Assessing Engagement in Chinese Upper Secondary School Students Using the Chinese Version of the Schoolwork Engagement Inventory : Energy, Dedication, and Absorption (CEDA)

The schoolwork engagement inventory: Energy, Dedication, and Absorption (EDA) is a measure of students' engagement in schoolwork and has been demonstrated valid in Western student populations. In this study, we adapted this inventory to and tested its psychometric appropriates in Chinese upper secondary school students (CEDA). Participants were 1,527 general high school students and 850 vocational high school students. The mean age of the total sample was 16.21 years (54.4% females, age span: 15–19 years). The results of confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) showed that a modified one-factor model fitted the data best. The results of the multigroup CFA showed that the factor structure was metrically invariant across school tracks (i.e., general or vocational high school) and scalarly invariant across gender and school types (i.e., ordinary or key school). Moreover, schoolwork engagement was negatively related to emotional exhaustion and positively related to self-efficacy, perseverance of effort, teacher–student relationships, and life satisfaction. Overall, the CEDA can be regarded as a valid measure for the assessment of student engagement in the Chinese upper secondary school context.Peer reviewe

Autonomy-related Parenting Profiles and their Effects on Adolescents' Academic and Psychological Development : A Longitudinal Person-oriented Analysis

The important role of parenting is widely acknowledged, but as most studies have understood and examined it as a stable attribute (e.g., parenting style), the stability of and changes in parenting are less well understood. Using longitudinal person-oriented approaches (i.e., latent profile analyses and latent transition analyses), this study aimed to examine the stability of and changes in autonomy-related parenting profiles and their effects on adolescents' academic and psychological development. Four autonomy-related dimensions (i.e., autonomy support, warmth, psychological control, conditional regard) were chosen to identify parenting profiles on the basis of Self-Determination Theory. Using five-year longitudinal data from 789 German secondary school students (50.06% female, M-age at T1 = 10.82 years, age span = 10-17), four autonomy-related parenting profiles were found: Supportive (similar to 17%), Controlling (similar to 31%), Unsupportive-Uncontrolling (similar to 17%), and Limited Supportive (similar to 35%). The results suggest that the Supportive profile contributes to adolescents' positive academic and psychological development, whereas the Controlling profile, which thwarts autonomy development, exacerbates the development of psychopathology, and impairs academic achievement. More importantly, the Limited Supportive profile is as maladaptive as the Unsupportive-Uncontrolling profile. Regarding parenting profiles' stability and changes, the results showed that about half of each profile stayed in the same group. Overall, it could be observed that parents became more supportive and less controlling over time. However, the findings also indicate that parenting profiles are less stable than expected and can still change during early-to-mid adolescence.Peer reviewe

Autonomy-related Parenting Profiles and their Effects on Adolescents' Academic and Psychological Development : A Longitudinal Person-oriented Analysis

The important role of parenting is widely acknowledged, but as most studies have understood and examined it as a stable attribute (e.g., parenting style), the stability of and changes in parenting are less well understood. Using longitudinal person-oriented approaches (i.e., latent profile analyses and latent transition analyses), this study aimed to examine the stability of and changes in autonomy-related parenting profiles and their effects on adolescents' academic and psychological development. Four autonomy-related dimensions (i.e., autonomy support, warmth, psychological control, conditional regard) were chosen to identify parenting profiles on the basis of Self-Determination Theory. Using five-year longitudinal data from 789 German secondary school students (50.06% female, M-age at T1 = 10.82 years, age span = 10-17), four autonomy-related parenting profiles were found: Supportive (similar to 17%), Controlling (similar to 31%), Unsupportive-Uncontrolling (similar to 17%), and Limited Supportive (similar to 35%). The results suggest that the Supportive profile contributes to adolescents' positive academic and psychological development, whereas the Controlling profile, which thwarts autonomy development, exacerbates the development of psychopathology, and impairs academic achievement. More importantly, the Limited Supportive profile is as maladaptive as the Unsupportive-Uncontrolling profile. Regarding parenting profiles' stability and changes, the results showed that about half of each profile stayed in the same group. Overall, it could be observed that parents became more supportive and less controlling over time. However, the findings also indicate that parenting profiles are less stable than expected and can still change during early-to-mid adolescence.Peer reviewe

What if parental love is conditional …? Children’s self-esteem profiles and their relationship with parental conditional regard and self-kindness

peer reviewedBackground: Numerous studies have demonstrated that low, unstable, or contingent self-esteem negatively affects youth development and is linked to adolescent psychopathology. However, most previous studies have applied variable-oriented approaches, and less is known about the natural combination of self-esteem facets in school-aged adolescents, how parental conditional regard affects self-esteem profiles, and how these profiles relate to self-kindness, self-judgement, and life satisfaction. Methods: By employing a longitudinal person-oriented approach (i.e., latent profile analysis and latent transition analysis) on two-wave longitudinal data from 587 German secondary school students (52.3% female, M age=13.52 years), this study aims to (1) identify adolescents’ self-esteem profiles based on the level, stability, and contingency of self-esteem; (2) examine the impact of parental conditional regard on the self-esteem profiles explained using self-determination theory; and (3) examine these profiles’ relationship with self-kindness, self-judgement, and life satisfaction. Results: Four self-esteem profiles were derived: optimal-secure (~ 8%), good (~ 18%), average (~ 36%), and low-insecure (~ 38%). The results reveal a concerningly high proportion as well as a high stability of low-insecure self-esteem (~ 98%) and indicate the strong negative influence of parental conditional regard on the development of optimal-secure self-esteem. Furthermore, the results demonstrate strong correlations between optimal-secure self-esteem, highly developed self-kindness, and high life satisfaction. Conclusions: Using a longitudinal person-oriented approach, it was possible to identify a group with highly vulnerable self-esteem, characterised by particularly low self-kindness, strong self-judgment, and lower life satisfaction. The findings of this study support the need for prevention and intervention targeting adolescents with low-insecure self-esteem

