Self-efficacy, self-discipline and academic performance: Testing a context-specific mediation model

Background Our study aimed to examine the effects of COVID-19 on the physical fitness and academic performance of Chinese college students. Participants The sample included physical fitness test data from 9,712 undergraduate students and academic performance data from 12,000 undergraduate students at a top university in China. Methods Physical fitness was measured and evaluated according to the Chinese National Student Physical Fitness Standard. Data were analyzed using two-sample t-tests and Pearson product-moment correlations. Results Total physical fitness test scores of college students decreased after the outbreak, but their mean body mass index (BMI) remained at normal levels. The mean academic performance of college students unexpectedly improved during the online learning period. The positive correlation between physical test scores and academic performance was significantly higher during COVID-19 than that before the outbreak. Conclusions Chinese college students with high physical fitness during COVID-19 were more likely to achieve good academic performance.

Introduction. The article examines the influence of various factors on the academic performance of university students. The purpose of the article is to identify the degree of influence of various factors on first-year university students’ academic performance taking into account their gender. The study is based on students’ self-assessment. Materials and Methods. The methodological basis of the research was the articles of Russian and foreign scholars devoted to the factors affecting the academic performance of university students (A. Alhadabi, H. W. Brink, Y. García, H. G. Hidajat, E. V. Krekhovets, F. Moradi, N. S. Nurieva, A. O. Ryazhkin, V. N. Shlyapnikov, D. R. Valeeva, S. D. Vaulin, S. V. Yaroshevskaya, I. Živčić-Bećirević and etc.). The empirical study was carried out at Tyumen State University. The sample consisted of 232 first-year students of various fields of study, including 101 males and 131 females. Results. The analysis of the scholarly literature on the research problem enabled the authors to identify the factors that influence the academic performance of university students and propose a classification of these factors. Based on students’ self-assessment, the degree of influence of each of the selected factors on their academic performance was determined. Significant differences in the assessment of the influence of a few factors on academic performance related to the students’ gender were revealed. According to the self-assessment of students, the competence of academic staff has the strongest influence on their academic performance. Within the framework of the proposed classification of factors, the most important for students was a group of factors related to their personal characteristics. Factors related to randomness and academic fraud were ranked among the least important. Intrinsic motivation as a factor influencing academic performance turned out to be more important than extrinsic positive and extrinsic negative motivation. Conclusions. The experimental data show that women, to a greater extent than men, associate their academic performance with external factors (teachers’ competence, learning environment, study facilities), or with their innate personality traits (intellectual abilities, memory characteristics and attention, emotional balance). For men, a more significant factor in academic performance is relying on their own strengths and expectations of success from their efforts. At the same time, their academic performance is more determined by the social environment at the university.

Caffeine can have a powerful effect on individuals. This article looks at the effect of caffeine on sleep and academic performance in college students, as well as types of caffeine consumed, how much caffeine is consumed, reasons students consume caffeine, sleep quality, and academic performance outcomes.

The social media landscape is constantly evolving; new platforms emerge, and existing platforms change their functionality. While a robust body of literature exists on the influences of social media on students’ academic outcomes, most studies have failed to differentiate between specific social media platforms. Further, most research in this field focuses on how one variable (e.g., time spent on social media per day) relates to students’ GPA, giving an incomplete picture of how social media relate to student outcomes. The current study aimed to (a) investigate the intricate relationship between social media usage, time spent on schoolwork, and academic performance in college students; (b) confirm the rise of TikTok use among college students; and (c) understand college students’ perceptions of how their major social media platform influences their academic performance. Data were collected from a sample of undergraduate students in the USA (n=306). While the time spent on social media was negatively correlated with GPA (r=-.16, p<.001); time spent on schoolwork had no effect on GPA (r=.03, p=.580). Further, the time allocated to social media usage positively correlated with the time devoted to schoolwork (r=.14, p=.020), suggesting the pervasiveness of social media multitasking among college students. TikTok was the most commonly used social media platform, particularly by women. However, while TikTok-favoring students were more likely to think their GPA would be higher were they off social media, their GPA was not significantly different from other users who favored Snapchat and Instagram as their primary social media platforms, implying a discrepancy between student perception and reality. This may be because the TikTok videos are very short, thus one may watch a high number of them in a row and assume they have spent a long time on the app, which may have not been the case.

