Effects of positive versus negative expressive writing exercises on adolescent academic achievement

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brady K. Jones ◽  
Mesmin Destin
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Expressive Writing ◽  
Writing Exercises ◽  
Adolescent Academic Achievement

Investigating the influence of expressive writing exercises on the working memory of middle adolescents and young adults in South Africa

2021 ◽  
pp. 008124632110434
Author(s):  
Jonita Swart ◽  
Chris Janeke
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Expressive Writing ◽  
Working Memory Capacity ◽  
Memory Capacity ◽  
Stressful Event ◽  
Writing Intervention ◽  
Expressive Writing Intervention ◽  
Solution Focused ◽  
Writing Exercises ◽  
Positive Effect

This study investigated the influence of expressive writing on the working memory capacity of middle adolescents (learners 15–17 years old) and young adults (students 18–24 years old) in the South African context. The assumption underlying the research was that expressive writing about a stressful event would reduce unwanted thoughts and the resultant demand on cognitive resources, thereby increasing working memory capacity. Two experiments were conducted involving a sample of 28 school learners and a sample of 38 university students. In each experiment, the participants were assigned to three writing conditions: a factual event for the control group and either just a stressful event, or a solution to a stressful event, for the two experimental groups. It was postulated that the solution-focused group would gain the most from the expressive writing tasks. Working memory capacity assessments were conducted before and after the expressive writing intervention and again about 14 weeks later to test for a long-term effect on working memory capacity. A positive effect was found regarding the working memory capacity of the students, but there was no statistically significant improvement in the working memory capacity of the learners. Furthermore, although the results of the student groups did indicate that an expressive writing intervention may enhance working memory capacity, this effect was not mostly restricted to the solution-focused experimental groups as was hypothesised. Instead, the results suggested that expressive writing exercises may have had a positive effect on the memory performance of all three groups.

Prenatal exposure to air pollution is associated with childhood inhibitory control and adolescent academic achievement

2021 ◽  
pp. 111570
Author(s):  
Amy E. Margolis ◽  
Bruce Ramphal ◽  
David Pagliaccio ◽  
Sarah Banker ◽  
Ena Selmanovic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Air Pollution ◽  
Inhibitory Control ◽  
Prenatal Exposure ◽  
Adolescent Academic Achievement

Long-Term Effects of Divorce on Adolescent Academic Achievement

1990 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 69-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Birgitte R. Mednick ◽  
Robert L. Baker ◽  
Dennis Hocevar ◽  
Charlotte Reznick
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Adolescent Academic Achievement

scholarly journals Values Narratives for Personal Growth: Formative Evaluation of the Laws of Life Essay Program

2015 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 269-293
Author(s):  
Victoria Banyard ◽  
Sherry Hamby ◽  
Ed de St. Aubin ◽  
John Grych
Keyword(s):  
Character Education ◽  
Process Evaluation ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Expressive Writing ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Writing Exercises

Evidence that even very brief writing exercises can change the way people see themselves and promote more positive mental and physical health has led to increased interest in their use in school settings and elsewhere. To date, however, research designs rely heavily on samples of college students and experimental studies of writing tasks carried out in the lab. There has been less investigation of the potential impact of more naturally occurring expressive writing exercises that exist in places like schools and that focus on adolescents. The current study was a process evaluation of the Laws of Life Essay, a values-based narrative program that was part of participants’ secondary school experience. It examined participants’ views of the impact of the program on their personal growth and, given the age range of participants, allowed for process evaluation of its perceived short- and long-term effects. Qualitative, semistructured interviews with 55 adolescent and adult participants were collected. Themes in participants’ responses included the importance of reflection and reappraisal of values, adversity, and relationships. Participants also discussed the importance of an audience for their writing, a novel finding that suggests one possible way to increase the impact of other narrative programs. Participants described variability in their engagement with expressive writing. This is one of the few studies that examined participants’ own views of the value of expressive writing and their responses suggest directions for future research and implications for designing expressive writing tasks to support social emotional learning and character education in schools and promote well-being at key developmental moments.

scholarly journals Predictors of Adolescent Academic Achievement: The Role of Individual and Family Socioeconomic Factors

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-119
Author(s):  
Melly Latifah ◽  
Rizky Amelia
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Capita Income ◽  
Parental Education ◽  
Per Capita Income ◽  
Cognitive Intelligence ◽  
Self Regulated Learning ◽  
Regulated Learning ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
Adolescent Academic Achievement

Academic achievement is affected by external and internal factors. This study generally aims to examine the influence of family characteristics (per capita income and parental education), individual characteristics (age and gender), cognitive intelligence, and self-regulated learning toward academic achievement in adolescents. A total of 91 samples (Mage=13.9 years) with the largest percentage of the respondents were women were selected from two different junior high schools in Bogor area. Cognitive intelligence, self-regulated learning, and academic achievement were measured using Riley Inventory Basic of Learning Skills (RIBLS), Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSQL), and student academic record, respectively. The partial regression analysis showed there was a negative effect of mother’s education on self-regulated learning. Gender was found to positively predicted cognitive intelligence. The regression analysis also showed that parental education and cognitive intelligence positively predicted adolescent academic achievement. Per capita income, gender, and self-regulated learning showed no significant effects on academic achievement.

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