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PubMed2005

Nocturnal arterial oxygen saturation and academic performance in a community sample of children.

OBJECTIVE: Hypoxemia, often assessed via pulse oximetry, is associated with neurocognitive deficits in children. The best way to qualify hypoxemia, or which level of hypoxemia already affects cognition, is unknown. METHODS: We assessed the association of pulse oximetry-derived variables that qualify hypoxemia with impaired academic performance in mathematics in a population-based cross-section of 995 primary school children who underwent overnight home recordings of motion-resistant new-generation pulse oximeter saturation (SpO2). Impaired academic performance in mathematics was based on the last school report and defined as grade 4 to 6 on a 6-point scale (ie, approximately the lowest quintile grades). RESULTS: Of 10 variables under study, only the nadir of the SpO2 values was significantly associated with impaired performance. Categories of this variable representing mild (ie, 91%-93% SpO2; odds ratio: 1.65; 95% confidence interval: 1.06-2.56) and moderate hypoxemia (ie, < or =90% SpO2 ; odds ratio: 2.28; 95% confidence interval: 1.30-4.01) both were associated with impaired performance in mathematics. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest using the nadir of the SpO2 values in an overnight study to qualify hypoxemia in future studies. This variable may predict neurocognitive deficits in school children. Mild hypoxemia, as yet widely considered benign, may already affect cognition in childhood. SpO2

Achievement↗
PubMedDate not supplied

University entry scores as a predictor of academic performance in a health information management program.

The university entry scores for school leavers admitted to the first year of the Bachelor of Applied Science (Health Information Management) degree at the University of Sydney in 1996 were examined to determine whether the Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER) was a good predictor of academic performance, as measured by grade point average (GPA). The study also examined Higher School Certificate (HSC) results in English and mathematics, and preference selection for the health information management (HIM) course to determine whether any of these had predictive validity. The results showed that TER, HSC English and mathematics scores and preference for the course were all poor predictors of academic performance in the student's first year. Low TER was not associated with low GPA and low scores in English and mathematics were not associated with low GPA. There was no significant difference between the performance of those students who listed the HIM course as their first preference and those who did not. These results suggest that there may be no need to establish a minimum entry level for admission to the HIM course, or for prerequisites in English and mathematics. It may be that multiple criteria are required to predict academic success in this course.

Achievement↗
PubMed1996

Entry age, entry mode and academic performance on a Project 2000 common foundation programme.

With the increasing academic expectations in the United Kingdom arising from the demands of the recently-introduced Diploma in Higher Education/Registration course (Project 2000) and with fairly substantial proportions of both unqualified (DC test) and mature entrants being admitted onto the course, a study was carried out into the relationship between entry age, entry qualifications and academic performance on the common foundation programme, which lasts for the first 18 months of the course. The entry data and common foundation programme results of each student from the first three intakes, 258 in total, were reviewed. A different subject design was used for the study in which students were placed into one of four groups, according to entry age and entry qualifications, which were: (a) 17-21 conventional entry requirements met; (b) 22 + conventional entry requirements met; (c) 17-21 unqualified (DC test entrant), and (d) 22 + unqualified (DC test entrant). Results indicated that the performance of most mature students, whether qualified or not, was above average, with the qualified group securing the best results of any of the four groups. Among the 17-21 age group, while the qualified performed as expected, the unqualified performed the worst of any of the four groups, registering both a high discontinuation rate and low overall mean scores for the programme. No improvement in the relative performance of the 17-21 unqualified group was noted over the three cohorts and there were indications that under-performance among the unqualified group extended beyond the 17-21 age range. In terms of recruitment, results could indicate a need for a change in policy, with evidence of proven academic ability being required from all younger applicants. If continued recruitment of unqualified younger students is planned, then a more vigorously targeted policy of academic support and guidance for these students will be required. Without this, it seems likely that poor performance and high wastage among this group will continue.

