Career decision-making difficulties are the challenges encountered by individuals before, during, or after choosing one’s career. This study tested the associations between career decision-making difficulties and depression, anxiety, and stress, considering the career decision status of participants. Students in a precollege preparatory program filled out questionnaires at the beginning and near the end of the academic year ( N = 137). The correlations between career decision-making difficulties, as measured by the Career Decision-Making Difficulties, and negative emotional states measured by the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales, were positive at both administrations ( r T1 = .24, r T2 = .38). Using a multivariate analysis of variance, we have found that those who became more decided had fewer career decision-making difficulties ( d = 1.26). The changes in career decision status were not associated with either depression, anxiety, or stress. However, overall negative emotions intensified among students who were still undecided at the end of the year ( d = 0.72). Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Objectives The study investigates the psychometric properties of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS‐21). Method The DASS‐21 was administered to a community sample twice over the course of 7 months ( N T 1 = 235 and N T 2 = 171; 51% female, Mage = 22 years). A partial credit Rasch model was used to determine the scales' longitudinal invariance and reliability. Results The DASS‐21 mostly demonstrated longitudinal invariance across administrations. The Depression and Anxiety subscales were sufficiently reliable to distinguish among the suggested severity categories, but the Stress scale was not. Conclusion Several revisions of the DASS are recommended. It is also suggested that the Stress scale should be used with caution, given its low reliability.
<p style="text-align: justify;">Purpose in life is a key construct in the development of young adults, particularly college students. There are many instruments measuring sense of purpose in life, but few studies have examined their measurement properties among college students. The current study compares the measurement invariance properties of the Purpose in Life (PIL) scale and the Claremont Purpose Scale (CPS) across college year and undergraduate school. Using both a unidimensional and a two-dimensional model, we found that the PIL’s interpretability is limited among college students. Using a three-dimensional model, the CPS was invariant with respect to both grouping variables. The study suggests that the CPS can be used to make meaningful comparisons among college students categorized by school year and undergraduate school. The study also has some implications about the construct of purpose in life; namely, scale structures that work well statistically and theoretically among adults might not generalize to young adults.</p>
Collaborative learning (CL) is a common teaching strategy in colleges that involves actively working in groups to achieve a goal. Several studies and theories endorse it as contributing to students’ achievement, motivation, and higher-order thinking skills. However, these studies are inconsistent in the way they define and operationalize CL. For example, they do not separate the quantity and the quality of CL, nor do they distinguish between course-specific and general attitudes toward CL. The study suggests that researchers should define CL more precisely, and demonstrates this approach using a case study ( N = 38). This study examines whether the quality and quantity of group work predicted course achievement after controlling for prior achievement, individual-level motivation, and social ties among students. Quality of CL was operationalized as positive attitudes toward CL in the current course and in general, and quantity of CL was operationalized as the frequency of interactions among group members. Social ties were measured using Social Network Analysis (SNA) which allows researchers to identify the number and strength of connections among students. Findings suggest that positive attitudes toward CL in the current course predicted higher achievement levels, but the frequency of interactions and positive attitudes toward CL in general were associated with lower achievement levels. That is, in the current context, course-specific quality of CL was positively associated with achievement, but other ways of operationalizing CL were not, and in fact had negative relationships with achievement. The study also demonstrates the use of SNA when exploring students’ relationships; it shows that they were associated with course performance but that this association diminished after controlling for students’ attitudes. Overall, it is recommended that researchers clarify what they intend to measure when exploring CL, as this can have an important impact on findings.
Teachers worldwide teach in increasingly diverse schools, with serious opportunity gaps among different demographic groups. Milner (2012) identified five ways in which teachers' mindsets can contribute to those opportunity gaps. The current study presents a set of scales designed to measure the extent to which teachers have these mindsets. This paper discusses the scales' development and refining process, and presents initial evidence of their structural validity. The scales can be used to address opportunity gaps in schools and in other educational contexts. Theoretical implications are also discussed.
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