Table_3_The combined value of executive functions and self-regulated learning to predict differences in study success among higher education students.docx

IntroductionSelf-regulated learning (SRL) has traditionally been associated with study success in higher education. In contrast, study success is still rarely associated with executive functions (EF), while it is known from neuropsychological practice that EF can influence overall functioning and performance. However some studies have shown relationships between EF and study success, but this has mainly been investigated in school children and adolescents. EF refer to higher-order cognitive processes to regulate cognition, behavior, and emotion in service of adaptive and goal-directed behaviors. SRL is a dynamic process in which learners activate and maintain cognitions, affects, and behaviors to achieve personal learning goals. This study explores the added value of including EF and SRL to predict study success (i.e., the obtained credits).
MethodsIn this study, we collected data from 315 first-year psychology students of a University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands who completed questionnaires related to both EF (BRIEF) and SRL (MSLQ) two months after the start of the academic year. Credit points were obtained at the end of that first academic year. We used Structural Equation Modeling to test whether EF and SRL together explain more variance in study success than either concept alone.
ResultsEF explains 19.8% of the variance, SRL 22.9%, and in line with our hypothesis, EF and SRL combined explain 39.8% of the variance in obtained credits.
DiscussionThese results indicate that focusing on EF and SRL could lead to a better understanding of how higher education students learn successfully. This might be the objective of further investigation.

引言
传统上，自我调节学习（Self-regulated learning, SRL）一直与高等教育中的学业成功紧密相关。与之形成鲜明对比的是，学业成功却极少与执行功能（Executive Functions, EF）挂钩——尽管神经心理学实践早已证实，执行功能会对个体的整体机能与表现产生显著影响。已有部分研究揭示了执行功能与学业成功之间的关联，但此类研究大多以学龄儿童与青少年为研究对象。
执行功能指的是用于调控认知、行为与情绪，以支撑适应性目标导向行为的高阶认知过程。自我调节学习则是一个动态过程，学习者在此过程中激活并维持认知、情感与行为表现，以达成个人学习目标。本研究旨在探讨纳入执行功能与自我调节学习变量后，对学业成功（即所获得的学分）的预测价值增量。

研究方法
本研究招募了荷兰某应用科学大学的315名心理学专业一年级学生，在学年开学两个月后，让他们完成与执行功能（BRIEF量表）和自我调节学习（MSLQ量表）相关的问卷。本研究以该学年期末所获得的学分为学业成功的量化指标。本研究采用结构方程模型，检验执行功能与自我调节学习二者联合是否较单一变量能解释更多学业成功的变异量。

研究结果
执行功能可解释19.8%的变异量，自我调节学习可解释22.9%的变异量；与研究假设一致，二者联合可解释所获学分变异量的39.8%。

讨论
本研究结果表明，关注执行功能与自我调节学习，有助于更深入地理解高等教育学生实现成功学习的内在机制，这也可为后续相关研究提供明确方向。