Achievement↗
PubMed2002

Diet, breakfast, and academic performance in children.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether nutrient intake and academic and psychosocial functioning improve after the start of a universal-free school breakfast program (USBP). METHODS: Information was gathered from 97 inner city students prior to the start of a USBP and again after the program had been in place for 6 months. Students who had total energy intakes of <50% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) and/or 2 or more micronutrients of <50% of RDA were considered to be at nutritional risk. RESULTS: Prior to the USBP, 33% of all study children were classified as being at nutritional risk. Children who were at nutritional risk had significantly poorer attendance, punctuality, and grades at school, more behavior problems, and were less likely to eat breakfast at school than children who were not at nutritional risk. Six months after the start of the free school breakfast programs, students who decreased their nutritional risk showed significantly greater: improvements in attendance and school breakfast participation, decreases in hunger, and improvements in math grades and behavior than children who did not decrease their nutritional risk. CONCLUSION: Participation in a school breakfast program enhanced daily nutrient intake and improvements in nutrient intake were associated with significant improvements in student academic performance and psychosocial functioning and decreases in hunger.

Absenteeism↗
PubMed2002

A pilot study. Depth perception and near stereoacuity: is it related to academic performance in young children?

PURPOSE: A study of the relationship between an overall measure of visual function at near, specifically stereoacuity, and academic performance in kindergarten through second grade was conducted. METHOD: One hundred seventeen children (mean age = 7.33 +/-0.97 years) from a middle class, suburban, elementary school participated in this masked investigation. The Randot 2 stereotest was used to measure stereoacuity at 40 cm. The relationship between stereoacuity and teachers' personal ratings of academic ability was analyzed because teachers' grades are a primary means of assessing school performance. The children's regular classroom teachers rated the children with respect to reading, mathematics, and writing ability. Children in the second grade (n = 47) were also rated on spelling ability. Only experienced teachers were included in the investigation and the validity of the teachers' rating was substantiated by significant correlations with standardized test scores. Teachers were masked to performance on the stereotest. RESULTS: Performance on the Randot was found to be "statistically significantly" (p=<0.05) and "medically-clinically significantly" related to standardized reading test scores (p=0.033) and teachers' personal ratings of reading (p<0.001), mathematics (p<0.001), writing (p<0.001) and spelling (p=0.048) ability. CONCLUSION: Good visual function at near, particularly good stereoacuity, is significantly correlated to academic performance.

Achievement↗
PubMed1997

Academic performance among children with sickle cell disease: setting minimum standards for comparison groups.

The conclusions from previous research on childhood adjustment to sickle cell disease (SCD) have been inconsistent. One possible explanation for this inconsistency is that such children sometimes have been compared to children with different demographic characteristics. This study examined whether 42 African-American children with sickle cell disease differ in academic performance from a comparison group of 26 with similar demographic characteristics. The two groups were similar by sex, age, race, and socioeconomic status. School data were collected for both groups. The differences between the two groups on academic performance were not significant. One implication of the findings is the importance of setting minimum standards for comparison groups in studies of children with sickle cell disease.

Achievement↗
PubMed2005

Perceived academic performance, self-esteem and locus of control as indicators of need for assessment of adolescent suicide risk: implications for teachers.

INTRODUCTION: There is currently a need for research into indicators that could be used by non-clinical professionals working with young people, to inform the need for referral for further clinical assessment of those at risk of suicide. METHOD: Participants of this repeated measures longitudinal study, were 2603, 2485, and 2246 school students aged 13, 14, and 15, respectively, from 27 South Australian Schools. RESULTS: Perceived academic performance, self-esteem and locus of control are significantly associated with suicidality. Further, logistic regression of longitudinal results suggests that perceived academic performance, over and above self-esteem and locus of control, in some instances, is a good long-term predictor of suicidality.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Visual factors that significantly impact academic performance.

BACKGROUND: Both race and socio-economic status are correlated to performance in the classroom. These two factors are inter-related, since minorities, proportion-wise, are more highly represented in the lower socio-economic strata. Inefficient visual skills have been shown to be more prevalent among minority groups and in low socio-economic groups. These inefficient visual skills impact the students' learning. This study was undertaken to discover the visual skills that were significantly correlated with academic performance problems. METHOD: A total of 2,659 examinations were performed on 540 children over the course of six examination periods, which were administered over three consecutive school years. Socio-economic, racial, and standardized academic performance data (Iowa Test of Basic Skills--ITBS) were furnished by the families and the school system. The visual and demographic data from the examinations were then compared to performance on the 21 subtests of the ITBS. RESULTS: Some visual factors were found to be a much better predictor of scores on the ITBS than either race or socio-economic status. Even though the significance of these two demographic variables was small, race and socio-economic variables were each significant in about a third of the 21 ITBS scores. CONCLUSION: Visual factors are significantly better predictors of academic success as measured by the ITBS than is race or socio-economics. Visual motor activities are better predictors of ITBS scores than are binocularity or accommodation. These latter skills were significant predictors also, but to a lesser degree.

