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Statistics has played an increasingly important role in applied linguistics research. However, little research has been available that sheds light on statistical literacy among early‐career researchers of applied linguistics. The study reported in this article surveyed statistical literacy, attitudes toward statistics, and statistics self‐efficacy among Chinese applied linguistics research students and further examined the inter‐variable relationships. Based on analyses of the cross‐sectional survey of 211 master's students, we found that: (1) the students' overall statistical literacy was not satisfying; (2) although they thought positively of statistics, they were not particularly confident with statistics; (3) the three experience‐related variables—the number of statistics courses taken, quantitative research orientation, and self‐training—were important predictors of statistical literacy, attitudes toward statistics, and statistics self‐efficacy; and (4) statistics self‐efficacy seemed to mediate the relationship between attitudes toward statistics and statistical literacy. We discussed these findings in relation to improving statistics courses in applied linguistics program in China and to statistics learning and teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This longitudinal study explores changes in self-efficacy and motivational beliefs for learners beginning to study via English-medium instruction (EMI) at a transnational university in China. Following first-year local Chinese students over their first semester of learning via EMI, the study focuses on changes in learner self-efficacy beliefs towards lecture listening alongside task value, intrinsic goal orientation, and extrinsic goal orientation. It draws upon questionnaire (N = 412) and interview data (n = 34) to show significant gains in student self-efficacy due to (1) enactive mastery experiences and (2) the development of strategies for mediating the impact of negative affect. A midterm drop in the strength of intrinsic goal orientations contrasted with a greater focus on extrinsic factors, indicating that as students transitioned to the EMI environment, short-term extrinsic factors were of greater importance. However, findings indicate a rebound in the importance of intrinsic factors due to stronger self-efficacy and self-appraisals of success in EMI study, indicating a relationship between efficacy beliefs and intrinsic value orientations. The results contribute to the currently limited research on learner motivation development during transition into EMI transnational higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine the mediating role of job crafting in the relationship between self-efficacy in teaching and research (termed 'academic self-efficacy') and organisational commitment among academics. Three hundred and thirty-two academics from nine higher educational institutions in Zhejiang Province and Shanghai, mainland China, participated in this study through responding to three self-report inventories: the Research-Teaching Efficacy Inventory, the Job Crafting Inventory, and the Organisational Commitment Inventory. Results suggested that academic self-efficacy predicted organisational commitment both directly and indirectly through job crafting (especially increasing structural and social job resources) after controlling for age, gender, academic rank, and academic disciplines taught. The findings enrich the literature on self-efficacy, job crafting, and organisational commitment. Furthermore, this study has practical implications for academics and university senior managers in their respective efforts to develop academics' adaptive organisational commitment and enhance the quality of university teaching and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on data collected from multiple sources, this qualitative case study investigates how seven English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) academics from a university in mainland China perceive and cope with their professional vulnerability within the system of performativity. Three themes were generated from the data: (1) professional vulnerability as a state of conformity and self-learning, (2) professional vulnerability as a state of constrained agency, and (3) professional vulnerability as a state of disengagement. The findings not only reflect the complex and dynamic nature of EFL academics' professional vulnerability, but also unpack numerous contextual and personal factors mediating EFL academics' experiences of professional vulnerability. The paper ends with some practical implications on how to mitigate the negative influences that vulnerability has on EFL academics' professional practice within the system of performativity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past, the shift in career patterns and the unprecedented disruptions caused by events such as COVID-19 have posed notable challenges for job seekers. This holds particularly true for college students who are preparing to enter the workforce. In this context, enhancing career adaptability plays a vital role in shaping their career development. The primary objective of this research was to investigate the relationship between career education skills and career adaptability among 273 undergraduate students in China. Additionally, the study aimed to explore the mediating effect of career decision-making self-efficacy in shaping this relationship. The findings of the correlation analysis indicate a significant positive correlation between career education skills and career adaptability. Moreover, the results of the mediation model revealed that career education skills significantly contribute to improving career adaptability along with the mediating effect of college students' self-efficacy in making career decisions. This study suggests that universities should prioritize the development and expansion of career education initiatives. They should not only help establish clear career goals for college students but also cultivate a positive and flexible career outlook to assist them in better adapting to various changes that may arise throughout their career journeys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) camp program on rural students' self-efficacy and computational thinking skills. One hundred fifty-three third- and fourth-grade elementary school students from three different rural schools in China were recruited to participate. All participants took part in the camp program for three consecutive days. A single group pre- and post-test design was used, and the study employed both quantitative and qualitative analysis to examine elementary school students' self-efficacy and computational thinking skills