2026-01-30
Mia Maurer, Gintautas Silinskas
The present study investigated the differences between parent- and child-reported perceptions of parental homework practices and their associations with children’s achievement in Lithuania across grades three and four. A total of 446 parent-child dyads participated in the study. In grade 3, parents completed questionnaires on the frequency of their homework help and autonomy support, while children completed questionnaires about their perceptions of the frequency with which their parents provided homework help and autonomy support. Children’s achievement was measured using literacy and math tests in grade 3. In grade 4, children’s scores on the national standardized exam in literacy and math were obtained from school records. Hierarchical regressions were used to predict children’s achievement (national standardized scores in literacy and math), after controlling for the autoregressors (literacy or math skills), child’s gender, and the highest education level in the family. Children reported receiving more help and less autonomy support than was reported by parents. Additionally, parent-reported help negatively and parent-reported autonomy support positively predicted children’s achievement in literacy and math. As for children’s perceptions, only child-reported help negatively predicted math achievement. These findings indicate that parents and children may differently perceive parental homework practices: children feel more controlled than parents believe they are, and less autonomy supported than parents believe themselves to be.
2026-01-30
Konstantina Falanga, Tania Vieites, Eleftheria Gonida
The remote education during the COVID-19 pandemic was a novel educational situation for children and parents. The study investigated (1) changes in parental involvement in children’s homework (autonomy support, control, and interference) during school closure, and (2) parents’ motivational (self-efficacy, beliefs in child’s efficacy, online self-efficacy) and emotional variables (positive and negative emotions) as predictors of parental involvement in homework. A sample of 127 parents of elementary school children completed an online questionnaire. The results showed that control and interference in children’s homework increased significantly during COVID-19. Parents’ self-efficacy to help children succeed at school positively predicted parental autonomy support and control before and during the pandemic. However, during the pandemic, autonomy support was additionally predicted by parents’ positive emotions (marginally) and control by their beliefs of their child’s efficacy. Parents’ negative emotions predicted parental interference at both periods. The study enhances our understanding of parental involvement during COVID-19 and offers practical insights for supporting children’s homework during future crises.
2026-01-30
Fernando Gordillo-León, Ángel De-Juanas, Lilia Mestas-Hernández
Positive and negative affect are key emotional dimensions for understanding learning processes and academic performance in university students. This study presents a systematic review and meta-analysis of empirical evidence published between 2015 and 2025 on the association between affect and academic performance in higher education. Following PRISMA guidelines, 14 studies were included. The results indicate that positive affect shows a clear and consistent direction of effect, with a moderate and statistically significant association with academic performance ( r = .27, 95% CI [.12, .41], I² = 90.91 %). In contrast, negative affect showed an inconsistent direction of effect and a weak, non-significant association ( r = –.11, 95% CI [–.28, .07], I² = 95.45). Moderation analyses examining study-level methodological characteristics (type of affect measure, type of academic performance measure, and study design) did not identify any statistically significant moderators, and subgroup differences disappeared when meta-regression models were applied. Both meta-analyses exhibited high heterogeneity (I² > 90%), but only positive affect showed a significant association with academic performance. These results underscore the need for more precise affective measures, longitudinal and context-sensitive research designs, and teaching practices that explicitly integrate the affective dimension into the university learning experience.
2026-01-30
Mª Ángeles Hernández-Prados, José Santiago Álvarez-Muñoz, Juan Antonio Gil-Noguera, Ana del Carmen Tolino Fernández-Henarejos
Homework continues to generate debate due to both the questionable pedagogical value attributed to it and its impact on family dynamics. This descriptive-inferential, cross-sectional, and quantitative study aims to analyze how parents’ age, nationality, employment status, and educational level influence their perceptions of homework, specifically regarding its perceived benefits, associated anxiety and stress, children’s competence to complete tasks, and the changes observed after the COVID-19 lockdown. To this end, 1,787 families across Spain with children enrolled in early childhood, primary, and secondary education completed a 41-item questionnaire using a four-point Likert scale. The results indicate that foreign families report more benefits and more changes after the pandemic, whereas Spanish families report higher levels of stress. Older parents perceive greater competence in their children and report less emotional strain, with these patterns being more consistent among mothers. Regarding educational level, fathers with lower levels of education experience higher stress, while among mothers, differences emerge across benefits, changes, and emotional distress, with higher stress levels among those with less formal education. Finally, employment status does not generate significant differences among fathers, but it does among mothers, as those who are unemployed or working part-time report higher stress and more perceived changes. These findings underscore the need for teachers to develop support strategies that are sensitive to sociodemographic differences.
