Students’ emotions of enjoyment and boredom and their use of cognitive learning strategies – How do they affect one another?

To better understand the relationship between enjoyment and boredom and students' use of cognitive learning strategies, we analyzed both directions of effects between these constructs as described in the control-value theory of achievement emotions (Pekrun, 2006; 2018). Our study used a sequential design in which students' (N = 338 4th grade students) effective use of cognitive learning strategies was measured in real learning situations, allowing insights into the temporal order of effects and discrimination between intra- and inter-individual effects (N = 8020 assessments within students). An increased intraindividual level of enjoyment positively predicted subsequent effective use of learning strategies, whereas effective use of learning strategies did not predict students' subsequent enjoyment on the intraindividual level. Interindividual differences in enjoyment and effective use of cognitive learning strategies were unrelated, whereas negative relations were found for boredom and effective strategy use. On the intraindividual level, boredom and effective strategy use were unrelated

The influence of emotions and learning preferences on learning strategy use before transition into high-achiever track secondary school

Research on the relationships between students' achievement emotions and their (self-regulated) learning behavior is growing. However, little is known about the relationships between students' learning preferences and achievement emotions and the extent to which these influence learning strategies. In this study we, first, looked at the learning-style preferences (self-regulated, externally regulated, or impulsive learning) of 200 fourth graders who were about to start high-achiever track secondary school in Germany in the following school year. Second, we analyzed whether students who prefer self-regulated learning, externally regulated learning, or impulsive learning differ concerning the achievement emotions of enjoyment, anger, boredom, and anxiety. Third, we examined whether the degree to which students prefer self-regulated learning in combination with their achievement emotions predicts if and how students actually apply various aspects of self-regulated learning such as cognitive learning strategies, goal setting, and strategy monitoring during their learning. Fourth, we explored whether achievement emotions mediate relationships between more or less successful learning and subsequent learning behavior. Students in our sample did not prefer a self-regulated learning style over an externally regulated or impulsive learning style; and achievement emotions were shown to be related to students' learning-style preferences. Students' preference for self-regulated learning in combination with their achievement emotions predicted various aspects of their learning. However, achievement emotions did not mediate changes in learning behavior found after less successful learning

Long-term follow-up of magnetic resonance-detectable choline signal changes in the hippocampus of patients treated with electroconvulsive therapy

BACKGROUND: In a previous proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging ((1)H MRSI) study of the hippocampus in patients receiving electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), the metabolite signals for N-acetylaspartate (NAA), creatine and phosphocreatine, and choline-containing compounds (Ch) were evaluated before and directly after a course of ECT. Stable metabolite signals for NAA and creatine and phosphocreatine but increasing signals from choline-containing compounds post-ECT compared with pre-ECT were found. The purpose of this investigation was to monitor the long-term course of the hippocampal metabolite signals post-ECT treatment. METHOD: Twelve of 17 depressed patients (DSM-IV and ICD-10 criteria), examined while receiving ECT, were reevaluated after a minimum interval of 12 months. Data were gathered between 1997 and 2000. In all patients, (1)H MRSI studies of the hippocampus were performed and relative contributions of cerebrospinal fluid, gray matter, and white matter to each MRSI voxel were determined. Patients' cognitive as well as psychopathologic status was obtained. RESULTS: Two of the examined patients suffered a relapse. All other patients were in stable remission. No changes in hippocampal NAA signals were detected after a mean interval of 20 months (SD = 8.6) after the last ECT. The initially significant increase in the Ch signal was found to be reversed to nearly pre-ECT values. CONCLUSION: The results of our long-term follow-up corroborate our original finding that ECT has no influence on NAA signals. The observed reversal of the Ch signal might reflect alterations in membrane turnover. Increased Ch signals are thought to reflect an increased membrane turnover and should reverse accordingly. This increase in membrane turnover could potentially play a role in the therapeutic effect of ECT

Hippocampal 1H-MRSI in ecstasy users

In recent years the illicit drug ecstasy (MDMA, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) has come into widespread use among young people. Despite clear evidence for the neurotoxic potential of MDMA in animals, corresponding evidence in humans is limited to indirect findings. In an exploratory study we compared the hippocampal 1H-MRSI (magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging) spectra of five MDMA users with those of controls with no history of substance abuse. Although 1