in the context of STEM activities. The findings revealed that the robotics STEM camp program significantly affected the self-efficacy and computational thinking of students in rural elementary schools. In addition, students' experience with engineering-based activities had a statistically significant impact on computational thinking skills, and programming experience affected self-efficacy with regard to participation in STEM activities. There were gender differences in student satisfaction with the subject of the robotics STEM camp program. Finally, this study makes relevant suggestions for the future development of STEM camp activities and course design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the effect of social support on employment anxiety among 217 art education college students in China and assessed the mediating role of self-efficacy in this relationship. The results showed that social support was significantly negatively correlated with employment anxiety. In addition, self-efficacy mediated the relationship between social support and employment anxiety. Our findings enhance understanding of the relationships between social support, employment anxiety, and self-efficacy among students in the context of higher education in China. The results also provide practical insights for educators to prevent students' employment anxiety. Directions for future research are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated visual arts college students' perceptions of the gender stereotyping of creativity and the influence of this stereotyping on creative self‐efficacy. The sample consisted of 1198 Chinese visual arts college students. The results showed that (a) both male and female students identified stereotypically masculine traits as more important to creativity than stereotypically feminine traits are, (b) male students demonstrated higher creative self‐efficacy than their female counterparts did, and (c) students' gender significantly moderated the effect of the gender stereotyping of creativity on creative self‐efficacy. Specifically, the gender stereotyping of creativity had a positive effect on male students and a negative effect on female students. These findings revealed that gender stereotypes dominate concepts of creativity in Chinese art education and may hinder female students' development of creative self‐efficacy, resulting in gendered inequality in the visual arts field. The implications of these findings for visual arts education in China are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the relationship between graduate students' proactive personality and academic procrastination, and the chain-mediation by research self-efficacy and learning adaptability. Participants were 905 postgraduates in China (female =70%; first year =56%; humanities and social sciences =54%). They completed the graduate students' proactive personality scale, the graduate students' academic procrastination scale, the research self-efficacy scale, and the learning adaptability scale. Applying chain mediation analyses, results showed that proactive personality was associated with higher research self-efficacy and learning adaptability. Learning adaptability mediated the relationship between proactive personality and academic procrastination, specifically decreasing procrastination. Research self-efficacy and learning adaptability played a chain-mediating role between proactive personality and academic procrastination, with higher cumulative reduction of procrastination than with either self-efficacy and learning adaptability alone. These findings suggest a need for graduate student development and support services to aim at improving students' self-efficacy and learning adaptability for timely school completion, [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is increasing evidence of the fusion of Western and Eastern early childhood philosophies and programmes within China. Although research has paid attention to this change, less attention has been directed to how culturally different beliefs and practices are experienced by children and teachers. This paper reports on a study of play-based practices in the context of the Guidelines for Early Childhood Education (Trial Version) in mainland China. Sixteen teachers from 6 rural preschools in Shaanxi province were interviewed about their play and learning practices and 205 children were observed participating in these teachers' play-based programmes. Thirty hours of digital video observations, 989 photos, 252 children's drawings, and 20 h of focus group interviews were gathered and analysed. The study found that whilst teachers struggled against the effect of Western individualist maturational views of play, the children demonstrated high levels of self-regulation in group oriented play. In the context of Confucian values, new forms of expressions of play were found suggesting new directions for early childhood education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study, based on the PERMA model, proposed and examined a hypothetical model exploring the effects of academic self-efficacy, positive relationships, and psychological resilience on university students' life satisfaction. We collected data from a large sample of 1,089 university students in southwest China. The participants completed a battery of self-report questionnaire items measuring academic self-efficacy, positive relationships, psychological resilience, and life satisfaction. The results of the structural equation modeling analysis demonstrated a good fit for our data, suggesting that academic self-efficacy positively predicted university students' life satisfaction through two independent mediators: positive relationships and psychological resilience. Findings yielded from the empirically validated hypothetical model add value to and enrich the PERMA model within a group of Chinese university students. The implications and practical suggestions for improving university students' life satisfaction are discussed in light of these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to explore graduate students' motivation, self-efficacy, and perceptions of credit-based information literacy (IL) courses at a research university in China. A mixed-methods approach was employed, with 405 questionnaires and ten follow-up interviews conducted. The findings indicated that graduate students displayed high levels of intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy toward the IL course. In other words, they were conscious of the importance of IL in their future academic pursuits. However, only a small portion (18.76 %) of students perceived librarians as the most appropriate person for the course. Moreover, in terms of the format of course format, the majority of