Student academic performance in college online courses was examined in relation to selfregulated learning, motivation and academic self-efficacy.The Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (Pintrich, Smith, Garcia & McKeachie, 1991) was used to identify participants' self-regulated learning, motivation and academic self-efficacy.Both correlational and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to identify the relationships between and among students' academic performance, self-regulated learning, motivation and academic selfefficacy while prior online experience, degree requirement of courses, and instructor feedback were held constant.Results of the correlation analysis indicate that self-regulated learning, motivation and academic self-efficacy are positively related to students' performance in their online courses.Results of the hierarchical multiple regression indicate that self-regulated learning, motivation and academic self-efficacy account for 43% of the variance in students' grades, with academic self-efficacy playing the most important role in accounting for variations in students' success in their online courses.In addition, when the linear effects of all major student related factors were considered in the regression analysis, the relationships between students' academic performance and motivation, and self-regulated learning changed.Motivation became negatively related to students' performance and self-regulated learning was no longer found to have a significant relationship with students' performance.Overall, results suggest that self-regulated learning, motivation and academic self-efficacy are related to students' academic performance in their online courses.However, when self-regulated learning, motivation and academic self-efficacy are considered together, self-regulated learning becomes unimportant for good academic performance and high motivation becomes negatively related to students' success in their online courses.

PurposeCreating suitable learning conditions in university classrooms continues to be a topical issue in higher education. The above means that a continued search for innovative teaching and learning strategies in universities remains a priority issue. The study therefore investigated conditions that facilitate the effective implementation of cooperative learning (CL) as well as how CL influences the academic performance of students in universities in Zimbabwe.Design/methodology/approachThe research adopted a quantitative research approach located in the descriptive research design. A sample of 341 undergraduate students selected using a simple random sampling strategy from a sample frame of 701 undergraduate students participated in the study. The study first used a pre-test and later, a post-test to determine the initial and end of semester (EOS) academic performance levels of students, respectively, on a Calculus 1 course. A self-constructed structured questionnaire was also used for data collection on the views of students towards the use of CL with particular reference to the 5 dimensions of positive interdependence (PDI), promotive interaction (PI), individual and group accountability (IGA), social and interpersonal skills (SS) and group processing (GP). The questionnaire was validated using confirmatory factor analysis. Structural equation modelling was used to test proposed relationships. A total of 341 questionnaires were administered through an email survey. Of the total, 149 completed questionnaires were received from the students, giving a return rate of 43.7%.FindingsThe results showed that positive interdependence, promotive interaction, social and interpersonal skills, individual and group accountability as well as group processing were important antecedents to the effective implementation of CL in universities. The results further showed that CL plays a significant role in improving the academic performance of university students; hence, academic performance was viewed as a significant consequence of CL.Research limitations/implicationsThis is the first study on the application of CL to enhance the academic performance of university students in the context of Zimbabwe. As a result, caution should be exercised when generalising the results as more studies to either confirm or disconfirm these results in the context of Zimbabwe may still be required.Practical implicationsThese results have implications on policy and practice with regards to active teaching strategies in universities. With regards to practice, the results demonstrated that the use of group activities that allow students to share knowledge and support each other while the teacher plays a facilitating role is important for enhancing students' academic performance. With regards to policy, the results showed that universities can enhance the academic performance of students if policies that promote student-centered teaching and learning approaches to ensure that teaching in universities is more student-led than lecturer-led are developed.Originality/valueWhile many studies have been conducted in other contexts, to establish the influence of CL on the academic performance of university students, there is no known study on the influence of CL that has been conducted in the context of Zimbabwean universities. The results of this study therefore are an eye opener on the role of CL in enhancing the academic performance of students in Zimbabwean universities.

Objective Self-rationing or one’s ability to regulate allocation of resources for consumption can be an inefficient process. Despite the negative impact of self-rationing inefficiencies (eg unhealthy food choices), there is scarce research to understand this phenomenon. This study investigated college students’ self-rationing efficiency of eating behavior and spending choices, and their relationship to academic performance. Participants and Methods This study used a combination of a real-time experiment, self-reported surveys (n = 101), and interviews with college students (n = 12). Data was collected using two 24-hour recall periods, online surveys, and semi-structured interviews. Results College students demonstrated self-rationing inefficiency of eating behavior, but not of expenditure on food. Furthermore, there was a significant relationship between self-rationing inefficiencies in eating behavior and students’ academic performance. Conclusions This study directly investigated self-rationing efficiency amongst college students’ food choices and food expenditure, and enhances our understanding of its impact on college students’ academic performance.

