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We tested a mediation model of the influence of teacher-student relationship quality on student group performance in a higher-education context where a group-oriented learning approach is implemented. Specifically, we posit that the relationship between teacher-student relationship quality at the group level and group performance is mediated by positive affective group well-being and intragroup communication quality. Data were collected from 68 groups of students at four time points. The hypotheses involved in the proposed mediated model were tested by means of multiple regression. We controlled for group size and students’ initial familiarity with the other group members. All the analyses were conducted at the group level by means of the PROCESS macro for SPSS. The results obtained showed that teacher-student relationship quality has an indirect positive influence on group performance, mediated by positive affective group well-being and within-group communication quality. These findings help to understand how and why teacher-student relationship quality is related to student group performance.

This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in Journal of Child and Family Studies. The final authenticated version is available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10826-017-0980-5. Adolescence is critical for learning autonomous behavior; however, little research is available on the most appropriate balance of the emotional and behavioral dimensions of autonomy for psychosocial adjustment during this period. In this study we present a novel autonomy typology that combines both these aspects, which can be implemented as autonomy in decision-making and emotional separation. Specifically, examined age differences in emotional separation and autonomy in decision-making during adolescence. We also assessed differences in psychosocial adjustment associated with profiles of autonomy typology, sex, and age. The participants were 567 adolescents (296 males and 271 females), aged between 12 and 18 years (M = 14.48; SD = 1.69), recruited in Spanish high schools. Each participant filled out questionnaires on identity commitment, self-esteem, emotional separation and autonomy in decision-making. The results showed that the most advantageous autonomy profile is ‘autonomous in decisions’ (those showing low emotional separation combined with autonomous behavior in decisions) which was associated with higher levels of self-esteem and occupational and ideological identity commitment. In addition, we also concluded that the balance of autonomy effects adjustment throughout adolescence, although early adolescence may be an especially critical period. info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion

The aim of the present study is to illustrate how the appropriate or inappropriate application of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) can lead to quite different conclusions. To reach this goal, we evaluated the degree to which four different programs used to perform an EFA, specifically SPSS, FACTOR, PRELIS and MPlus, allow or limit the application of the currently recommended standards. In addition, we analyze and compare the results offered by the four programs when factor analyzing empirical data from scales that fit the assumptions of the classic linear EFA modeling adequately, ambiguously, or optimally, depending on the case, through the possibilities the different programs offer. The results of the comparison show the consequences of choosing one program or another; and the consequences of selecting some options or others within the same program, depending on the nature of the data. Finally, the study offers practical recommendations for applied researchers with a methodological orientation.

El Análisis Factorial Exploratorio es una de las técnicas más usadas en el desarrollo, validación y adaptación de instrumentos de medida psicológicos. Su uso se extendió durante los años 60 y ha ido creciendo de forma exponencial al ritmo que el avance de la informática ha permitido. Los criterios empleados en su uso, como es natural, también han evolucionado. Pero los investigadores interesados en asuntos sustantivos que utilizan rutinariamente esta técnica permanecen en muchos casos ignorantes de todo ello. En las últimas décadas numerosos trabajos han denunciado esta situación. La necesidad de actualizar los criterios clásicos para incorporar aquellos más adecuados es una necesidad urgente para hacer investigación de calidad. En este trabajo se revisan los criterios clásicos y, según el caso, se sustituyen o se complementan con otros más actuales. El objetivo es ofrecer al investigador aplicado interesado una guía actualizada acerca de cómo realizar un Análisis Factorial Exploratorio consonante con la psicometría post-Little Jiffy. Esta revisión y la guía con las recomendaciones correspondientes se han articulado en cuatro grandes bloques: 1) el tipo de datos y la matriz de asociación, 2) el método de estimación de factores, 3) el número de factores a retener, y 4) el método de rotación y asignación de ítems. Al final del artículo hemos incluido una versión breve de la guía.