participants preferred a blend of lectures and group activities over online learning. There was also agreement among the participants that the focus of IL courses should go beyond basic information search skills and include training in learning strategies. The study also found that gender played a role in shaping motivation and perception levels, with female students generally scoring higher. The findings of this study provide valuable insights for librarians to enhance their credit-based IL courses, catering to the specific needs and preferences of graduate students. • Mixed-methods research design focus on graduate students' motivation and perception of information literacy • Identify gender differences as a significant factor influencing students' intrinsic motivation for information literacy • Students prefer faculty who are proficient in IL as the most appropriate person for teaching IL courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research consisted of two studies to investigate how the Chinese rural educational system supported students' online learning and to determine the factors that influenced students' online learning quality (satisfaction and cognitive and social presence) during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Study 1, based on interviews with three curriculum officers, seven principals and 30 course teachers, found that great efforts were made to realize digital equity and education for all students. The necessity of providing resources and support to teachers and students (facilitating conditions) was recognized, along with the importance of teachers' online course design and organization and the facilitation of discourse (teaching presence and social presence). Based on the findings of Study 1 and the literature review, a conceptual model of facilitating conditions and teaching presence reported to influence students' online learning quality was generated. In Study 2, 1,409 students from three rural primary schools were surveyed to test the conceptual model. The results indicated that facilitating conditions influenced students' online learning quality through enhanced technology self‐efficacy and perceived usefulness. Teaching presence directly and positively predicted students' online learning quality. This research highlights the importance of creating a learning community and providing technology access and support to ensure online learning opportunities and quality for rural students. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Chinese students from rural or migrant schools have fewer opportunities to access computers and the Internet, lower frequencies of online activity and technology self‐efficacy and less training and parental and teacher support.Providing support and resources to encourage and facilitate technology use among teachers and students in rural and underdeveloped schools is of great importance.Identifying the factors that contribute to online learning quality among rural school students to tackle the transition to online learning is necessary.What this paper adds The rural government and schools have made great efforts to ensure digital equity and education for all students, despite family conditions.Facilitating purposeful interactions and providing timely feedback is critical for effective learning in online teaching.Facilitating conditions represented by available support and resources and teaching presence influence students' online learning quality in rural areas.Implications for practice and/or policy Providing digital equipment and resources to all students is the first step towards distance learning.Providing opportunities to improve teachers' digital competency is critical for providing quality online instruction.Providing students timely assistance and useful and learner‐friendly technologies to enhance their satisfaction and social and cognitive presence is necessary.Online instructors should create a friendly online learning environment, facilitate active discussion and purposeful reflection and create opportunities to promote students' open communication, group cohesion and meaning construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyse gender differences in children's aspirations and academic beliefs that affect their academic potential. We use administrative data on the test scores of a primary school in rural China and a novel survey instrument in the evaluation of a randomised controlled trial of a role-model intervention. Our intervention increases Chinese test scores by 0.116 standard deviations, which is driven by boys' 0.33–0.35 standard-deviation performance boost that persists into 1 year after the treatment. Girls only experience a short-term increase in performance within a week after the treatment. The impact of the treatment is especially pronounced for children starting with low aspiration, self-efficacy, or cognitive ability. While there is no average impact on Mathematics test scores, we find that boys holding traditional gender attitudes and having a high self-efficacy, and girls of high self-efficacy and aspirations, perform better in response to the treatment. Aspirations, confidence, and gender attitudes account for parts of our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the different effects of teacher–student rapport on urban and rural students' math learning via mathematics self‐efficacy and mathematics anxiety in China. The participants were 8145 urban and rural fourth graders (mean age = 10 years old) in a central city of China. The findings indicated that (a) compared with rural students, urban students reported significantly higher mean scores for teacher–student rapport, mathematics self‐efficacy, and mathematical academic outcome, and significantly lower mean scores for mathematics anxiety; (b) students perceived teacher–student rapport in urban and rural schools had a substantial effect on students' mathematical academic outcome through increasing students' mathematics self‐efficacy and alleviating students' mathematics anxiety; and (c) teacher–student rapport in rural schools majorly increased their students' mathematical academic outcome via boosting rural students' mathematics self‐efficacy rather than reducing their mathematical anxiety, which is significantly different from that for urban students. Implications and future directions are elaborated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medical students struggle with heavy workloads and face unique time management challenges, calling for insight on medical students' time use in out-of-class activities and related psychological factors. Objectives: To investigate Chinese medical students' time use in out-of-class activities and its association with self-efficacy and perceived stress. Design: 940 second-year medical students were invited to participate in the survey. A questionnaire was developed to investigate the amount of time participants spent on out-of-class activities. Two existing instruments were used to assess participants' self-efficacy and perceived stress. