For the international Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS2007) math and science motivation scales (self-concept, positive affect, and value), we evaluated the psychometric properties (factor structure, method effects, gender differences, and convergent and discriminant validity) in 4 Arab-speaking countries (Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Oman, and Egypt) and 4 English-speaking Anglo-Saxon countries (United States, England, Australia, and Scotland). In this article, we also highlight methodological weaknesses in the TIMSS approach to these motivation measures. We found reasonable support for within-group invariance across the math and science domains and between-group invariance across countries for full factor loading invariance and partial item intercept invariance. However, the factor structure is complicated by strong negative-item method effects and correlated unique characteristics associated with the use of math and science items with parallel wording. Correlations involving the motivation factors were reasonably similar across countries, supporting both discriminant and convergent validity in relation to achievement, plans to take more coursework in math and science, and long-term educational aspirations. However, gender differences largely favor girls in the Arab countries (with strong single-sex education systems) relative to Anglo countries (and international norms). The juxtapositions of latent mean differences in achievement and motivation factors are perplexing; students from Anglo countries had substantially higher achievement than students from Arab countries but had substantially lower motivation across all 8 math and science factors.

No abstract

Extensive support for the seemingly paradoxical negative effects of school-and class-average achievement on academic self-concept (ASC)-the big-fish-little-pond effect (BFLPE)-is based largely on secondary stu dents in Western countries or on cross-cultural Program for International Student Assessment studies. There is little research testing the generalizability of this frame of reference effect based on social comparison theory to primary school students and or to matched samples of primary and secondary students from different countries. Using multigroup-multilevel latent variable models, we found support for developmental and cross-cultural generalizability of the BFLPE based on Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study data; positive effects of individual student achievement and the negative effects of class-average achievement on ASC were significant for each of the 26 groups (nationally representative samples of 4th-and 8th-grade students from 13 diverse countries; 117,321 students from 6,499 classes).Keywords: big-fish-little-pond effect, Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, frame of reference effects, contextual effects, doubly-latent multilevel models Supplemental materials: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0037485.supp Self-concept, dating back to at least the seminal work by William James (1890/1963), is one of the oldest and most important constructs in the social sciences. Today positive self-beliefs are also at the heart of a positive revolution sweeping psychology, which emphasizes focusing on how healthy, normal, and exceptional individuals can get

The internal/external frame of reference (I/E) model and dimensional comparison theory posit paradoxical relations between achievement (ACH) and self-concept (SC) in mathematics (M) and verbal (V) domains; ACH in each domain positively affects SC in the matching domain (e.g., MACH to MSC) but negatively in the nonmatching domain (e.g., MACH to VSC). This substantive-methodological synergy based on latent variable models of Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) data supports the generalizability of these predictions in relation to: mathematics and science domains, intrinsic motivation as well as self-concept, and age and nationality, based on nationally representative matched samples of fourth- and eighth-grade students from three Middle Eastern Islamic, five Western, and four Asian countries (N=117,321 students) with important theoretical, developmental, cross-cultural, and methodological implications.

No abstract

No abstract

The study sought to explore feelings of worry and sources of stress-affected parents of children with disabilities, as well as describing the negative feelings and how resources helped them overcome stress due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus. Furthermore, we sought to assess the level of general satisfaction with the services they have obtained remotely. Methodology: A sample of 623 parents of children with disabilities filled out an electronic self-report questionnaire during the period June 4th to June 20th, 2020. Results: The parents reported a high level of worry regarding the possibility of their child getting infected. Parents continue to worry about losing their child’s care and treatment. Parents who hold a bachelor’s degree feel the sources of stress at a higher level compared to parents with lower than high school education. A proportion of 59% of parents reported not receiving services from special education centers during the pandemic, and 41% of parents were satisfied with the services provided by the center of special education. Parents with a bachelor’s degree or higher were less satisfied with the center’s services. Parents with a higher qualification than secondary school use several sources to overcome the pressure associated with educating a child with a disability. Conclusion: Mental health fears were associated with pandemic restrictions. The study recommends special education centers implement strategies that support parents with special education children.

This substantive-methodological synergy demonstrates evolving multilevel latent-variable models for cross-cultural data. Using Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2007 data for U.S. and Saudi Arabian eighth grade students, we evaluate the psychometric properties (measurement invariance, method effects, and gender differences) of math self-concept, positive affect, coursework aspirations, and achievement. Extending the studies of the “paradoxical cross-cultural self-concept effect” largely based on U.S.-Asian comparisons, country-level differences strongly favored the United States for achievement test scores, but favored Saudi Arabia for self-concept and aspirations. Latent mean gender differences, of particular interest because of Saudi Arabia’s single-sex school system, interacted with country for all constructs. The largest interaction was for achievement test scores; there were no significant gender differences for U.S. students (in coed schools), but in single-sex Saudi schools, Saudi girls performed substantially better than Saudi boys. Consistently with previous (mostly Western) research, but not previously evaluated with TIMSS, in each of the four (2 gender × 2 country) groups all three outcomes (self-concept, affect, and aspiration) were positively influenced by individual student achievement but negatively influenced by class-average achievement (the Big-Fish-Little-Pond Effect: BFLPE). BFLPEs were similar in size for boys and girls in coeducational (United States) and in single-sex (Saudi) classrooms.