A Study On The Relationship Between Cognition And Behavior Of Junior Middle School Students And Their Adaptability To Academic Degree

Due to the great changes of the learning environment, it is difficult for many students in lower grades to adapt to the new environment when they just entered for the primary school. And the development of cognitive abilities and behavior problems are important research topics in the field of academic adaptation of students in lower grades of primary school, which has long drawn the attention from researchers.However, few researchers put them together to discuss their relationship with the academic adaptation.The purpose of this study is to examine the basic situation of cognitive abilities and behavior problems and their relationship with the academic adaptation of students in lower grades of primary school, thus, to provide some guidance for future scientific intervention, and to promote students’ all-round development.The study is divided into two parts. Study one is:” the relationship between the cognitive abilities and academic adaptation of grade 1 students of primary school.”,and study two is:” the relationship between the behavior problems and academic adaptation of students in lower grades of primary school.”Study one:Purpose: to examine the relationship between the cognitive abilities and the academic adaptation of grade 1 students of primary school.Method: by adopting the cluster sampling method, a total of 260 Grade 1students(119 males and 141 females; mean age=74.6 months) were recruited from a large elementary school in Shanghai, China. The students were assessed on measures of Sensorimotor Ability(Throw and Catch A Ball with one hand), Inhibitory Control Ability(Stroop-like Pros and Cons Test), Working Memory(Digit Span Backwards),Graphics Spatial Ability(Tangram Puzzles) and Speech Fluency(Speech Rate).Behavioral Strategy(Teacher) Rating Scale II(BSR-II), Math Performance and Chinese Language Performance were used as outcome indexes of academicadaptation of grade 1 students of primary school.Results:(1) Inhibitory Control Ability, Working Memory, Graphics Spatial Ability and Speech Fluency were strong predictors of academic adaptation of grade 1 students of primary school.(2) Working Memory was the most important factor, which accounted for 4%-10% variance in academic adaptation.(3) Graphics Spatial Ability played important roles in Math(which accounted for 6% variance over and above the effects of Working Memory) and Chinese Language (which accounted for 2% variance over and above the effects of Working Memory and Speech Fluency) Performance. Spatial Ability was a stronger predictor of Math Performance than of Chinese Language Performance.(4) Inhibitory Control Ability was a strong predictor of Teacher Evaluation, which accounted for 5% variance. This indicates that the teacher pays much attention in whether students can suppress interference and focus on the task at hand when learning difficult tasks.(5) Speech Fluency was a strong predictor of Chinese Language(which accounted for 2% variance over and above the effects of Working Memory) and Math(which accounted for 2% variance over and above the effects of Working Memory and Speech Fluency) Performance. Speech Fluency played a more important role in Chinese Language Performance.(6) Sensorimotor Ability correlated with Speech Fluency significantly( r=-.14*).Study two:Purpose: to examine the relationship between the behavior problems and the academic adaptation of students in lower grades of primary school.Method: by adopting the cluster sampling method, a total of 772 Grade 1-3students(252 Grade 1 students: 132 males and 120 females; mean age= 80.2months;263 Grade 2 students: 120 males and 143 females; mean age= 92.3months; 257 Grade3 students: 121 males and 136 females; mean age= 103.3months) were recruited from a large elementary school in Shanghai, China. The students were assessed on behaviorproblems by adopting the Conners’ Teacher Rating Scale. Outcome indexes of academic adaptation were the same with study one.Results:(1) Conduct Problem, Hyperactivity and Inattentive-passive were strong predictors of academic adaptation of students in lower grades of primary school.(2) The trend of the development of the behavior problems: Conduct Problem, Hyperactivity and Inattentive-passive were roughly the same, with the prevalence highest in Grade 3 students, followed by Grade 1 and Grade 2 students.(3) Behavior problems became stronger predictors of academic adaptations as the Grade increased.(4) There were significant age differences among Conduct Problem, Hyperactivity and Inattentive-passive, with the prevalence highest in Inattentive-passive, followed by Hyperactivity and Conduct Problem.(5) Inattentive-passive was the most important factor, which accounted for 2%-35% variance in academic adaptation.(6) Hyperactivity was a strong predictor of Math Performance of Grade 2 students (which accounted for 3% variance over and above the effects of Inattentive-passive) and Teacher Evaluation of Grade 3 students(which accounted for 3% variance over and above the effects of Inattentive-passive).(7) Another behavior problem- Conduct Problem appeared, as the students entered the third year of school life. Conduct Problem was a strong predictor of Chinese Language(which accounted for 4% variance over and above the effects of Inattentive-passive) and Math(which accounted for 5% variance over and above the effects of Inattentive-passive) Performance of Grade 3 students.Based on the above studies, it can be concluded that: behavior problems and cognitive abilities of students in lower grades of primary school are strong predictors of academic adaptation, both of which are dispensable.