Accommodation, Ocular↗
PubMed1989

Academic performance of reapplicants to a medical school.

This study examined the academic performance of 399 reapplicants who had entered the University of Alabama School of Medicine between 1978 and 1984. Compared with the first-time applicants, the reapplicants had lower preadmission measures and a higher rate of academic difficulty during medical school. However, applicant status (that is, first-time or reapplicant) added nothing to the prediction of academic difficulty over what could be predicted by preadmission measures alone: the students with lower preadmission measures were more likely to experience academic difficulty, regardless of their applicant status. Based on these results, reapplicants should not be viewed negatively simply because they are reapplicants.

Achievement↗
PubMed1985

Health status as a mediating factor in the life change-academic performance relationship.

This study was designed to determine whether illness during the academic year, when gender and academic readiness are controlled, is the variable accounting for the demonstrated relationship between life change index and subsequent academic performance. A weak though significant inverse association was found between life change and grades; this association persisted even after statistical adjustment for gender, academic readiness, and illness experience. There was no evidence that illness experience mediated the life change-performance relationship. The association was not subject to a threshold effect according to level of life change.

Achievement↗
PubMed1990

Academic performance of students admitted after repeating entrance examinations to medical school.

The academic performance of matched groups of students who did, or did not, repeat a year at school so as to achieve the entrance qualifications necessary for admission to medical school was assessed. Repeating students were asked to provide possible reasons for their failure to enter on their first attempt. Better performance was predicted, to a small extent, in those who offered internal attributions as an explanation for their initial failure. It was not predicted by actual entrance examination grades, either at first or second attempt. Repeating students as a group were clearly academically weaker throughout the medical course. The implications for medical school admission policy are examined.

Achievement↗
PubMed1986

Vision and academic performance of learning disabled children.

The purpose of this study was to assess difference in academic performance among myopic, hyperopic, and emmetropic children who were learning disabled. More specifically, myopic children were expected to perform better on mathematical and spatial tasks than would hyperopic ones and that hyperopic and emmetropic children would perform better on verbal measures than would myopic ones. For 439 learning disabled students visual anomalies were determined via a Generated Retinal Reflex Image Screening System. Test data were obtained from school files. Partial support for the hypothesis was obtained. Myopic learning disabled children outperformed hyperopic and emmetropic children on the Key Math test. Myopic children scored better than hyperopic children on the WRAT Reading subtest and on the Durrell Analysis of Reading Difficulty Oral Reading Comprehension, Oral Rate, Flashword, and Spelling subtests, and on the Key Math Measurement and Total Scores. Severity of refractive error significantly affected the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children--Revised Full Scale, Performance Scale, Verbal Scale, and Digit Span scores but did not affect any academic test scores. Several other findings were also reported. Those with nonametropic problems scored higher than those without problems on the Key Math Time subtest. Implications supportive of the theories of Benbow and Benbow and Geschwind and Behan were stated.

Achievement↗
PubMed1980

Medical students from natural science and nonscience undergraduate backgrounds. Similar academic performance and residency selection.

The majority of matriculating US medical students continue to major in the natural sciences as college undergraduates in the belief that this will enhance their chances of admission to and their performance in medical school. The present study compared the academic performance and residency selection of natural science and nonscience majors in three separate medical school classes at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Statistical analysis of grades in the first two years of medical school, clinical performance in the third year, and part I and part II National Board Medical Examination scores revealed no significant differences across three class replications. Residency selection among graduating seniors was also independent of undergraduate major. It is suggested that admissions committees, premedical advisors, and students reconsider their attitudes about the necessity of concentration in the natural sciences before entering medical school.

Biology↗
PubMed2001

Paying tuition and academic performance of students at the Zagreb University School of Medicine.

