Personality traits and emotion regulation (ER) are key antecedents of emotions in learning contexts. Nevertheless, little is known about the possible mediating role of ER in the relation between the Big Five (BF) traits and achievement emotions (AEs). Considering the Control-Value Theory as the main framework, we examined the mediation of behavioral (Actively Approaching, Withdrawal) and cognitive (Refocus on Planning, Catastrophizing) ER strategies in the relation between the BF traits and 10 study-related AEs. We recruited 754 university students from Italy and the United Kingdom. Using path analyses (PAs), we found that Actively Approaching mediated the relation of Extraversion, Agreeableness, Negative Emotionality, and Open-Mindedness with pride and relaxation. Withdrawal mediated the relation of Extraversion and Negative Emotionality with boredom. Catastrophizing mediated the relation between Negative Emotionality and hope, anxiety, anger, and hopelessness. Through multi-group PAs, we observed some country differences in the relation of the BF traits with, respectively, Actively Approaching and Catastrophizing, and three negative emotions. These findings can serve as the basis for developing evidence-based interventions that take into account personality differences and/or influence ER strategies to improve students' AEs.

Educational innovation is increasingly recognized as a key factor shaping students’ emotional, cognitive, and relational development, yet empirical evidence remains fragmented and often relies on single informants. This study examines the association between perceived educational innovation and students’ school well-being through a multi-informant approach including students, parents, and teachers. The sample consisted of 589 students, their parents, and 167 teachers from five Italian schools with diverse educational approaches. All participants completed standardized and ad hoc measures assessing well-being, innovation, and cognitive functioning. Analyses showed a moderate convergence between student and parent perceptions of innovation. Higher levels of perceived innovation were associated, among students, with greater school well-being, including higher satisfaction with school performance, more positive relationships with teachers and classmates, more adaptive emotional experiences, and stronger self-efficacy. Innovation was also positively related to concentration. Parents who perceived higher innovation described their children as better adjusted to learning, having more positive relationships with teachers, and showing greater awareness of their own difficulties. Teachers’ reports showed generally positive student well-being, with no significant differences across innovation levels, highlighting the value of multi-informant perspectives to capture distinct views of innovation’s impact. Overall, the findings indicate a consistent association between perceived innovation and emotional, relational, and cognitive well-being. This study underscores the value of multi-informant perspectives for understanding how innovation operates within the school system and suggests that student-centered and collaborative practices may play an important role in fostering well-being and concentration.

Achievement emotions are influenced by a series of antecedents, but the role of some of them – such as personality traits and emotion regulation (ER) strategies –, particularly in primary and middle school students, remains underexplored. Guided by the Control-Value Theory, this study examined the additive contribution of demographic variables (sex and age), personality traits, and ER strategies to 10 school-related achievement emotions. A sample of 330 fourth, sixth, and seventh-grade students completed measures of Big Five personality traits, two behavioral (Actively Approaching and Withdrawal) and two cognitive (Positive Refocusing and Catastrophizing) ER strategies, and five positive (enjoyment, pride, hope, relief, and relaxation) and five negative (anxiety, anger, shame, hopelessness, and boredom) school-related emotions. Linear mixed models were estimated, with variables entered hierarchically, to assess the additive contribution of each group of factors. Results showed that females reported higher anxiety and lower boredom, while older students reported lower positive and higher negative emotions. Personality traits and ER strategies displayed consistent patterns of associations across emotions: Extraversion, Conscientiousness, Openness, Actively Approaching, and Positive Refocusing were associated with higher positive emotions and lower negative emotions, and vice versa for Neuroticism, Withdrawal, and Catastrophizing. Despite the cross-sectional design, which limits causal interpretations, these findings highlight the role of both stable individual characteristics (sex, age, and personality) and more malleable factors (ER strategies) in students’ emotional experiences at school. The results may inform future research and interventions aimed at promoting adaptive ER in educational settings.

