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Determining which antecedent variables affect employees' work engagement has always been a concern for both managers and researchers. The present study investigated the effect of workplace democracy on teachers' work engagement and explored the mediating role of job satisfaction and the moderating role of school performance. A two-phase sampling-chosen method was used and a total of 1682 elementary and secondary school teachers in China were asked to complete a survey questionnaire. In addition to identifying descriptive statistics and undertaking group difference analysis, PROCESS macro and bootstrapping approaches were applied. It was found that workplace democracy was positively related to teachers' work engagement both directly and indirectly through job satisfaction. Meanwhile, school performance moderated the relationship between workplace democracy and work engagement. Specifically, workplace democracy was more strongly associated with teachers' work engagement in high-performing schools than in low-performing schools. Thus, teachers' work engagement in elementary and secondary schools need to be improved comprehensively through boosting workplace democracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online education for higher education has been well-researched. However, the same cannot be said for primary and secondary school education. Using data from two large-scale exams of representative Chinese primary and secondary schools pre- and post-COVID-19 pandemic, this study analyzed the difference in students' performance pre-pandemic, which used face-to-face teaching, and post-pandemic, which used online teaching. Primary results indicate that the performance of primary and secondary students before the pandemic was significantly better than after the pandemic. Secondary results showed that many previously high-scoring students were now scoring closer to the mean. Further, the scores of girls had changed more significantly than those of boys. Online teaching had a negative effect in rural than in urban areas; the preexisting gap between rural and urban students had widened after online teaching. Based on these results, improvements can be made on the online education system, technical support, and teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to explore the associations between food insecurity and school performance, and the serial mediation of depression and educational expectation on the focal association, among Chinese rural left-behind children. This study conducted a cross-sectional survey on 2128 students (Grades 5–9, mean age = 13.21 years) who reported one or both parents had migrated into the urban sector. They responded to questions on school performance, educational expectation, The Food Insecurity Experience Scale, and The Birleson Depression Self-Rating Scale. Serial mediation modelling was used to test the mediating role of depression and educational expectation. It is found that food insecurity was significantly associated with school performance. Moreover, depression and educational expectation functioned as serial mediators and were fully mediating the association between food insecurity and school performance. The findings as with the severity of childhood food insecurity in rural China as well as its association with the negative consequences in children's education provide empirical support for contentions that food insecurity problem should be taken into account in designing and implementing school-based intervention programs for left-behind children. Moreover, schools shall pay special attention to the mental health risks of food insecurity among rural left-behind children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Is materialism systematically related to teenagers' learning motivation as well as actual learning outcomes? The reported research tested a theoretical model of associations among materialism, achievement goals, and exam performance among teenagers. Study 1 tested the theoretical model in 4 groups of teenagers drawn from 2 different educational stages (Year 9 and Year 12) and two societies of different cultural heritage (United Kingdom and Hong Kong). Results supported the model that materialism was associated with lower intrinsic mastery goals, and higher extrinsic performance goals in all of the 4 groups. More important, 1-year longitudinal data from Hong Kong (Study 2) showed that a materialistic value orientation at an earlier time point explained decreases in mastery goals and increases in performance goals a year later. Furthermore, earlier endorsement of materialistic values also predicted later deterioration of school performance. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Despite the rise in grade retention in poor areas in rural China recently, little work has been done to understand the impact of grade retention on the educational performance of students in these areas in rural China. This paper seeks to redress this shortcoming and examines the effect of grade retention on educational performance on 1649 students in 36 elementary schools in Shaanxi province. With a dataset that was collected from a survey designed specifically to capture school performance of students before and after they were retained, we use differences-in-differences, propensity score matching and differences-in-differences matching approaches to analyze the effect of grade retention on school performance. Although the descriptive analysis shows that grade retention helps to improve the scores of the students that were retained, somewhat surprisingly, the results from the multivariate analysis consistently show that there is no significant positive effect of grade retention on school performance of the students. In fact, in some cases (e.g., for the students who repeat grade 2), grade retention is shown to hurt school performance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We test theoretically informed hypotheses using survey reports of adolescents attending three middle schools in the outskirts of Fuzhou, Fujian, China. Results yielded by regression analyses are quite consistent with the hypothesized relationships, that is, Chinese singleton adolescents are more likely to anticipate going to college than non-singleton adolescents. Further, singletons are more associated with conventional peers and they report better adjustments both psychologically and behaviorally than non-singleton adolescents. Singletons and non-singletons, however, are not different in their self-reported performance in four school subjects, namely, Chinese, Math, English, and Political Studies. These results are discussed in light of the theoretical literature, especially related to attachment theory, resource dilution theory as well as confluence model. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