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Results: 686 students (72.98%) completed the survey. On average, students spent about 14.4 hours per week (HPW) preparing for class and studying, 13.8 HPW on leisure and recreation, 4.8 HPW on physical exercise, 4.1 HPW on student clubs, 1.9 HPW on volunteering, and 1.9 HPW on part-time jobs on/off-campus. After controlling for demographic factors, higher self-efficacy was associated with more time preparing for class and studying (OR = 1.29, 95%CI: 1.10 ~ 1.52). Higher perceived stress was associated with less time preparing for class and studying (OR = 0.84, 95%CI: 0.72 ~ 0.98), exercising (OR = 0.82, 95%CI: 0.69 ~ 0.97), and volunteering (OR = 0.81, 95%CI: 0.67 ~ 0.97). Conclusions: Chinese medical students reported more time spent on preparing for class and studying and less time spent on volunteering and part-time jobs on/off-campus. Time spent preparing for class and studying was associated with higher self-efficacy and lower perceived stress, while perceived stress was also associated with less time spent on physical exercise and volunteering. Medical schools may need to employ measures to develop their students' self-efficacy and maintain a relatively low level of perceived stress, especially in students who also have a low level of self-efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the correlations between personality and career decision-making self-efficacy (CDMSE) of university students from poor rural areas in China from an educational equity perspective. The results showed that female (vs. male) students were more neurotic, senior (vs. younger) students were more agreeable, and social science students were more neurotic than those in other disciplines. The results also revealed that differences in the total CDMSE were nonsignificant, but there was a gender difference in accurate self-appraisal and a difference by year of study in gathering information. There was a positive correlation between conscientiousness, agreeableness, openness, and extraversion, and CDMSE, and a negative correlation between neuroticism and CDMSE. The 5 personality traits, except for agreeableness, played a crucial role in predicting CDMSE. The results suggest that officials and staff of governments, universities, and industries should work together to develop proactive personality traits of students from poor rural areas in China, facilitate their CDMSE, and help them achieve their employment aspirations, thereby promoting educational equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study reported here examined college students’ academic self-efficacy, ‘academic press’ and learning achievement, as well as the association between these three variables within learning contexts using interactive whiteboard-based instruction. A quasi-experimental study was conducted using a sample (n = 103) of first-year college students in China. Participants were taught English by either an interactive whiteboard-based or traditional lecture-based instructional approach for three months. The results showed that the interactive whiteboard-based instructional intervention cultivated higher levels of academic press and academic self-efficacy among students and a significant, positive correlation was identified between these two variables. Students’ learning achievement was not affected by the instructional intervention. These results indicate that interactive whiteboard-based instruction offers some distinct benefits. In future work, additional research is needed to clarify how the instructional model relates to understanding learning achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning has embraced the 'open' process in recent years, as many educational resources are made available for free online. Existing research, however, has not provided sufficient evidence to systematically improve open learning interactions and engagement in open educational resource (OER) systems. This deficiency presents two challenges to the efficacy of OER systems. First, OER users might not take full advantage of open content since their interactions and experience with open learning systems cannot be optimized. Second, this lack of interaction could discourage the overall usage of OER systems, thus impeding their sustainability. This study addressed both issues by investigating technology acceptance levels among users of an OER portal, MyOOPS, in Taiwan. The study aimed to understand how open learners might be motivated to engage with OER systems. Based on 729 valid responses, the structural equation modeling revealed a lack of learning goal structure and irrelevance of self-efficacy in participants' motivational systems. The result prompted an urgent need to reexamine existing motivational design thinking in order to address emerging motivational challenges in open and goal-free learning environments supported by OER systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the relationship between parental psychological control and their children's test anxiety in the Chinese cultural context, and tested the mediating role of the children's academic self-efficacy in this relationship. Chinese high-school students (N = 401, 158 boys and 243 girls), aged between 15 and 18 years, completed a self-report survey assessing parental psychological control, academic self-efficacy, and test anxiety. The results showed a positive association between parental psychological control and the students' test anxiety. The students' academic self-efficacy was negatively correlated with parental psychological control and the students' test anxiety. Additionally, results of structural equation modeling indicated that the students' academic self-efficacy partially mediated the effect of their perception of parental psychological control on their test anxiety. These results reveal the negative influence of parental psychological control on their children's test anxiety and identify academic self-efficacy as a mediating variable through which parental psychological control exerts effects on their children's test anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study sought to examine the relationship between Chinese high school students’ academic self-efficacy and their academic-related boredom. Another objective was to explore the moderating effects of mono-amine-oxidase type A (MAOA) gene polymorphism on this relationship. In a sample of 514 Chinese high school students, we measured their academic self-efficacy and academic-related