This paper provides a comprehensive overview of Psychology in the Schools ( PITS ), the second-longest-running journal in the field of school psychology. Since its founding in 1964, PITS has served as a central outlet for research and practice focused on the intersection of psychology and education, with an emphasis on advancing the practice of school psychology. The paper highlights the enduring legacy of PITS in advancing school psychology practice, including the journal's origins, editorial leadership, and evolving scope, including contributions from editors William A. Hunt, B. Claude Mathis, Gerald B. Fuller, LeAdelle Phelps, David E. McIntosh, and the incoming editor Shane R. Jimerson. A decade-by-decade analysis illustrates the major themes represented in the journal, including role definition and assessment in the 1960s, consultation and behavior change in the 1970s, mainstreaming and intervention research in the 1980s, data-based decision-making and discipline in the 1990s, workforce issues and Response to Intervention (RTI) in the 2000s, equity and prevention science in the 2010s, and mental health, crisis readiness, and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) in the 2020s. The article also highlights the contemporary emphasis of PITS in advancing the practice of school psychology internationally. Representative articles from each decade are cited and summarized, demonstrating how PITS has consistently bridged research and practice to support students, educators, and the profession of school psychology. The article also describes the vision of the leadership team, emphasizing three intertwined priorities: strengthening the quality and timeliness of the peer review process, advancing rigorous scholarship that directly informs practice, and expanding diversity, equity, and inclusion across the journal's leadership, contributors, and published research.

BackgroundEngagement in the academic community is increasingly recognized as a crucial aspect of students' social integration in higher education, with implications for persistence, academic success, and wellbeing. However, its assessment remains problematic, as existing instruments often blur the distinction between community engagement and learning engagement, obscuring their distinct predictive value.ObjectivesThe primary objectives of this research were to clarify the construct of student engagement in the academic community and, in doing so, to develop and validate a short measure that encompasses proactive engagement beyond the three traditional dimensions: identity with the academy, relational, and participatory engagement.MethodsTo achieve this second objective, two empirical studies were conducted. Study 1 involved developing the “Higher Education Student Engagement in the Academic Community: A Short Scale” via an exploratory factor analysis. Study 2 examined the scale's reliability and validity through confirmatory factor analysis.ResultsThe results supported the four-dimensional structure of the new scale, confirming its robust psychometric properties and practical utility.ConclusionThese findings hold significant implications for educators and researchers alike. The research also addresses its limitations, highlights the advantages of utilizing this short scale, and suggests future investigation.

Student engagement plays a vital role in higher education due to its significant influence on academic outcomes, such as academic achievement and course completion. However, the concept of student engagement is often ambiguously defined, with a lack of distinction between engagement in learning and involvement in the academic community. Although the current student engagement measures have contributed to advancing knowledge in the area, they are often too long and exclude agentic engagement, which is seen as a key dimension in higher education. This research aimed to (a) clarify the concept of student engagement and the conceptual problems of the existing scales and (b) develop and validate a short, robust scale for measuring student engagement in learning activities, including agentic engagement. We conducted three studies with Portuguese higher education students: Study 1 developed the Higher Education Student Engagement in Learning Activities - a Short Scale, using exploratory factor analysis to assess cognitive, affective, behavioral, and agentic dimensions. Study 2 and Study 3, with different samples, evaluated the reliability and validity of the developed scale through confirmatory factor analysis. The results highlight the importance of a four-dimensional conceptual approach to student engagement and provide a validated framework for its measurement. This short scale clarifies the distinction between engagement in learning and in the academic community, and introduces agentic engagement as a key dimension. It offers a valuable tool for assessing student engagement in higher education, with implications for enhancing academic practices and outcomes.

Research over recent decades has confirmed the critical role of student engagement in adolescent learning, achievement, and development. However, studies quantity and diffusion make further up-to-date systematization necessary. This study aims to contribute to this effort by focusing on multidimensional student engagement research, published in the last decade, focusing on adolescence. Following a previous protocol, a scoping review was conducted using eight scientific literature databases. From an initial set of 849 studies, 135 were selected. Results showed the increase of research in quantity and geographical breadth, the strive for consistency, the relevance of the threefold approach (behavioral, emotional, and cognitive), the value of student engagement for adolescents’ health and school adjustment, and the key role played by teacher-student relations, school environment, and individual strengths. In addition, suggestions highlighted methodological improvements, the study of new variables, and, regarding promotion, the balance between wide school approaches and attention to students’ specific needs.