Emotion regulation among Chinese and German children and adolescents: a binational comparative study

peer reviewedEmotion regulation has been a central research topic in developmental psychology and psychopathology for several decades. Habitual use of adaptive (e.g., cognitive reappraisal) or maladaptive strategies (e.g., expressive suppression) may influence psychosocial adjustment in children and adolescents. Despite consensus on the influence of culture on emotion regulation, little is known about cultural differences in emotion regulation in children and adolescents. In this study, the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents (ERQ-CA) was used and tested for its measurement invariance between Chinese and German children and adolescents. Cultural similarities and differences in the use of cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression were examined, as well as the associations of these strategies with behavior problems and prosocial behavior. The sample consisted of 765 Chinese and 431 German students (Mage = 12.46 years, SD = 1.12). Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis revealed partial scalar measurement invariance of the ERQ-CA. A latent mean comparison showed more frequent use of both strategies in Chinese compared to German students. The results of the multi-group structural equation model showed similar patterns of relationships between emotion regulation strategies and youth behavior across groups. Cognitive reappraisal was associated with fewer behavior problems and more prosocial behavior, whereas expressive suppression was related to more behavior problems. In summary, the current findings indicate that the ERQ-CA allows comparisons of emotion regulation between Chinese and German children and adolescents. Furthermore, the relevance of the cultural context for emotion regulation and the promotion of adaptive regulation strategies is highlighted

Parental Burnout and Prosocial Behavior among Chinese Adolescents: The Role of Empathy

peer reviewedParental burnout refers to exhaustion caused by the parenting role. This devastating negative emotion can have repercussions for adolescent social development. Nevertheless, much remains unclear about the association between parental burnout and adolescent prosocial behavior and the potential mechanisms underlying this relationship. Based on theoretical and empirical evidence, the current study examined the relationship between parental burnout and adolescent prosocial behavior by using a sequential mediation model that included both parental empathy and adolescent empathy as potential mediators. A total of 488 parent–adolescent dyads (for adolescents: 45.7% men, 54.3% women, Mage = 15.28 ± 1.67 years; for parents: 36.5% fathers, 63.5% mothers, Mage = 41.30 ± 3.79 years) completed questionnaires regarding demographics, social desirability, parental burnout, parental empathy, adolescent empathy, and adolescent prosocial behavior. After controlling for demographic covariates and social desirability, the results showed that parental burnout had a negative effect on adolescent-reported prosocial behavior through parental cognitive empathy and adolescent other-oriented empathy (adolescent cognitive empathy and empathic concern) sequentially. These findings contribute to our understanding of the role of parental burnout as a family environmental factor detrimental to the positive functioning of adolescents through parental reactions to their children’s emotions and children’s own social competence

Academic and psychological adjustment in Chinese students: The role of student resources

Teuber Z. Academic and psychological adjustment in Chinese students: The role of student resources. Bielefeld: Universität Bielefeld; 2021.This dissertation addresses the high level of academic demands in the Chinese education system and the role of student resources in their academic and psychological adjustment. Using three original empirical studies, this dissertation contributes to research (1) by providing Chinese researchers and educators with a valid Chinese-language diagnostic questionnaire (QARCA-C) to measure students’ personal and environmental resources (Study I); (2) by extending and transferring usage of the well-established Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model to the Chinese school system (Study II & III); and (3) by investigating the relationship between academic demands, students’ resources, burnout, engagement, academic achievement, and mental health (Study II & III). Data analyses were based on N = 5,210 Chinese school students and 393 parents. The results warrant good psychometric appropriation of the QARCA-C and measurement invariance across gender and language versions. Relations to external criteria hint at cultural differences. This dissertation highlights the detrimental role of the high level of workload and academic demands as well as the protective role of student resources such as self-efficacy, optimism, positive teacher-student relationships, and grit. Furthermore, the JD-R model appears to be suitable in explaining students’ academic and psychological adjustment. Based on the findings, I propose a Student Demands-Resources Model of School Burnout, which considers important socio-demographic factors. In addition to the theoretical significance, the findings provide important political and practical implications of promoting student development. Nevertheless, further cross-cultural comparison and longitudinal studies should be conducted to study cultural equivalences and differences as well as causal relationships

Random-Intercept Cross-Lagged Relationships Between Home-Based Parental Involvement and Student Academic Achievement: A Self-Determination Perspective

Teuber Z. Random-Intercept Cross-Lagged Relationships Between Home-Based Parental Involvement and Student Academic Achievement: A Self-Determination Perspective. In: Proceedings of the 2022 AERA Annual Meeting. Washington DC: AERA; 2022

Symposium: Gelingensbedingungen des MINT-Studieneinstiegs

Teuber Z, Kryshko O. Symposium: Gelingensbedingungen des MINT-Studieneinstiegs. Presented at the 9. Tagung der Gesellschaft für empirische Bildungsforschung (GEBF), Bamberg