boredom from Grades 10 to 12. In addition, we collected their DNA. Data were analyzed by using a linear mixture model. The results indicated that students’ academic self-efficacy negatively predicted their academic-related boredom. The relationship between academic self-efficacy and academic-related boredom was more reliable for students with the 3-repeat allele than for the students with the 4-repeat allele. The findings suggested that the functional polymorphism of MAOA gene moderated the relationship between academic self-efficacy and academic-related boredom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is the first to examine the mechanism of the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and career decision-making self-efficacy (CDMSE) and the moderating role of gender in relevant mechanisms. Analyses of 185 Chinese university students showed that EI could influence CDMSE through goal commitment (GC) and professional commitment, and male students exhibited a stronger relationship between EI and GC compared with female students. This study introduces a new perspective for career development research by establishing a mediation-based emotion-career framework and provides deeper insights for career counselors to assist clients in career decision processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the mediating role of global self-esteem in the relationship between general self-efficacy and general procrastination among a sample of 304 Chinese undergraduate students. An online survey method was employed for data collection and willing participants completed an online survey consisting of the General Self-Efficacy Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Aitken Procrastination Inventory. The results showed that procrastination was negatively related to self-efficacy and self-esteem, and that self-efficacy was positively correlated with self-esteem. Mediation analysis revealed that self-esteem completely mediated the effect of self-efficacy on procrastination. Thus, we suggest that general self-efficacy decreases general procrastination because high self-efficacy fosters high self-esteem. As a result, it is necessary for preventive therapy in the context of procrastination to be focused on the enhancement of self-efficacy in order to cultivate a sense of self-worth in Chinese undergraduate student procrastinators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schools in China and elsewhere are starting to teach English as a second language or foreign language (FL) to students at increasingly earlier ages. Although young learners (YLs), due to their developmental stage, are likely to be particularly susceptible to the influence of parents, parents’ roles in YLs’ motivation to learn English as an FL is not well understood. Moreover, we don’t fully understand why YLs lose their motivation to learn English by their upper elementary school years. Using self-determination theory, this study examined how parents’ socio-economic status (SES) and behaviours and beliefs about their children’s English education influenced children’s motivation to learn English in China. The participants were 198 fourth-, 191 sixth- and 183 eighth-grade students and their parents. Data were gathered using a series of surveys distributed to all the students and their parents, as well as interviews with 96 focus group students. Parents had substantial but varying influences on their children’s motivation, depending on their SES backgrounds and their children’s grade level. Whereas higher SES parents adjusted their behaviours according to their children’s changing needs, lower SES parents tended to remain controlling and often failed to foster their children’s self-competence and self-determined motivation. Higher SES parents’ abilities to provide their children with greater opportunities to use English outside of school were increasingly advantageous for the children’s development of self-determined motivation as their grade level increased. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study uses hierarchical linear modeling to examine the influence of a range of factors on the science performances of Hong Kong students in PISA 2006. Hong Kong has been consistently ranked highly in international science assessments, such as Programme for International Student Assessment and Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study; therefore, an exploration of the factors that affect science performances of Hong Kong students can give a lens to examine how science education can be improved in Hong Kong and other countries. The analyses reveal that student backgrounds as male, at higher grade levels, and born in mainland (when in the same grade) are associated with better science performance. Among the attitudinal factors, enjoyment of science and self-efficacy in science play important roles in scientific achievements. Most of the parental factors, on the other hand, are not having significant impacts on achievement after student attitudes are taken into account, with only parents’ value of science having a small effect. School student intake is found to be a strong predictor of school average achievement, as well as a major mediator of the effects of school enrollment size and school socio-economic status. The findings differ from recently reported results, which suggested that school enrollment size was associated with achievement. This study also points out the problems of the use of science instruction time as a school-level variable to explain science achievement in Hong Kong. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The aims of this study were to examine changes in students’ English and math self-concepts and to investigate the effects of gender and school ability level on these changes. Self-concept in English and math were measured thrice across three years among a sample of 2618 secondary school students from Hong Kong. Gender and school ability level were included as time-invariant predictors. Results indicated that students’ English self-concept slightly increased across time, while math self-concept marginally declined. Gender influenced both the initial levels and rates of change for English and math self-concepts, while school ability level predicted initial levels of self-concept. Implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The big-fish–little-pond effect (BFLPE) posits that students with the same ability will have higher academic self-concepts when they are in low-ability classes than in high-ability classes. Our research puts the BFLPE under scrutiny by examining goal orientations as the moderators that may affect the size of the BFLPE. We collected data on mathematics self-concept, mathematics ability and goal orientation from 7334 Hong Kong