Abstract Teaching is global, so the purpose of this chapter is to provide an international perspective on classroom instruction. In the first part, the authors summarize findings from two international investigations (conducted by others). The first is a video observational study involving eight nations reporting their typical teaching practices in terms of classroom management, social-emotional support, and quality of instruction. The second is a survey-based study involving 19 nations in which teachers self-reported their job satisfaction and teaching efficacy. In the second part, the authors invite educators from 19 different countries to participate in a virtual roundtable discussion to communicate what is special about teaching in their particular nation. Each educator answered this question: What can the rest of the world learn from what teachers in your nation do so well? The roundtable participants highlight their teachers’ work ethic, engagement in professional learning communities, commitment to inclusion and democratic education, and opportunities for both autonomy and collaboration.

Resumo Avaliar o engajamento escolar é crucial para identificar alunos em risco de evasão e monitorar o progresso acadêmico. O objetivo deste estudo foi construir e obter evidências de validade para uma Escala de Engajamento dos Alunos na Escola Inferido por Professores (EEAE-IP). Participaram do estudo 488 alunos do 2ª ao 5ª ano do Ensino Fundamental de escolas de Minas Gerais. A EEAE-IP apresenta boas propriedades psicométricas, com Análise Fatorial Confirmatória atestando o modelo de quatro fatores (comportamental, cognitivo, afetivo e agente). A evidência da consistência interna da escala foi boa com um Alfa de Crombach de 0,92 e a fidedignidade interobservador sugere que o construto é avaliado da mesma forma por diferentes observadores. A EEAE-IP é de rápida aplicação e utiliza o professor como informante. Sugerimos novos estudos que forneçam dados para a validade em outras populações. Este estudo reforça o papel da EEAE-IP em futuras pesquisas psicoeducacionais.

Student engagement in school needs to be considered when comparing immigrant and native students, particularly at a time of increasing migratory movements throughout the world. Differences in cognitive, affective, behavioral, and agentic student engagement dimensions were examined for students with immigrant and native parents, and for early and middle adolescence. A four-dimensional measure of student engagement was completed by 643 students (52.7% women). Results indicated that: students with native parents present higher cognitive and agentic engagement than students with immigrant parents; early adolescents are more cognitively engaged than middle adolescents; early adolescents with native parents present higher cognitive engagement than early adolescents with immigrant parents and middle adolescents. These results contribute to knowledge advancement, enhancing the understanding of student engagement with immigrant and native parents during early and middle adolescence, which might stimulate additional research moving towards a more inclusive school. Based on the findings and conclusions from this study, possibilities for future research and political-educational recommendations are presented.

Erikson’s psychosocial development is a well-known and sound framework for adolescent development. However, despite its importance in scientific literature, the scarcity of literature reviews on Erikson’s theory on adolescence calls for an up-to-date systematization. Therefore, this study’s objectives are to understand the extent and nature of published research on Erikson’s psychosocial development in adolescence (10–19 years) in the last decade (2011–2020) and identify directions for meaningful research and intervention. A scoping review was conducted following Arksey and O’Malley’s framework, PRISMA-ScR guidelines, and a previous protocol, including a comprehensive search in eight databases. From 932 initial studies, 58 studies were selected. These studies highlighted the burgeoning research on Erikson’s approach, with a more significant representation of North American and European studies. The focus of most studies was on identity formation, presenting cross-cultural evidence of its importance in psychosocial development. Most of the studies used quantitative designs presenting a high number of different measures. Regarding topics and variables, studies emphasized the critical role of identity in adolescents’ development and well-being and the relevance of supporting settings in psychosocial development. However, shortcomings were found regarding the study of online and school as privileged developmental settings for adolescents. Suggestions included the need to consider the process of identity formation in the context of lifespan development and invest in supporting adolescents’ identity formation. Overall, conclusions point out Erikson’s relevance in understanding adolescents’ current challenges while offering valuable research and intervention directions to enhance adolescent growth potential.

Context: The study of Psychological well-being and Developmental assets highlights adolescent participation in organized activities. Goal: To deepen the relation of Psychological wellbeing and Developmental assets with the participation in extracurricular and solidarity activities. Method: The study included 201 students from the 6th, 9th and 11th grades from a Portuguese private school and used the Psychological Well-being Scale for adolescents, the Developmental Assets Profile, and three questions about activity participation. Results: It was found that a high number of the students participate in both type of activities. This participation diminishes over the years. The correlations with Psychological well-being and Developmental assets strengthen the potential of the participation in both types of activities for adolescent well-being and development. Differences in correlations suggest a stronger connection between the participation in extracurricular activities and self-esteem, and between the participation in solidarity activities and self-realization, personal growth, and resilience. Conclusions: Valorisation of the opportunities for participation in the two types of activities in educational contexts, with emphasis to school settings. Suggestions for future studies are presented.