Given the paucity of brief self-report instruments to assess youth's personality, this study aimed to develop the 15-item Dichotomous Big Five Inventory-2 (BFI-2-15D) and to preliminarily test its psychometric properties. It consists of a 15-item adaptation of the BFI-2 for children and adolescents, which considers the breadth of the 5 traits and is rated on a dichotomous scale. In a sample of 970 7- to 12-year-olds, we found support for its factorial structure, invariant across sex and age level. Despite expected drawbacks in internal consistency, corrected item-total correlations were adequate across all dimensions. Moreover, the BFI-2-15D shows evidence consistent with discriminant and concurrent validity. Notwithstanding limitations, this brief questionnaire may represent a useful alternative to longer instruments in research contexts characterized by time constraints and when it is important to reduce respondents' fatigue and cognitive load.

Emotion regulation is crucial for managing academic failures. Little research has explored adolescents' emotion regulation strategy profiles and their correlates at school. Through a person-centered approach, we identified profiles based on four emotion regulation strategies (self-blame, catastrophizing, positive reappraisal, and positive refocusing) and examined their predictors (gender, socioeconomic status, and prior achievement) and outcomes (test anxiety, academic buoyancy, and later achievement). We involved 535 British students in Year 12 (Mage = 16.40 years, 71% girls). A subsample of them (n = 318, 74% girls) was also involved in Year 13. Latent profile analysis revealed four profiles: low self-blame and catastrophizing, balanced average strategy use, high positive reappraisal and positive refocusing, and high self-blame and catastrophizing. The latter profile was more common among girls and associated with higher test anxiety and lower buoyancy. Despite limitations, these findings inform interventions to enhance school-related emotion regulation by considering individual differences. Educational relevance statement This study revealed that adolescent students could be clustered into different profiles based on the ways they used to regulate the emotions resulting from academic failures. Members of a profile marked by high self-blame and catastrophizing were predominantly female and showed elevated levels of test anxiety along with limited ability to cope with everyday school-related stressors. These findings underscore the importance of implementing interventions in schools to promote adaptive emotion regulation strategies.

Control-value theory (CVT) is a robust framework for understanding the antecedents of achievement emotions. However, few studies examined the interaction between control and value appraisals across a broad range of emotions. The aim of this study was to explore the interactive role of control and value in predicting 10 achievement emotions-three positive activating emotions (enjoyment, pride, and hope), two positive deactivating emotions (relief and relaxation), three negative activating emotions (anxiety, anger, and shame), and two negative deactivating emotions (hopelessness and boredom)-felt in relation to the academic setting of studying. We recruited 166 and 126 Italian university students attending two consecutive psychological modules (General Psychology and Developmental and Educational Psychology) within the same degree programme. Data were collected via self-report questionnaires, with partial overlap between samples, as a substantial proportion of students participated in both modules. Through regression analyses, control and value showed the expected pattern of associations, being positively related to positive emotions and negatively related to negative emotions. Evidence for interaction effects was limited across emotions and modules: significant interactions emerged for anger and shame in the first module and for enjoyment and relaxation in the second, although these effects were generally small in magnitude. Overall, the findings provide partial support for CVT assumptions, suggesting that value may moderate the relation between control and achievement emotions in specific contexts, but not in a consistent or uniform way across emotional outcomes.

Epistemic emotions concerning knowledge building or generation are important for higher education (HE) students, yet little is known about how they relate to generative artificial intelligence (AI). Guided by Pekrun’s generalized Control-Value Theory (CVT), we examined epistemic emotions associated with ChatGPT use. The sample comprised 11,427 HE students representing 127 countries (based on self-reported citizenship), who completed an online survey. Structural equation modeling showed positive relations between ChatGPT use and ChatGPT control and value. ChatGPT control was positively related to curiosity and negatively related to surprise, enjoyment, anxiety, frustration, and boredom, whereas ChatGPT value was positively related to the three positive emotions and anxiety, and negatively related to the remaining negative emotions (i.e., confusion, frustration, and boredom). The model showed broad comparability across the gender, study field, and developmental-context groups represented in the sample, providing qualified support for the cross-group stability of the relations proposed by the CVT. A linear mixed model indicated that positive emotions were more frequent than negative emotions and identified modest differences across developmental contexts. Overall, these findings provide descriptive evidence of how ChatGPT use, control, and value are associated with HE students’ epistemic emotions and may inform the future development and evaluation of educational practices, while not supporting causal or prescriptive policy conclusions.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0315011.].