junior secondary school students in 201 classes. We hypothesised that the BFLPE would be exacerbated for students who endorsed high extrinsic goals while the BFLPE would be attenuated for students who endorsed high intrinsic goals. However, the results did not fully support the hypothesis. We found that students who were highly motivated in general (both intrinsic and extrinsic) experienced stronger BFLPE. The implications of the findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We examined the influence of college students' coping styles on perceived self-efficacy, through the mediating effect of general self-efficacy, in managing inferiority. A sample of 206 college students completed a Coping Style Questionnaire, the Regulatory Emotional Self-Efficacy Scale of Chinese college students, and a general self-efficacy scale. The results showed the following: (a) there were significant correlations among the problem solving, self-blame, and fantasy coping styles, and general self-efficacy and perceived self-efficacy in managing inferiority; (b) the problem solving and self-blame coping styles indirectly predicted perceived self-efficacy in managing inferiority by general self-efficacy, and general self-efficacy played a partial mediating role between the problem solving and self-blame coping styles and perceived self-efficacy in managing inferiority; and (c) gender played a moderating role between coping style and perceived self-efficacy in managing inferiority. The results are important for counseling to enhance regulatory emotional self-efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provided preliminary evidences for the validity of the Questionnaire of English Self-Efficacy scale in a sample of college students in China. Results showed that the scale had adequate reliability and validity. Examination of the rating scale structure showed that participants reliably distinguished response categories. The item hierarchy was consistent with the expected item order, supporting the construct validity of the scale. Overall, the items were fairly well matched to the ability of the sample except that there seems to be a need for more difficult items. The information pertaining to the scale is quite encouraging from measurement perspectives and fills the gap in the literature by providing a valid instrument to measure English language learners' self-efficacy in China. The implications of this study to English as a foreign language and English as a second language educators and researchers in the United States and other countries are also discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Helping students to acquire self-regulated learning abilities has become a major goal of our education. This study focuses on a major aspect of self-regulated learning: adaptive help-seeking. Adaptive help seeking behaviors allow students to learn effectively when facing academic difficulty and facilitate adoption of other self-regulated learning strategies. This study explores how Chinese students' perceive academic self-efficacy and social efficacy related to their academic help-seeking behaviors. The hypotheses were supported in an examination of 271 students from three Hong Kong tertiary institutions. When students had high level of social efficacy, they tended to displayed more adaptive and less of non-adaptive help-seeking behaviors. These findings add to the literature on Chinese students' academic help seeking behavior and also have practical implications for teachers seeking to promote self-regulated learning behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored the relationship between personal characteristics and Internet self-efficacy (ISE) in Chinese high school students. Hsu and Chiu's (2004) ISE scale was completed by 496 randomly selected students from 7 high schools. Results indicated that their ISE was moderately high and that urban students had higher ISE than did rural students, male students had higher ISE than did female students, students who had a computer at home had higher ISE than did students who did not, and students whose parents had a high level of education had higher ISE than did students whose parents had a low level of education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study investigates the structure and cross-cultural (in)variance of mathematical self-beliefs in relation to mathematics achievement in two world regions: Confucian Asia (Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan) and Europe (Denmark, The Netherlands, Finland, Serbia and Latvia). This is done both pan-culturally and at a multigroup-level, employing multiple regression analysis and structural equation modeling on a sample of 7167 students (modal age 15.1) from nine countries in Confucian Asia and Europe. As expected, Confucian Asian countries were lower on self-concept and higher on math anxiety than European countries. In contrast, confidence, a relatively new measure of self-belief, shows little difference between regions, yet is the single most important predictor of math accuracy both within each country and pan-culturally. It accounts for most of the variance explained by the other self-constructs combined, has excellent psychometric properties, and is simple to administer. Self-efficacy adds only a very small amount of incremental validity when confidence is in the equation. There are significant differences between the two world regions in terms of calibration – Europeans are more overconfident – due to lower overall mathematics scores of students from Serbia and Latvia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background. The study deepened our understanding of how students' self-efficacy beliefs contribute to the context of teaching English as a foreign language in the framework of cognitive mediational paradigm at a fine-tuned task-specific level. Aim. The aim was to examine the relationship among task complexity, self-efficacy beliefs, domain-related prior knowledge, learning strategy use, and task performance as they were applied to English vocabulary learning from reading tasks. Sample. Participants were 120 second-year university students (mean age 21) from a Chinese university. Method. This experiment had two conditions (simple/complex). A vocabulary level test was first conducted to measure participants' prior knowledge of English vocabulary. Participants were then randomly assigned to one of the learning tasks. Participants were administered task booklets together with the self-efficacy scales, measures of learning strategy use, and post-tests. Data obtained were submitted to multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and path analysis. Results. Results from the MANOVA model showed a significant effect of vocabulary level on self-efficacy