Cited by 24Higher Education Research StudiesStudent Stress and CopingInnovative Teaching and Learning Methods

Examining indicators for effective studying – The interplay between student integration, psychological flexibility and self-regulation in learning

Open access
Asikainen, Henna·2018·Psychology, Society & Education

Abstract

Prolonged study times and dropouts from university studies have created a need to examine more ways to support students’ studying. This study aims to examine the relationship between the self-regulated learning, psychological flexibility and student integration comprising teacher and student interaction, students’ commitment to studying as well as the relationship of these aspects to study progression. The participants of this study were 117 theology students. Items measuring student integration were first analysed with factor analysis. The relationship between student integration, psychological flexibility, self-regulated learning and study progression was analysed with correlation analyses and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The results show that psychological flexibility is related to study progression, self-regulated learning and student integration. The effect of self-regulated learning and student integration to study progression was not significant. This study suggests that students’ way of coping with negative thoughts and emotions should be taken into account when considering learning and teaching.

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

This study examined how psychological flexibility, self-regulated learning, and student integration relate to study progression among 117 theology students. Psychological flexibility was the strongest correlate of study progression and student integration, whereas self-regulated learning and integration had weak or non-significant effects on progression in the SEM.

Key findings

  • Psychological flexibility correlated positively with study progression (r = .42, p < .01) and with all student-integration components: peer group interaction (r = .38), interaction with teachers (r = .51), and commitment (r = .24).
  • Self-regulated learning correlated positively with study progression (r = .23, p < .05) and with interaction with teachers (r = .38), but not significantly with peer interaction (r = .13) or commitment (r = .09).
  • In the SEM, psychological flexibility was most strongly related to all integration components (p ≤ .01) and to study progression (p < .001); self-regulation was only mildly related to interaction with teachers (p = .08), and integration and self-regulation were poorly related to study progression.
  • The final integration factor solution had three factors—Teacher interaction and support, Student interaction, and Commitment—with Cronbach’s alphas between .74 and .88; self-regulation alpha was .81 and psychological flexibility alpha was .90.

Methods

  • An electronic questionnaire was sent to all Faculty of Theology students at the University of Helsinki in fall 2015; 127 students participated, 10 were excluded because study progression could not be linked, leaving 117 participants (age 19–62, M = 34.21, s = 12.57; 67% female, 31% male, one other gender).
  • Measures included student integration adapted from Pascarella and Terenzini (1980) and Lähteenoja (2010), psychological flexibility based on the WAAQ, self-regulation from the Inventory of Learning Styles, and study progression measured by ECTS credits from the last academic year.
  • Analyses included exploratory factor analysis with principal axis factoring and oblimin rotation, Pearson correlations, and structural equation modelling using Amos; the final model fit was χ² = 3.40, p = .18, RMSEA = 0.078, CFI = 0.99.

Limitations

  • The paper states the sample was small: fewer than 10% of Faculty of Theology students answered, so the sample cannot be considered very representative based on size, though it was considered quite representative by gender and age; the sample was also small for SEM, though RMSEA was considered acceptable.
  • The paper states the student-integration questionnaire did not work properly, with cross loadings and poor communalities; it also notes the study focused only on self-regulation in learning, not external regulation or lack of regulation, and measured mainly social rather than academic integration.
  • Evident from the text: the design is correlational and based on self-report questionnaire data, so causal direction between psychological flexibility, integration, self-regulation, and study progression cannot be established.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.25115/psye.v10i2.1873

Cites

40 of 40 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Claims the paper makes

0 of 10 cited sources checked · 0 supported · 0 flagged

  • Findingown data

    The final factor solution for the student integration items had three factors: Teacher interaction and support, Student interaction, and Commitment.

    “The final factor solution concerning the items measuring student integration had three factors.The factors were named F1) Teacher interaction and support, F2) Student interaction, F3) Commitment.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Findingown data

    All components measuring student integration were statistically significantly related to each other.

    “The correlation analysis showed that all the components measuring integration were statistically significantly related to each other.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Findingown data

    Self-regulation and psychological flexibility were positively correlated with each other.

    “In addition, self-regulation and psychological flexibility were correlated positively with each other”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Findingown data

    The structural equation model fitted the data well (χ2 = 3.40, p = .18, RMSEA = 0.078, CFI = 0.99).

    “The model fitted the data well (χ² = 3.40 p = .18,RMSEA = 0.078, CFI = 0.99).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    Psychological flexibility correlated positively with scales measuring student integration.

    “and psychological flexibility correlated positively with scales measuring student integration.”
    • Also stated in: § Discussion · boosted
      “The present study clearly showed that psychological flexibility is related to student integration a.k.a their perceptions of interaction and support of teachers, peer group interaction and commitment.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims. 11
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. 5
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Although there was a statistically significant correlation between self-regulated learning and study progression, the connection became weaker in the SEM model.

    “Although there was a statistically significant correlation between self-regulated learning and study progression, the connection became weaker in the SEM-model.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    In the SEM model, components measuring student integration and self-regulation were poorly related to study progression, but psychological flexibility was quite strongly related to it (p < 0.001).