The ability to effectively use different emotion regulation (ER) strategies across situations—i.e., ER flexibility (ERF)—plays a key role in emotional intelligence and social functioning. However, it has rarely been studied in young people, partly due to the lack of age-appropriate measurement instruments. This study investigated children’s perceptions of ERF by adapting an adult scale and proposing the 10-item Emotion Regulation Flexibility Questionnaire for Children (ERFQ-C). A sample of 346 children aged 9–12 years was recruited, who completed the ERFQ-C along with questionnaires assessing emotion malleability and school-related well-being. First, the analyses confirmed the scale’s unidimensional structure and measurement invariance across sex and school level. Second, the scale showed adequate fit to the Rasch model, and item scores were converted into Rasch scores. Third, path analyses indicated that emotion malleability was positively associated with ERF perception, which, in turn, was positively associated with school-related well-being. Notwithstanding the limitations of self-report data, the instrument can be used in future research to advance theoretical understanding of the intertwinement between perceived ERF and other constructs related to children’s functioning (e.g., emotional intelligence) and inform interventions aimed at improving youth well-being.

BACKGROUND:Students' achievement emotions (AEs) are closely linked to their social environment. Consistent with control-value theory (CVT), extensive research has confirmed the relevance of control and value appraisals as antecedents of AEs. However, limited attention has been paid to the relations among students' perceptions of teaching practices, control and value appraisals, and AEs. AIMS:We investigated the associations among teaching practices (conceptualized based on CVT's distinction among task emotional and motivational qualities, autonomy support, and social interactions), control and value appraisals, and AEs. SAMPLE:The sample comprised 1538 fourth- and seventh-grade students (Mage = 11.10, SDage = 1.57; 51.24% females). METHODS:Students self-reported Positive Teaching (referred to as displayed teacher enthusiasm and value-related motivational messages), Student Involvement, Teacher Warmth, control and value in mathematics, and AEs in mathematics lessons and tests. RESULTS:Two structural equation models showed that Positive Teaching and Teacher Warmth were positively associated with control and value. Control showed a largely consistent pattern of positive associations with positive emotions and negative associations with negative emotions, whereas value showed a more differentiated pattern, including positive associations with anxiety. Also, a pattern of associations involving the two appraisals emerged, especially for control appraisals in the relations between Teacher Warmth and enjoyment, pride, relaxation, and anxiety across the two settings. Configural, metric, and (partial for school level) scalar invariance across sex and school level was supported, as well as structural invariance. CONCLUSIONS:Our findings extend the generalizability of CVT and offer insights for supporting students' AEs through positive teaching practices.

Personality can be described by referring to the so-called Big Five traits, that is, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism, and Openness. These dimensions contribute to explaining individual differences not only in adults but also in children and adolescents. Although many authors used adult or other-report instruments to assess the Big Five in young people, others developed or adapted specific self-report measures for them. A systematic overview of research articles developing or validating self-report questionnaires to measure the Big Five traits in children and/or adolescents is currently absent. Accordingly, a review of the literature seems necessary to better guide practitioners and researchers interested in this assessment. We consulted PsycINFO, PubMed, and Scopus. We extracted 20 articles from the initial 1449 records and another 4 articles by consulting their references. They described 10 questionnaires developed for 7-18-year-olds (with one exception). We provided detailed summaries of their language, trait labels, facets, length, item types, response scale, and item development or selection procedure. The structural validity and internal consistency of the selected questionnaires were evaluated by adapting the COSMIN guideline. All the questionnaires reflect an attempt to consider the cognitive skills and individual experiences that characterize children and/or adolescents. However, our findings highlighted some limitations in the validity or reliability of some of them. These results can provide guidance for selecting the most appropriate instrument depending on the contextual needs and for developing or adapting new questionnaires for this age group.