beliefs, learning strategy use, and task performance. Task complexity showed no significant effect; however, an interaction effect between vocabulary level and task complexity emerged. Results from the path analysis showed self-efficacy beliefs had an indirect effect on performance. Our results highlighted the mediating role of self-efficacy beliefs and learning strategy use. Conclusions. Our findings indicate that students' prior knowledge plays a crucial role on both self-efficacy beliefs and task performance, and the predictive power of self-efficacy on task performance may lie in its association with learning strategy use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we examined whether or not contingencies of self-worth (CSW) moderated the effect of specific self-esteem on self-liking or self-competence. Chinese university students (N = 210) completed the Chinese version of the Contingencies of Self-worth Scale (Crocker, Luhtanen, Cooper, & Bouvrette, 2003; translated into Chinese by Cheng & Kwan, 2008), the Chinese version of the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965; translated into Chinese by Wang, Wang, & Ma, 1999), and our own adaptation for this study of the Self- attribution Questionnaire (Pelham & Swann, 1989) to assess self-liking, self-competence, global self-esteem, 6 domains of CSW consisting of others' approval, appearance, academic competence, competition, family support, and virtue, and specific self-esteem in these same 6 domains. Results showed that CSW did not have a moderating effect on the relationship between specific self-esteem and global self-esteem in the 6 domains. However, when we classified self-esteem into 2 distinct categories of self-liking and self-competence, we found that there were moderator effects of CSW between specific self-esteem and either self-liking or self-competence in 3 of the 6 domains. The different moderator effects in the 6 domains are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The learner's acceptance of e-learning systems has received extensive attention in prior studies, but how their experience of using e-learning systems impacts on their behavioural intention to reuse those systems has attracted limited research. As the applications of e-learning are still gaining momentum in developing countries, such as China, it is necessary to examine the relationships between e-learners' experience and perceptions and their behavioural intention to reuse, because it is argued that system reuse is an important indicator of the system's success. Therefore, a better understanding of the multiple factors affecting the e-learner's intention to reuse could help e-learning system researchers and providers to develop more effective and acceptable e-learning systems. Underpinned by the information system success model, technology acceptance model and self-efficacy theory, a theoretical framework was developed to investigate the learner's behavioural intention to reuse e-learning systems. A total of 280 e-learners were surveyed to validate the measurements and proposed research model. The results demonstrated that e-learning service quality, course quality, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and self-efficacy had direct effects on users' behavioural intention to reuse. System functionality and system response have an indirect effect, but system interactivity had no significant effect. Furthermore, self-efficacy affected perceived ease of use that positively influenced perceived usefulness. Practitioner Notes What is already known about this topic Internet has provided great opportunities for continuous education through e-learning in rural areas of China., Many factors affect initial e-learning adoption., Limited attentions have been paid to examine the relationships between e-learners' experience and perceptions and their behavioural intention to reuse e-learning systems, which is an important indicator of the system's success., What this paper adds A first attempt to study how e-learners' experience and perceptions affect their intention to reuse e-learning systems in the context of rural education in China., Proposed and validated a hybrid model underpinned by information systems success model, technology acceptance model and self-efficacy theory., An effective model to explain the relationships between contributing factors and their effect on behavioural intention of users to reuse an e-learning system., Identified key factors and the extent of their impact on e-learning system reuse that will enable e-learning providers to be more focused with their effort and work more effectively on future improvement., Implications for practice and/or policy It is essential for system designers to use appropriate system features and functions that can effectively facilitate the teaching and learning processes and outcomes., As the course quality significantly affects the learner's intention to reuse an e-learning system, pedagogical principles, including principles of developing and structuring the course content, should be employed in the development and evaluation of relevant curriculum. E-learning content developed for learners in rural areas of China must be practical and relevant to learners' personal development goals and work requirements, so the learners can benefit from the learning outcomes and improve their work performance eventually., A perfectly designed e-learning system will only work well with appropriate e-learning service. Human interaction as an important part of services must not be underestimated and eliminated., As perceived ease of use has a strong impact on e-learning success, e-learning providers in China must consider the low education level of people living in rural areas and take effective measures to improve the ease of use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current computer-assisted language learning (CALL) research has identified various potentials of technology for language learning. To realize and maximize these potentials, engaging students in self-initiated use of technology for language learning is a must. This study investigated Hong Kong university students' use of technology outside the classroom to self-regulate their language learning. It showed that these students were actively engaged in the use of technology, but there were variations both among the students and in the aspects of language learning that they opted to support using technology. More importantly, this study unraveled the factors that influenced their selective use of technology in language learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objectives: Stage models are especially helpful when matching treatments to the needs of intervention participants. However, stage-matched treatments can only