesis is to clarify the legal regulations of the institute of the representation with an emphasis on the representation upon power of attorney (contract representation). Thanks to the extent of this work it is impossible to encompass the whole matter of the representation in a way that would be worthy of an analysis. In this thesis it is written about the historical roots of the legal regulations of the representation which are already enshrined in Roman law. The main part of the adjustment is de lege lata. The general adjustment of the representation has to be searched in the valid and effective Civil Code (The Law No. 40/1964). We can meet the partial legal regulations in other branches of the legal code too, for that reason other legal statutes related to the topic of this work are discussed. The thesis deals with the application problems in practice and numerous law cases of the law particularly of higher courts. The attention is also focused on two initiatives within the European Contract Law - the Principles of European Contract Law (PECL) and the Draft Common Frame of Reference (DCFR). Finally it is necessary to pay - now approved - the new Code of Civil Rights, which represents an extensive legislative work and as the complex is an important legislative step in the times of..