Effect of Breakfast Consumption on Academic Performance of College Students

The current study intended to examine the association between emotion regulation (i.e., cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression) and academic performance in university students. In this correlational study, a sample of 300 (men=119; women=181) university students (BS and MS programs) in the age range of 18-29 years (M=21.45; SD=2.14) was selected randomly from a public sector university in Faisalabad city, Pakistan. The Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (Gross & John, 2003) was used to assess emotion regulation whereas the percentages of obtained marks in the last semester/degree program served as the measure of the academic performance of the participants. The results depicted a significant correlation between emotion regulation and academic performance indicating a significant positive association between cognitive reappraisal and academic performance while, a significant negative association between expressive suppression and academic performance in university students. Moreover, cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression were found to be significant predictors of academic performance. Besides the significant implications of this study highlighting the role of relevant policymakers, university authorities, students’ counselors, and mental health professionals, suggestions for future studies are discussed based on the current findings.

The present study investigates the multifaceted impact of part-time employment on the academic performance, well-being, and career readiness of college students. Drawing upon responses from 120 students, the research explores how variables such as job type, gender, working hours, and income levels influence students’ experiences. Findings reveal that while part-time jobs provide crucial financial support, foster independence, and enhance transferable skills such as communication, teamwork, and time management, excessive working hours negatively affect academic focus, health, and overall well-being. Temporary jobs are associated with greater skill acquisition and financial benefits compared to permanent roles, though they also impose heavier time and health burdens. Gender-based differences emerged, with female students reporting both higher benefits and greater challenges than their male peers. Similarly, higher-income students enjoyed greater financial and skill-related rewards but faced increased time pressure and health concerns. The study concludes that part-time employment is neither wholly advantageous nor detrimental; its effects depend on balance, job nature, and institutional support.

Research has established beneficial associations between 24-hour movement behaviors (i.e., sleep, physical activity, sedentary behavior) and academic performance. However, most studies have focused on individual behaviors, overlooking their interdependence. This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between 24-hour movement compositions and academic performance among college students. A total of 150 college students (M = 19.2 years, SD = 1.42; 70.7% female; 44.7% Hispanic) wore an accelerometer to obtain device-based estimates of 24-hour movement behaviors for seven full days. Cumulative grade point average (GPA) and standardized test scores (i.e., SAT) were collected from university records. Compositional linear regressionmodels were computed, with adjustment for covariates (gender, age, race/ ethnicity, self-reported general health status, year in school, and SAT). The overall movement composition was significantly associated with GPA. Sedentary behavior and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were positively associated with GPA, whereas a negative association was observed for light physical activity (LPA). Replacing up to 20 minutes of LPA with sedentary behavior, sleep, or MVPA was associated with higher GPA. Additionally, substituting sleep with MVPA was associated with higher GPA. Findings suggest that college students’ movement compositions may be related to their academic performance. Longitudinal work is needed to pinpoint specific periods within the semester to better understand when each behavior is most important for academic performance.

Three independent lines of inquiry have found associations between alcohol use and academic performance, sleep and academic performance, and alcohol use and sleep. The present study bridges this research by examining the links among alcohol use, sleep, and academic performance in college students. Personal interview surveys were conducted with a random sample of 236 students (124 women) at a liberal arts college. The interviews measured alcohol consumption, gender, academic class, weekday and weekend bedtimes and rise times, and daytime sleepiness; 95% of the sample granted permission to obtain grade-point average (GPA) and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores from official college records. Ordinary least squares regressions showed that alcohol consumption was a significant predictor of four sleep patterns: the duration of sleep, the timing of sleep, the difference between weekday and weekend nighttime sleep hours (oversleep), and the difference between weekday and weekend bedtimes (bedtime delay). Women and students with late sleep schedules were more apt to report daytime sleepiness. SAT score was the strongest predictor of GPA. However, gender, alcohol consumption, sleep duration, and daytime sleepiness also were significant predictors when other variables were controlled. In addition to alcohol's direct relationship with GPA, mediational analysis indicated that alcohol had indirect effects on sleepiness and GPA, primarily through its effect on sleep schedule. The findings show how alcohol use among college students is related to sleep-wake patterns and further support the connection between alcohol use and grades.