Beliefs about the ability to control emotions are related to emotional and interpersonal outcomes as well as school achievement, and can be shaped through interventions possibly in the early school years. However, they were rarely studied with children, partly for lack of measurement instruments. We investigated elementary school students' beliefs about malleability of positive and negative emotions by developing the Robust Incremental Beliefs about Emotion Scale for elementary school Children (RIBES-C). We tested its reliability and validity with 1,420 second and fourth-graders. We used a combined approach with exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, and Rasch modeling. Factor analyses supported the RIBES-C bidimensional structure, for positive and negative emotions. Rasch modeling permitted to transform the RIBES-C into an instrument respecting the properties of fundamental measurement. Validity of the scale was supported by yielding positive correlations of incremental beliefs with well-being, coping, and inhibition. Limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.

The Big Five Inventory-2 (BFI-2) is one of the most used questionnaires to assess personality traits. Its main strength regards the possibility of distinguishing the five traits into 15 facets. Despite its extended usage and validation, there is still room for research to explore its structure and potential. For instance, an examination of the facets through Rasch Analysis (RA) has not been developed yet. We investigated the psychometric properties of the BFI-2 by applying the RA (obtaining the BFI-2-R), in addition to traditional analyses, in an Italian sample of 5362 adults. First, we conducted five confirmatory factor analyses, which supported the three-facet structure of each of the five traits. This structure resulted invariant at the scalar level across sex. Second, for each facet we checked and confirmed the necessary assumptions for applying the RA (i.e., about monotonicity, local independence, unidimensionality, and differential item functioning). We then found that our data fit the Rasch model for each facet. Finally, based on the Rasch scores, we documented the discriminant and convergent validity of the BFI-2-R. Overall, the findings support the goodness of the BFI-2-R and permit to extend research on the Big Five with an instrument considering the properties of fundamental measurement.

The paper presents the most comprehensive and large-scale global study to date on how higher education students perceived the use of ChatGPT in early 2024. With a sample of 23,218 students from 109 countries and territories, the study reveals that students primarily used ChatGPT for brainstorming, summarizing texts, and finding research articles, with a few using it for professional and creative writing. They found it useful for simplifying complex information and summarizing content, but less reliable for providing information and supporting classroom learning, though some considered its information clearer than that from peers and teachers. Moreover, students agreed on the need for AI regulations at all levels due to concerns about ChatGPT promoting cheating, plagiarism, and social isolation. However, they believed ChatGPT could potentially enhance their access to knowledge and improve their learning experience, study efficiency, and chances of achieving good grades. While ChatGPT was perceived as effective in potentially improving AI literacy, digital communication, and content creation skills, it was less useful for interpersonal communication, decision-making, numeracy, native language proficiency, and the development of critical thinking skills. Students also felt that ChatGPT would boost demand for AI-related skills and facilitate remote work without significantly impacting unemployment. Emotionally, students mostly felt positive using ChatGPT, with curiosity and calmness being the most common emotions. Further examinations reveal variations in students' perceptions across different socio-demographic and geographic factors, with key factors influencing students' use of ChatGPT also being identified. Higher education institutions' managers and teachers may benefit from these findings while formulating the curricula and instructions/regulations for ChatGPT use, as well as when designing the teaching methods and assessment tools. Moreover, policymakers may also consider the findings when formulating strategies for secondary and higher education system development, especially in light of changing labor market needs and related digital skills development.