    “The components measuring student integration as well as selfregulation where poorly related to study progression, but psychological flexibility was quite strongly related to it (p < 0.001).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Psychological flexibility and self-regulation were positively related to study progression.

    “Furthermore, psychological flexibility and self-regulation were positively related to study progression but there were no statistically significant relations between study progression and student integration.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Prolonged study times and delays in graduation have become growing concerns internationally.

    “However, prolonged study times and delays in graduation have become growing concerns internationally (OECD, 2009).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites OECD, 2009 source
  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Students are feeling worse than before and experience more mental health problems.

    “In addition, students are feeling worse than before and they experience more mental health problems (Hunt & Eisenberg, 2010;Storrie, Ahern, & Tuckett, 2010).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites Hunt & Eisenberg, 2010 source
    • cites Storrie, Ahern, & Tuckett, 2010 source
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Tinto's model highlights academic and social integration as the most important factor explaining student persistence.

    “This model highlights academic and social integration as the most important factor explaining student persistence.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Tinto, 1975 source
  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Student integration is crucial to students' effective studying and to avoiding student dropouts.

    “Student integration is considered to be crucial to students effective studying and to avoid student dropouts (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductreasoning

    Considering the gender and age of the participants, the sample can be considered quite representative despite the small number.

    “However, if you consider the gender and age of the participants, the sample can be considered quite representative despite of the small numerus.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Study design and conductown data

    Cronbach's alpha was 0.81 for the self-regulation scale and 0.90 for the items measuring psychological flexibility.

    “Cronbach's alpha concerning the self-regulation scale was 0.81 and items measuring psychological flexibility 0.90 which indicates a good consistency.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Study design and conductown data

    The factor analysis was challenging because the questionnaire concerning student integration did not work properly, with cross loadings and poor communalities.

    “The factor analysis can also be considered challenging.The questionnaire concerning student integration did not work properly in the present study.There were cross loadings and poor communalities.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Lacking psychological flexibility can make committing to studies more difficult and make students' experiences of teacher and peer support more negative.

    “Thus, it can be assumed that lacking psychological flexibility can make committing to studies more difficult and make students experiences of teacher and peer support more negative.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Study design and conductnone given

    The present study only focused on self-regulation in learning and did not consider external regulation and lack of regulation.

    “Furthermore, the present study only focused on self-regulation in learning but did not consider external regulation and lack of regulation.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Study design and conductnone given

    The measurement of student integration concentrated mainly on components of social integration; components measuring academic integration were not included.

    “Furthermore, the measurement of student integration concentrates mainly on components of social integration.Components measuring academic integration were not included in this study.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductnone given

    The sample size can be considered quite small for Structural Equation Modelling.

    “In addition, the sample size can be considered quite small for Structural Equation Modelling.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
14 of 14
  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    Student integration to the university is an emotional experience.

    “Student integration to the university can be assumed to be an emotional experience as the learning environment promotes the development of expertise and a lot of different kind of people with different backgrounds come together (Cartney & Rouse, 2006).”
  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    Social integration of students would be quite successful at the university level.

    “Thus, it could be assumed that social integration of students would be quite successful at the university level.”
2 of 2

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 6

  1. Hailikari, T. & Postareff, L. (2013). The relationship between university students' emotions and study pace. Paper presented in Earli conference, Munich, Germany 27 th to 31th August.
  2. Holstein, J. A., & Gubrium, J. F. (2004). The active interview. In D. Silverman (Ed.), Qualitative research: Theory, method and practice (2nd ed., pp. 140-161). London: Sage Publications Ltd.
  3. Lähteenoja, S. (2010). New students' integration to university studies [uusien opiskelijoiden integroituminen yliopistoon] (Doctoral dissertation). Available from E thesis.
  4. Nieminen, J., Asikainen, H. & Hailikari, T. (2014). Appropriating the AAQ for the context of Stuyding. A Pilot Study among Students of Arts. Poster presented in ACBS World conference, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA June 17-22.
  5. Schunk, D. H., & Zimmerman, B. J. (Eds.). (2012). Motivation and self-regulated learning. theory, research and practice. New York: Routledge.
  6. Vermunt, J. D. (1996). Metacognitive, cognitive and affective aspects of learning. Higher Education, 31(1), 25.

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Asikainen, H.
Affiliations
University of Helsinki (FI)
Corresponding author
Asikainen, Henna
Venue
Psychology, Society & Education
Published
2018-06-28
Volume
10
Issue
2
Pages
225-237
ISSN
  • 1989-709X (ISSN-L)
  • 2171-2085
OpenAlex
W2884358897
Cited by
24
References
40
Citations by year
2025: 5 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 1
FWCI
8.95
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by-nc-sa
Locations
  • Psychology Society & Education (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
  • Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) (submittedVersion)
  • LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Työväentutkimus Vuosikirja (submittedVersion)
  • Repositorio de Patentes de la Universidad de Almería (Universidad de Almería) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Education › Higher Education Research Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Student Stress and Coping
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Innovative Teaching and Learning Methods
Keywords
student integration, psychological flexibility, student self-regulation, school dropout, teacher-student relationship, student commitment, theology students

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