Student dropout and academic failure are serious problems faced by universities around the world. The academic development of university students is the joint result of external (teacher support) and internal factors (resilience). The goal of this study is an in-depth understanding of the association between university Students' academic resilience and academic performance. All respondents were from a local Chinese public university. Two self-report scales with adequate reliability and validity were completed by 440 undergraduate students: the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) and the Perceived Teacher Support Scale (PTSS). The results of this study demonstrated that academic resilience and teacher support were positively and closely correlated with the academic performance of university students. Teacher support plays a mediating role in the nexus between academic resilience and academic performance. The findings of this study shed light on the improvement of university students' academic performance and reducing the dropout rate from theoretically and practically. The study helps identify the key factors that contribute to students' academic success and improve their well-being. The results also provide evidence for university directors to design effective programs and take initiatives to increase retention rates and improve university students' success.

Education for centuries has focused on the intellect, leaving aside the emotional factor, which impacts the mental health of students and, in turn, academic performance. The objective is to establish the relationship between emotional intelligence with academic performance in university students. It is multicenter with a quantitative approach; sampling is non-probabilistic. The TMMS-24 meta-knowledge trait scale about emotional states was applied to measure Emotional Intelligence. In the academic performance, the general average of the participants was used. There is a relationship between levels of emotional intelligence with academic performance. The information is useful for proposing intervention strategies during the training of emotional competencies from admission.

The problem and the aim of the study. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a worldwide emergency, with consequences for more than just physical health, including mental health and educational outcomes. University students are particularly vulnerable since they are dealing with a number of challenges at once, such as the health effects of the pandemic both directly and indirectly, the sudden shift to online schooling, and doubts about their future employment opportunities. Critical to understanding the far-reaching effects of the pandemic on student lives, learning processes, and mental health is research into COVID-19-related psychological anxiety and its impact on academic performance in higher education. This research subject seeks to investigate the extent to which college students are anxious about the COVID-19 pandemic and how this unusual stressor affects their participation in class, grades, and general satisfaction with their education. By looking at it from this perspective, we may identify the many ways in which the epidemic has affected the future generation of researchers and professionals, and then develop strategies to help them cope with the difficulties they will face. Research methods. The study employed a correlational descriptive approach to investigate the psychological distress caused by the COVID-19 epidemic and its influence on the academic performance of university students in Jordan. The sample consisted of 300 undergraduates (male and female) from the College of Educational and Psychological Sciences at Amman Arab University in the 2021–2022 school year, with the entire student body serving as the population. The survey tool was distributed online via social media, leading to 379 respondents, and a chance sample was used because it was feasible to reach a large number of participants—especially during the pandemic. Results. The study results show a detailed range of stress and worry, with average scores varying from 2.8 to 4.1 among 25 items. Major concerns involve social isolation, indicated by an average score of 4.1 for feeling alienated because of social distancing measures, and academic disruptions, with an average score of 4.0 for experiencing a lack of control over academic life owing to the pandemic. There is a significant gender gap between the reported levels of anxiety and its effect on academic performance; 40% of female students and 30% of male students express high levels of anxiety, and the average academic impact score for female students is 3.0 while the average score for male students is 2.5. The data also shows that anxiety levels and the detrimental effect they have on academic performance are getting worse over the years, with fourth-year students having the worst levels of anxiety (45%) and the greatest academic impact score (3.5). The findings highlight the importance of providing students with personalized support to help them cope with the psychological effects of the pandemic. Scientific novelty: Novelty resides in the study's exhaustive examination of COVID-19's psychological effects on Jordanian university students, with a particular emphasis on anxiety levels and how they relate to academic achievement. By looking at the effects of the pandemic across genders and academic years, it shows how anxiety levels rise over time and how there are clear differences between the sexes. The study offers important insights into the many ways in which the pandemic affected students' academic performance and mental health by using a large sample size, a correlational descriptive approach, and social media to reach a wide audience during the epidemic.