This work investigated the goodness of a Drawing Set for assessing children’s achievement emotions, to be used together with a short form of the Achievement Emotions Adjective List (DS-AEAL). We considered control-value theory as the main theoretical framework. In Study 1, we developed a set of 10 drawings of faces representing enjoyment, pride, hope, relief, relaxation, anxiety, anger, shame, sadness, and boredom, involving 259 adults as raters. In Study 2, we administered a matching task and a labelling task to 89 adults. The results supported the goodness of the correspondence between the DS-AEAL and the verbal labels. In Study 3, we proposed the same tasks to 192 7-year-olds and 10-year-olds. We found age differences, with lower performance for younger children in line with their less-developed abilities in recognition and recall. Overall, recognition and recall were better for primary compared to secondary emotions. Notwithstanding their preliminary nature, our results support the goodness of the DS-AEAL to assess achievement emotions in various learning contexts, together with the corresponding verbal labels. It can satisfy research and educational purposes, primarily in academic contexts such as the school, where reliable, valid, and easy-to-administer methods are essential.

School-related wellbeing refers to the overall balance between students’ negative and positive aspects. Achievement emotions are those emotions related to school activities and outcomes. The two constructs are closely intertwined, but the nature of their relationship and the possible role of personality as their antecedent is yet unexplored. Therefore, we investigated the relationships between personality, achievement emotions, and school-related wellbeing through a quantitative cross-sectional approach. Given the lack of research using other-report approaches, we involved 384 mothers of fourth and seventh-graders who assessed their offspring’s personality, achievement emotions, and school-related wellbeing. We preliminarily checked the fit of two alternative models: the first with personality considered as an antecedent of achievement emotions which were, in turn, antecedents of school-related wellbeing; the second inverting the positions of emotions and wellbeing. The first model had the better fit. Therefore, we ran a path analysis deleting non-significant paths, which confirmed that personality was linked to achievement emotions, in turn, connected with school-related wellbeing. We also identified class level and sex differences in personality, achievement emotions, and school-related wellbeing. The present study extends the knowledge of how students’ personality traits act as risk or protective factors for school-related emotions and wellbeing, urging teachers to focus on students with at-risk characteristics.

Trauma scientists have raised the alarm about the devastating consequences of the Ukraine war on mental health. We examined how higher education students—as indirect victims—coped with this conflict and how they emotionally reacted during 2022. We involved 2314 students from 16 countries through an online survey. A structural equation model indicated significant relations between war-related worry about military and macroeconomics domains and two coping strategies (opposition, support giving), in turn significantly linked with six emotions. The model was strongly invariant across gender, study field, and geographic area. The most frequent emotions were anger and anxiety, followed by two future-centred emotions (hopelessness and hope). Emotions were more frequent for females and students of the countries geographically close to the war region. Our findings call for evidence-based policy recommendations to be implemented by institutions to combat the negative short and long-term psychological sequelae of being witnesses of armed conflicts.

Research has demonstrated that positive intergroup contact improves intergroup relations among children. However, empirical evidence about how positive and negative intergroup contact relates to intergroup outcomes at different ages is scant. By combining theories and empirical evidence in social and developmental psychology, this study aimed to examine positive and negative intergroup contact in a sample of N = 394, 9 and 12-year-old Italian children (females and males). We expected to find interactive effects of positive and negative intergroup contact on outgroup trust and behavioural intentions. Furthermore, for both types of contact, we predicted that associations with intergroup outcomes (outgroup trust, behavioural intentions) would be stronger among older than younger children. Results provided support for the interactive effects of positive and negative intergroup contact (bs >= .08, ps <= .08, interaction coefficients), but not for age-related differences. Negative intergroup contact facilitated the effects of positive intergroup contact and positive intergroup contact buffered the effects of negative intergroup contact. These findings suggest that intergroup relations in childhood can be improved by creating opportunities for positive intergroup contact in educational and social settings.

EDITORIAL article Front. Psychol., 05 October 2023Sec. Health Psychology Volume 14 - 2023 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1285573