It is generally recognized that the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic will have a negative effect on orphans' school education. However, few studies have been carried out to examine the school performance and school behaviour of AIDS orphans and vulnerable children [children living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected parents]. Using both self-report and teacher evaluation data of 1625 children from rural central China, we examined the impact of parental HIV/AIDS on children's school performances (academic marks, educational expectation and student leadership) and school behaviours (e.g. aggression, shyness/anxiety and assertive social skills). Results indicate that AIDS orphans and vulnerable children had disadvantages in school performance in comparison to their peers from the same community who did not experience AIDS-related death and illness in their family (comparison children). AIDS orphans had the lowest academic marks based on the reports of both children and teachers. From a teacher's perspective, educational expectation was significantly lower among AIDS orphans and vulnerable children than comparison children. AIDS orphans were significantly more likely to demonstrate aggressive, impulsive and anxious behaviours than non-orphans. Moreover, orphans have more learning difficulties. Vulnerable children were also at a disadvantage on most measures. The data suggest that greater attention is needed to school performance and behaviour of children affected by AIDS. The findings also indicate that AIDS relief and assistance programmes for children should go beyond school attendance and efforts should be made to improve their school performance and educational aspirations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interactive technology use (e.g., Internet and video games) can promote children's educational access and achievement. However, excessive technology use, particularly for entertainment, may adversely affect children's educational development. This study examined the relationship of the amount of entertainment-related interactive technology use and school engagement and performance using two-wave survey data collected from a nationally-representative sample of middle school students in China (N = 9,949, 48% girls, Mean age = 13.5 years). Results showed that nearly 40% of children used interactive technology for entertainment/non-schoolwork-related activities on school days, and, 62%, for entertainment/non-schoolwork-related activities on weekends. Multilevel mixed models revealed that excessive use of technology for entertainment/non-schoolwork-related activities (i.e., 1+ hours on a school day and 4+ hours daily on weekends) was significantly, adversely associated with all outcomes one year later, including lower test scores on Chinese, Math, English, and cognitive competencies, lower educational aspirations, and higher likelihoods of truancy, lacking concentration in class, and boredom at school. Potential reasons for the findings as well as their implications for research and intervention are discussed. Findings will inform the development of feasible and effective guidelines to help parents, teachers, and schools regulate interactive technology use among school-aged children. • Using interactive technology 1+ hours daily for entertainment on school days decreases children's school performance. • Using interactive technology 1+ hours daily for entertainment is associated with lower educational aspirations. • Interactive technology use for entertainment on school days is associated with a greater risk of truancy. • Interactive technology use for entertainment on school days is associated with a lack of concentration in class. • Moderate use enhances children's cognitive development and reduces feeling bored at school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's rapid economic development since the late 1970s has resulted in a large-scale migrant population from rural to urban areas, with millions of Chinese children being left behind at home by their parents who migrated to city for work. The primary objective of this study is to test the effects of family, school and background characteristics on left-behind children's (LBC) and non-left-behind children's (NLBC) physical health, school performance, and delinquent behavior. A total of 765 LBC and 468 NLBC in elementary and middle schools participated in the study. Survey data were collected from three middle schools and seven elementary schools in Wuhan, China. The dependent variables included three measures of child development: physical health, school performance and delinquent behavior. The independent and control variables were divided into four groups: school and community attachment, parental attachment, parental and children commitment, and background characteristics. Mean comparisons and regression analyses were conducted to assess whether LBC and NLBC differ in their physical health, academic performance and delinquent behavior. LBC's physical health is significantly lower than that of NLBC. Being a LBC decreases the odds of being healthy by 51 percent. LBC and NLBC do not differ in their school performance and delinquent behavior. Being left behind without proper parental care appears to be detrimental to child physical wellbeing. The damaging impact of left-behind is limited to physical health as LBC and NLBC reported similar levels of educational performance and delinquent acts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mobile phone addiction impacts school performance through depression. • Family functioning moderates depression. Mobile phone addiction has gained much