Educational Measurement
Year:2024 | Volume:14 | Issue:55|Papers Count:6

The aim of this study was to identify the psychometric properties or indicators of the Mental Toughness Scale for Adolescents by McGowan et al. (2016) and examine its relationship with academic procrastination, generalized anxiety, and math anxiety using path analysis. The research sample consisted of 455 high school students in Zanjan city, Iran, who were selected using cluster sampling. Participants completed the relevant scales through in-person administration. Data analysis was conducted in two phases and employing factor analysis and path analysis statistical methods. In the first phase, the psychometric properties of the Mental Toughness Scale were examined. The results revealed that a six-factor solution, in line with the proposed six dimensions of Mental Toughness Scale (challenge, commitment, control over life and emotions, and self-confidence in abilities and interpersonal relationships), provided the best fit to the competing models. Additionally, the overall internal consistency of the scale was satisfactory, with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.81. In the second phase, the direct and indirect effects of Mental Toughness on generalized anxiety, math anxiety, and academic procrastination were examined using path analysis. The findings indicated that Mental Toughness has a direct impact on generalized anxiety, math anxiety, and academic procrastination. Moreover, Mental Toughness has an indirect effect on academic procrastination and math anxiety through the mediating role of generalized anxiety. The implications of the study's findings for schools and educational environments, as well as suggestions for future research, were discussed.

The sense of belonging to university is linked to numerous aspects of the psycho-social health of students. However, there are many ambiguities in the conceptualization and measurement of this construct. The few tools designed in the field of higher education largely assess the sense of belonging and the measurement of the components of belonging to the university has received less attention in previous studies. The current study aimed to develop and validate the "Students' Sense of Belonging to University Scale (SSBUS)." In a correlational and tool development design, 345 students of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad were selected in the first stage and 477 students of University of Birjand were selected in the second stage by available sampling method. The results of exploratory factor analysis in the first stage showed four factors with 49.72% variance explanation, which included the components of interaction with professors, interaction with peers, university climate and self-esteem. The results of confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the four-factor model had a good fit, and the Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the subscales was reported in the range of 0.75-0.90. In addition, other analyses provided evidence to support the internal consistency, convergent validity, and divergent validity of the sense of belonging scale. It was found that each of the dimensions of this scale was significantly related to the measures of commitment to the university, social-emotional loneliness, satisfaction with life, depression and agentic engagement. In addition, the results of the retest coefficient of the subscales were in the range of 0.64-0.74. According to the findings of the present research, the students' sense of belonging to university scale has desirable psychometric properties and can be used as a valid instrument.

academic persistence indicates the continuity and behavioral commitment to education and learning that the existence of such a tool was needed in the country. The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the psychometric properties of the academic persistence scale. This research is a type of descriptive research that examines the characteristics of psychometrics with a practical purpose. The statistical population of the research consisted of all the students of the first secondary school in Qom city who were studying in the academic year of 1400-1401. A number of 355 students were included in the sample using a multi-stage cluster random method and completed the academic persistence questionnaire of Talib et al. (2018). After collecting the data, they were analyzed using SPSS22 and AMOS22 statistical software and exploratory factor analysis and reliability analysis. The results showed that the extracted factor explains 79.93% of the variable of academic persistence. Also, the reliability of the tool was equal to 0.994 using Cronbach's alpha coefficient and 0.989 for the first half and 0.988 for the second half using the two halves method. According to the results of exploratory factor analysis and reliability analysis, the Persian version of the academic persistence questionnaire is considered an efficient tool.

In recent decades, the use of mixed methods research has increased in doctoral theses in educational administration and higher education. This study examined the approach, design, and research methods used in these theses. In order to answer the research questions, the abstract and the third chapter of 85 doctoral theses were reviewed. The findings of the study show that nearly three-quarters (73%) of the studies were conducted with the goal of developing a pattern or model. Additionally, 63% of the studies were conducted using a sequential exploratory mixed methods approach. In the qualitative phase of the studies, 60% used a grounded theory approach. In the quantitative phase of the studies, 60% used multiple correlation analysis. The findings of the study, in addition to providing implications for teaching quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research methods in doctoral programs, emphasize the need for innovation in research designs used in doctoral dissertations in the fields of behavioral sciences, particularly in the area of pattern development.

This research was conducted using the meta-analysis method with the aim of synthesizing existing research on the relationship between identity Styles and academic performance. The statistical population of the study included all relevant studies conducted in Iran from 1385-1400 and available in the databases of Jahad Daneshgahi, Nurmagz, and Magiran. After evaluating the criteria for entrances and layaway requirements research, the correlation effects of the research were analyzed by CMA software. Also, two models of random effect and fixed effect were calculated. According to the results of the heterogeneous analysis, the randomized model was selected through Q and squared I indices. The findings revealed that the size of the combined effect of the investigated research after the removal of 4 effects size was 0.107. The combined effect size of the research was calculated based on the mean Cohen’s index. The results of heterogeneous analysis revealed of the existence moderating variables in the research as well. The results of this meta-analysis of theoretical and empirical foundations are indicative of the relationship between identity style and academic performance variables. Given the results of this meta-analysis, it can be concluded that for academic performance to be successful, it is essential to address the identity style among university and school students.

The purpose of this study is to examine the questions of the Likert scale with the Classical Test Theory and the Item Response Theory, then putting together the results of these two approaches and answering the question "Are the results of these two approaches consistent? or do they contradict each other?" . The research method is descriptive and in terms of data, it is a secondary analysis method. The subjects studied in this research included 977 students of the junior high school students, that by removing individuals in the data screening stage, finally, the analysis of extraversion items was based on the information of 783 subjects, the analysis of openness items on the information of 763 subjects, and analysis of conscientiousness items on the information of 784 subjects. The research instruments were 3 subscales of extraversion, openness and conscientiousness of the Neo Personality Test. The results of the statistical analysis showed that the higher the internal consistency of the items, the more accurate and valid the results obtained from the graded response model, and for items with low internal consistency through this model, it should be acted cautiously; Because it may show the threshold of the items inverted or the discrimination coefficient of the questions false negative or positive. All in all, the simultaneous use of different methods of statistical analysis will be of aid in better analysis and obtaining more accurate results.