Abstract Within the scope of socio-cognitive theories, student engagement in school has been studied as a multidimensional construct. A four-dimensional perspective was adopted, with the dimensions: affective, cognitive, behavioural and agentic. The objective, to analyse how the variables age and parental education relate to student engagement in school. The sample consisted of 715 Portuguese public Higher Education students from the Lisbon area. The data was collected through an online survey, which included the Student Engagement in School: a Four-Dimensional Scale – Higher Education Version. Data analysis not only revealed that students of age 26 or older scored considerably higher results in engagement than younger colleagues, but also highlighted significant differences of engagement in the affective, behavioural and agentic dimensions, depending on parental education. The results, while partially corroborating the revised literature, suggest future in-depth studies.

espanolIntroduccion: En Portugal, la repeticion escolar presenta cifras preocupantes. El analisis del indicador Rutas directas del exito, creado por el Ministerio de Educacion, muestra que la mayoria de los estudiantes que deberian haber finalizado el tercer ciclo o la educacion secundaria en 2019 no lo hace sin fallar un ano o fallar en al menos uno de los examenes nacionales: en un universo de 456.368 estudiantes, solo 201.937 (44%) tenian el llamado camino directo del exito. (Fuente: http://infoescolas.mec.pt/ 02/2019) Objetivos: El objetivo principal de este estudio es determinar si los estudiantes que habian repetido curso fueron los que mostraron al principio del ano escolar menos compromiso emocional en comparacion con los estudiantes que promocionan. Metodos: La muestra comprende estudiantes del decimo grado de una escuela secundaria en Lisboa, y los datos se recopilaron utilizando una escala propuesta por Veiga (2013, 2014, 2016). La participacion del estudiante en la escuela (EAE-E4D) se produjo al final del primer trimestre. Resultados: Surgieron diferencias considerables entre los dos grupos en todos los items de la dimension afectiva. El grupo de repetidores tuvo los peores resultados. Conclusion: El compromiso afectivo de los estudiantes es crucial para el exito academico, y la escuela debe promoverlo a traves de estrategias que puedan proporcionar su bienestar y evitar la repeticion de curso en el ambito escolar. EnglishIntroduction: In Portugal, the retention in school presents worrying figures. The indicator Direct Paths to Success, created by the Ministry of Education, shows that the majority of students who did not finish secondary school in 2019 was because they failed a year or had a negative score in at least one of the national exams. Out of a universe of 456,368 students, only 201,937 (44%) had the so-called direct success path. (Source: http://infoescolas.mec.pt/ 02/2019) Objetives: The main goal of this study is to inquire if the students who had been held back were the ones who showed at the beginning of the school year less emotional commitment in comparison with students that moved forward. Methods: The sample comprises 330 students from the 10th grade of a secondary school in Lisbon, and the data were collected using a scale proposed by Veiga (2013, 2014, 2016) – Student’s Engagement in School (EAE-E4D), at the end of the first school term. Results: Considerable differences emerged between the two groups in all the items of the affective dimension. The group retained had the worst results. Conclusion: The students’ affective engagement is crucial for academic success, and school should promote it through strategies that can provide their well-being and prevent retention. portuguesIntroducao: A retencao escolar em Portugal assume valores preocupantes. A analise ao indicador Percursos Diretos de Sucesso, criado pelo Ministerio da Educacao, permite perceber que a maioria dos alunos que deveria ter terminado o 3.o ciclo ou o ensino secundario em 2019 nao o conseguiu fazer sem reprovar um ano ou ter negativa em, pelo menos, um dos exames nacionais: num universo de 456.368 estudantes, apenas 201.937 (44%) tiveram o chamado “percurso direto de sucesso”. (Fonte: http://infoescolas.mec.pt/ 02/2019) Objetivos: O objetivo do presente estudo foi averiguar se os alunos que reprovaram de ano foram os que revelaram no inicio do ano letivo menos envolvimento afetivo na escola quando comparados com os alunos que transitaram de ano Metodos: A amostra e constituida por 330 alunos do 10o ano de uma escola secundaria do distrito de Lisboa. Para a recolha dos dados foi utilizada a escala Envolvimento dos Alunos na Escola (EAE-E4D), elaborada por Veiga (2013, 2014, 2016), que foi passada no final do primeiro periodo. Resultados: encontraram-se diferencas significativas entre os dois grupos em todos os itens da dimensao afetiva, tendo o grupo que reprovou piores resultados. Conclusoes: conclui-se assim que o envolvimento afetivo dos alunos na escola e importante para o sucesso academico e que a escola deve promover estrategias para promover esse envolvimento no sentido de proporcionar bem-estar aos alunos e prevenir a retencao escolar.