attention from researchers recently since its negative effects on adolescents' school performance. The previous study has found a strong negative correlation between mobile phone addiction and school performance, however, little is known about mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying this association, particularly among adolescents from low-income families. The present study explored the mediating role of depression and the moderating role of family functioning in the relationships between mobile phone addiction and school performance. A national representative sample of 1794 Chinese adolescents from low-income families was recruited to complete measures of mobile phone addiction, school performance (academic rank and learning burnout), depression, and family functioning. Results indicated that depression partially mediated the association between mobile phone addiction. Besides, low-income family functioning was generally limited though it turned out to partially moderate the depression in related to association between mobile phone addiction and school performance. The present study can extend our understanding of how and when mobile phone addiction give rise to poor school performance among adolescents from low-income families. And it is necessary to strengthen functioning of disadvantaged families by lunching more family-oriented social support policies. Limitations and implications of this study were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In rural China around 60 million left-behind children (LBC) experience prolonged separation from migrant worker parents. They are vulnerable to a range of psychosocial problems. The aim of this study was to determine whether a community-based intervention consisting of Children's Centres can improve psychosocial well-being and school performance of these children. The intervention was carried out in 20 villages, for children aged 7 to 15 years, irrespective of left-behind status. Nine hundred and twenty children, 438 LBC and 256 children living with parents (RC) attended the Centres. At follow-up after one year, there were improvements compared to baseline in total difficulties (measured with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) in children left behind by both parents ( p = 0.009), children left behind by one parent ( p = 0.008) and RC ( p = 0.05). Postintervention school performance significantly improved in both categories of LBC ( p < 0.001), but not RC ( p = 0.07); social support score increased in both categories of LBC ( p < 0.001) and RC ( p = 0.01). Findings from interviews with key stakeholders were overwhelmingly positive about the impacts. With strong local leadership and community motivation, a low-cost intervention can improve children's psychosocial well-being in these settings. Allowing communities to adapt the model to their own situation fosters local ownership, commitment, with benefits for children, parents, carers, and communities., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Purpose: Insomnia symptoms are common in adolescents. This study examined the associations of insomnia symptoms with school performance among adolescents in Shanghai, China., Methods: A total of 4966 adolescents aged 11-20 years participated in a cross-sectional survey during November of 2009. The Adolescent Sleep Disturbance Questionnaire was used to examine insomnia symptoms, and the Teacher School Achievement Form was applied to evaluate adolescents' school performance., Results: The results demonstrated that, after adjusting for possible confounders, all 3 dimensions of insomnia symptoms were associated with adolescents' school performance. Difficulty falling asleep problem was associated with poor attention and concentration (odds ratio [OR] = 1.30, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11-1.52, P = .001), academic frustration (OR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.06-1.45, P = .007), and poor school relationships (OR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.08-1.48, P = .003); maintaining sleep problem was associated with poor attention and concentration (OR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.06-1.46, P = .007) and poor interest and motivation (OR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.04-1.44, P = .017); and reinitiating sleep problem was related to poor interest and motivation (OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.00-1.45, P = .048). Coexisting insomnia symptoms were associated with poorer school performance, especially in maintaining attention and concentration., Conclusions: The findings of this study highlight the importance of sleep in the social and cognitive development of adolescents., (Copyright © 2019 National Sleep Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: It is generally believed that parental rejection of children leads to child maladaptation. However, the specific effects of perceived parental acceptance-rejection on diverse domains of child adjustment and development have been incompletely documented, and whether these effects hold across diverse populations and for mothers and fathers are still open questions., Methods: This study assessed children's perceptions of mother and father acceptance-rejection in 1,247 families from China, Colombia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, the Philippines, Sweden, Thailand, and the United States as antecedent predictors of later internalizing and externalizing behavior problems, school performance, prosocial behavior, and social competence., Results: Higher perceived parental rejection predicted increases in internalizing and externalizing behavior problems and decreases in school performance and prosocial behavior across 3 years controlling for within-wave relations, stability across waves, and parental age, education, and social desirability bias. Patterns of relations were similar across mothers and fathers and, with a few exceptions, all nine countries., Conclusions: Children's perceptions of maternal and paternal acceptance-rejection have small but nearly universal effects on multiple aspects of their adjustment and development regardless of the family's country of origin., (© 2014 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.)