be effective if stages are assessed adequately. Therefore, the measurement qualities of the stage assessments need to be tested. The objective of the current study is to test two stage assessments, one measuring the stages of the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) and one measuring the stages of the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA). Design: Measurement qualities were tested by means of planned contrasts and higher-order trends (Study Purpose 1). The match of the two stage assessments were analyzed regarding their co-occurrence (Purpose 2). Also a “trimmed stage classification variable” was analyzed regarding its measurement qualities (Purpose 3). Method: A total of 830 Chinese college students received questions assessing social-cognitive variables as well as the HAPA- and TTM-stages. Discontinuity patterns were tested across the stages with planned comparisons and non-linear, higher-order trends. Results: TTM- and HAPA-stages corresponded with each other. However, a strong fit of the two stage assessments was not found and measurement error may be assumed. After trimming the stage assignments, the HAPA-assessment improved, and the TTM decreased in measurement qualities. Conclusions: After trimming the stage assignments and correcting for potential measurement error, a more parsimonious stage approach (i.e., HAPA) may be more appropriate. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study examined ADHD symptomatology and college adjustment in 420 participants—147 from the United States and 273 from China. It was hypothesized that higher levels of ADHD symptoms in general and the inattentive symptom group in particular would be related to decreased academic and social adjustment, career decision-making self-efficacy, and poorer study skills in both countries. Results generally supported the hypotheses, indicating that the difficulties associated with inattention are cross-cultural and not specific to the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study tested a mediation model to predict adolescents' academic achievement in Hong Kong. Generalized expectancies, including personal beliefs about agency and competence (i.e., self-efficacy) and social beliefs about effort and outcome (i.e., reward for application and fate control), were found to be significant antecedents of academic aspiration, a domain-specific mediator that predicted academic achievement positively. Self-efficacy and reward for application were positively related to academic aspiration. The indirect effect of fate control was negative on academic aspiration, but its direct effect was positive on academic achievement. These findings were used to make sense of the equivocal patterns of general self-efficacy, social axioms, and academic outcomes in the extant literature on learning and achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a qualitative analysis of Hong Kong school social workers' experiences in generating empowering practices, this paper discusses how a critical social work perspective provides a new frame of reference in which to examine the concept of empowerment in youth work. The recurrent themes of the narratives collected through in-depth interviews with 15 school social workers suggest that empowerment can be generated through a number of ways and understood in terms of dialogical process, reflexive practice, discourse construction, localized actions, and collective actions. The synthesis of these themes opens up the possibility for developing a framework of empowerment-oriented school social work practice. This framework provides a "map" to guide practitioners to work with power in diverse, dynamic, creative, and contextual ways. It is in many ways parallel to a critical social work perspective that emphasizes a dialectical view between the individual and social environment and synthesizes the critical theory and postmodernism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China the HIV epidemic has started to infiltrate into a broader population through heterosexual contact and particularly to impact young people. The purpose of this study was to identify behavioral and psychosocial correlates of condom use among Chinese university students. A self-administered questionnaire survey with cross-sectional design was conducted among all classes of undergraduate students at two universities in one municipality of Eastern China, 2003. Data obtained from 1850 sexually active students who answered the question on condom use during the previous year were used for analysis. Frequent (always/often) condom use during the previous year was reported by only about 40% of both men and women. Multivariate analysis revealed that condom use during the first sexual experience, oral contraceptive use in the previous year and higher condom self-efficacy score in both genders were potent predictors of frequent condom use, while frequent condom use was less likely practiced by men who ever had non-vaginal sex, by those with higher risk-awareness for pregnancy/HIV/sexually transmitted diseases and by women with lower scores for perceived condom benefits. Safe sex education for Chinese students should be urgently introduced and should not be limited to knowledge provision but should also address psychosocial factors, such as condom self-efficacy and gender differences adequately to effectively encourage safer behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empowerment has become a popular concept in working with adolescents in recent years. It challenges the deficit model of youth work and focuses on creating a facilitative climate in which young people can make maximum use of the opportunity to learn and grow. While many practitioners have adopted the empowerment approach in youth services, however, we know little about the possibilities for empowerment practice in the field of school social work. Based on the findings of a qualitative study conducted in Hong Kong, this paper explores how school social workers engage in different dimensions of empowerment: (1) the personal dimension in regard to how students recapture a sense of competence to meet life challenges and fight for their own benefits; (2) the school and community dimensions in regard to how practitioners collaborate with service users and partners to initiate constructive changes to school policies and strengthen the school-community partnership for student development; and (3) the institutional dimension in regard to how practitioners play the advocacy role in the education sector. The findings provide rich information for other youth workers, especially those who render service in the school setting, as they apply the empowerment approach in daily practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]