Enquadramento: No estudo do Bem-estar psicológico e dos Recursos de desenvolvimento, destaca-se a participação dos adolescentes em atividades organizadas. Objetivo: Aprofundar a relação do Bem-estar psicológico e dos Recursos de desenvolvimento com a participação em atividades extracurriculares e de solidariedade. Metodologia: O estudo incluiu 201 alunos do 6º, 9º e 11º ano de uma escola particular portuguesa e usou a Escala de Bem-Estar Psicológico para Adolescentes, o Developmental Assets Profile e três questões sobre a participação nas atividades. Resultados: Encontrou-se um número elevado de alunos que participam em atividades dos dois tipos. A participação diminui ao longo da adolescência. As correlações com o Bem-estar psicológico e os Recursos de desenvolvimento reforçam o potencial da participação nos dois tipos de atividade para o bem-estar e o desenvolvimento dos adolescentes. As diferentes correlações sugerem uma maior ligação da participação em atividades extracurriculares com a auto-estima, e entre a participação em atividades de solidariedade com a autorrealização, o crescimento pessoal e a resiliência. Conclusões: Valorização das oportunidades de participação em atividades dos dois tipos nos contextos educativos, com destaque para a escola. São apresentadas sugestões para estudos futuros.

Introduction: In Portugal, the retention in school presents worrying figures. The indicator "Direct Paths to Success", created by the Ministry of Education, shows that the majority of students who did not finish secondary school in 2019 was because they failed a year or had a negative score in at least one of the national exams. Out of a universe of 456,368 students, only 201,937 (44%) had the so-called "direct success path". (Source: http://infoescolas.mec.pt/ 02/2019) Objetives: The main goal of this study is to inquire if the students who had been held back were the ones who showed at the beginning of the school year less emotional commitment in comparison with students that moved forward. Methods: The sample comprises 330 students from the 10th grade of a secondary school in Lisbon, and the data were collected using a scale proposed by Veiga (2013, 2014, 2016) – Student’s Engagement in School (EAE-E4D), at the end of the first school term. Results: Considerable differences emerged between the two groups in all the items of the affective dimension. The group retained had the worst results. Conclusion: The students’ affective engagement is crucial for academic success, and school should promote it through strategies that can provide their well-being and prevent retention.

Enquadramento: No estudo do desenvolvimento psicossocial na adolescência atual, destacam-se duas perspectivas: (1) o bem-estar psicológico; e (2) os recursos de desenvolvimento. Objetivo: Neste contexto, procedeu-se à caracterização do bem-estar psicológico e dos recursos de desenvolvimento em adolescentes de uma escola portuguesa. Metodologia: A amostra incluiu 201 alunos do 6º, 9º e 11º anos. Foi utilizado um instrumento de avaliação do bem-estar psicológico e um de avaliação dos recursos de desenvolvimento. Resultados: Apresenta-se a distribuição dos alunos por níveis de bem-estar psicológico e por recursos de desenvolvimento, consideram-se as diferenças significativas entre alunos do 6º, do 9º e do 11º ano nas dimensões do bem-estar psicológico e dos recursos de desenvolvimento, bem como as correlações entre estas dimensões.

The present study analyzes the impact of parenting styles on adolescents’ self-esteem and internalization of social values in three countries, Spain, Portugal and Brazil. The sample of the study was comprised of 2091 adolescents from Spain (n = 793), Portugal (n = 675), and Brazil (n = 623) from 12–18 years old (52.1% females). The four types of parenting styles, authoritative, indulgent, authoritarian and neglectful, were measured through the warmth and strictness dimensions of the Scale of Parental Socialization ESPA29. The two criteria variables were captured with the five dimensions of the AF5, Five-Factor Self-Concept Questionnaire, and with self-transcendence and conservation Schwartz values. Results confirm emergent research in parenting socialization: the use of parental warmth is evidenced as key for adolescent self-esteem and internalization of social values in the three countries analyzed. Indulgent and authoritative parenting (both characterized by parental warmth) are associated with the highest value internalization in the three countries. Furthermore, indulgent parenting (use of warmth) is associated with the highest adolescent self-esteem, overcoming authoritative parenting (use of warmth and strictness). The influence of parenting over adolescent self-esteem and values internalization is maintained independent of the differences in self-esteem and value priorities observed in the cultural context, the sex and age of the participants.