2026-01-30
Fátima M. Díaz-Freire, Tania Vieites, Susana Rodríguez, Antonio Valle, Carolina Rodríguez-Llorente
Homework outcomes depend not only on homework quantity but also on implementation quality. This quasi-experimental pretest-posttest study compared two versions of the MITCA homework method –digital (MITCAdigital) and paper (MITCApaper)– with a control condition in 1,170 students (50.1% girls; M age = 10.7 years, SD = 0.7) from 5th and 6th grade in 20 schools across Galicia, Spain. Over 12 weeks, participants completed Spanish, Galician, and math homework following the MITCA method conditions. Pretest and posttest measures were collected for cognitive involvement (deep and surface approaches), behavioral involvement (amount of homework, time spent, and time management), and affective-motivational involvement (perceived usefulness, interest, attitude, and anxiety). Compared to the control group, both MITCA conditions showed more favorable behavioral patterns (e.g., task completion and homework time). MITCAdigital was associated with higher perceived usefulness and reduced anxiety, while MITCApaper fostered a more positive attitude toward homework. Regarding cognitive involvement, MITCAdigital was linked to greater use of deep learning approaches. These findings support the relevance of a well-structured homework design. Although both versions promoted student involvement, the digital format stood out for its impact on cognitive and emotional involvement. Combining both formats may optimize students’ overall involvement in homework.
2026-01-30
Iryna Kryazh, Victoria Kholmanova
This study examined the structure of belief in a just world, as measured by the Personal and General Belief in a Just World Questionnaire . The primary objective of the study was to compare the basic two-factor model with three competing models. The sample consisted of 629 Ukrainians aged 18 to 74 years (64.2% female). Statistical analysis included confirmatory factor analysis, assessment of reliability indices, and correlation analysis. The two-factor model showed a good fit to the data, while the single-factor model showed unsatisfactory fit indices, and the model with orthogonal factors showed even lower fit indices. The second-order factor model showed fit indices comparable to the baseline model, allowing belief in a just world for oneself and belief in a just world for all to be considered manifestations of the basic desire for justice. Measurement invariance of the questionnaire was confirmed for two gender and two age groups, and no significant differences were found between these groups. The nomological validity of the Ukrainian-language instrument was confirmed: both measures of belief in a just world were positively associated with life satisfaction and negatively with belief in a dangerous world, with these associations being stronger for belief in personal justice. The findings confirm the two-dimensional structure of the construct and demonstrate satisfactory psychometric properties of the Ukrainian version of the questionnaire, opening prospects for research on justice beliefs among the Ukrainian-speaking population, including in cross-cultural studies.
2026-01-30
Adrián Díaz-Moreno, Iván Bonilla, Andrés Chamarro
Suicide is the third leading cause of death among individuals aged 15 to 29, with multifaceted risk factors including biological, psychological, social, cultural, and environmental elements. Recent research suggests that upward comparison and problematic social media use are linked to increased mental health issues. Conversely, emotion regulation has been identified as a potential protective factor, mitigating the negative effects of social media use and contributing to suicide prevention. This study, involving 256 adolescents and young adults (66% female; M age = 19.25, SD = 3.23), examined the impact of upward comparison and problematic social media use on suicide risk, as well as the protective role of emotion regulation. Using a cross-sectional design, participants completed an online questionnaire with validated scales. The results confirmed that upward comparison was significantly associated with higher levels of suicide risk, whereas emotion regulation was associated with lower suicide risk. These findings underscore the possible role of upward social comparison as a psychological process involved in the development of suicide risk during adolescence and young adulthood. Implementing psychoeducational and digital literacy programs targeted at young people is paramount to mitigate the harmful effects of social media content and usage patterns, and to promote healthy emotional regulation strategies.