AIM: To assess whether the prospect of waiving tuition fees influences the academic performance of the students with the lowest admission test scores and consequent mandatory tuition. METHODS: We compared the 110 tuition-paying students with the students who did not have to pay tuition because they scored well on 1994-1997 admission tests to the Zagreb School of Medicine. We formed 3 control groups (high-, medium-, and low-ranked students on the admission test), each with the same number of students as the group of tuition-paying students. Students' performance was assessed after the first two academic years on the basis of their grades, number of tries to pass the same examination, the time needed to pass an examination after a course, and the number of repeated years. RESULTS: Of 110 tuition-paying students admitted to the School in the 1994-1997 period, 13 had their tuition permanently waived and were therefore excluded from the analysis. Tuition-paying students had an the average grade of 3.1 out of maximum 5, took each examination 1.7 times before passing it, needed more than five months to pass an examination, and repeated 1.5 years per student. Their performance parameters did not differ from those of the low-ranked group, but were significantly worse than of the medium-ranked and high-ranked groups. Students in the high-ranked group performed the best in all four parameters (the average grade was slightly above 4.0, they took each examination 1.2 times on average, needed less than 2 months to pass an examination, and repeated 0.3 years per student). CONCLUSION: The prospect of waiving tuition fees had no influence on students' performance. The students' rank on the admission test strongly correlates with their later academic success.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Academic performance in children of divorce: psychological resilience and vulnerability.

Parental divorce can be conceptualized as a stressful event for all children, but one must recognize that reactions to divorce can vary widely among children. This investigation was based on two basic ideas: 1) children of divorce as a group would show deficits in academic performance compared to children from intact families, even several years after their parents' separation, and 2) because factors that promote psychological resilience and vulnerability, we expected to find normal heterogeneity within the divorce sample. Among 96 middle-school adolescents from a suburban school district near Denver, children of divorce showed significant performance deficits in academic achievement, as reflected in grade-point average and scholastic motivation in middle school, but not in nationally normed tests of scholastic aptitude and other less direct measures of behavioral conformity. An analysis of GPA over time revealed strikingly disparate patterns of achievement between divorce and control groups. Corresponding patterns of scholastic aptitude scores, absence from school and comportment revealed no systematic differences over time. These results suggest strongly that parental divorce can be a critical event in the academic development of children. Large differences in academic achievement between our divorce group as a whole and the controls cannot be attributed, at least at the time of sampling, to differences in social class or intellectual ability. Despite a similar family background, i.e., marital dissolution, a minority of the children of divorce showed vulnerability in the pattern of academic achievement over time while the majority demonstrated academic careers not unlike that of the controls.

Achievement↗
PubMed1990

[The influence of attending theory classes and other factors on the academic performance of undergraduate surgery students].

The authors have studied the influence of the academic history, class attendance, and use of commission notes on the student's academic performance, evaluated by the final marks, on a population of 335 sixth year students taking a surgical pathology course at the School of Medicine. The results show that previous marks correlate with the final surgery mark, that class attendance does not determine significant differences in the student's performance, and that the use of commission notes is widely spread conditioning a mediocre undergraduate [correction of pregraduate] theoretical education [correction of formation].

Achievement↗
PubMed1998

Consequences of self-handicapping: effects on coping, academic performance, and adjustment.

Self-handicappers erect impediments to performance to protect their self-esteem. The impediments may interfere with the ability to do well and, as such, may result in poor adjustment. Using a longitudinal design, the present studies examined prospective effects of self-handicapping on coping, academic performance, and several adjustment-related variables (e.g., self-esteem). It was found that, compared to low self-handicappers, high self-handicappers reported higher usage of coping strategies implying withdrawal and negative focus. High self-handicappers performed less well academically, an effect that was mediated in part by poor study habits. Finally, high self-handicapping resulted in poorer adjustment over time, and poorer adjustment resulted in higher self-handicapping over time. These relations are consistent with the idea of a vicious cycle in which self-handicapping and poor adjustment reinforce one another.

Achievement↗
PubMed2001

Dose-response effects of methylphenidate on ecologically valid measures of academic performance and classroom behavior in adolescents with ADHD.

The effects of methylphenidate on the academic performance and classroom behavior of 45 adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder were studied. During a 6-week, placebo-controlled medication assessment in the context of a summer treatment program, participants received a double-blind, crossover trial of 3 doses of methylphenidate. Dependent measures included note-taking quality, quiz and worksheet scores, written language usage and productivity, teacher ratings, on-task and disruptive behavior, and homework completion. Group data showed positive effects of methylphenidate on academic measures; however, the greatest benefit came with the lowest dose. Although additional benefit did occur for some participants with higher doses, the largest increment of change usually occurred between the placebo and 10-mg dose. Many adolescents did not experience added benefit with increased dosages, and in some cases they experienced deterioration. Guidelines for assessment of medication effects are discussed.

Adolescent↗