Mental Health, Cognition and Academic Performance in the 1st Year of Elementary Education

Abstract The study investigated 1) relationships and explanatory models of mental health indicators from cognitive abilities and 2) relationships between mental health indicators and academic performance one year later. Participants were 86 children, students of the 1st year of Elementary Education, evaluated in intelligence, inhibitory control (IC) and language. Parents and teachers completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). One year later, the children were re-evaluated in word recognition (WR) and arithmetic. The IC measures were related and could explain up to 21.9% of the variance in the SDQ indices completed by parents and teachers. The SDQ indices completed by teachers were related to WR and arithmetic performances, predicting up to 16.3% of the variance in school performance measures the following year. There was no IC mediation effect on the models generated. The findings suggest an interaction between specific cognitive skills, mental health indicators and academic performance.

摘要 本研究旨在探讨两大研究主题：其一为认知能力维度下心理健康指标的关联关系与解释模型，其二为心理健康指标与一年后学业表现之间的关联。参与者为86名小学一年级学生，研究人员对其智力、抑制控制（inhibitory control，IC）及语言能力进行了评估。家长与教师分别填写了长处与困难问卷（Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire，SDQ）。一年后，研究人员对这些儿童的字词识别（word recognition，WR）与算术能力进行了复测。各项抑制控制评估指标间存在显著关联，且可解释家长与教师填写的长处与困难问卷得分总方差的21.9%。教师填写的长处与困难问卷得分与字词识别、算术表现显著相关，可预测次年学业评估指标中高达16.3%的方差变异。本研究未发现抑制控制在上述模型中存在中介效应。研究结果表明，特定认知技能、心理健康指标与学业表现三者之间存在交互作用。