Abstract This paper provides a review of the scientific literature on the self-regulation of academic emotions. A systematic search for documents in the Scopus and Web of Science databases was carried out. A total of 29 articles and book chapters which met the previously established eligibility criteria were selected for review. The data and theoretical interpretations considered have enabled us to obtain a global view of the current state of knowledge on the main focuses of interest: types and frequency of use of emotional self-regulation strategies, the situational conditions in which these are applied, correlates of their use and individual differences as moderators.

Resumen En el presente trabajo, se ofrece una revisión de la literatura científica sobre la autorregulación de las emociones académicas. Se realizó una búsqueda sistematizada de documentos en las bases de datos Scopus y Web of Science. Se seleccionaron 29 artículos y capítulos de libro, que cumplían los criterios de elegibilidad previamente establecidos. Se reunieron datos e interpretaciones teóricas que nos han permitido obtener una visión global del estado del conocimiento en torno a los núcleos de interés prioritarios: tipos y frecuencia de uso de las estrategias de autorregulación emocional, condiciones situacionales en las que se aplican, correlatos de su utilización y diferencias individuales moderadoras.

Abstract: Perceived social support is considered a key factor for reducing the risk of psychological distress, academic failure and student withdrawal from university; however, research concerning how social support may influence academic performance in undergraduate students is scarce. This study aimed to examine the relation of different provisions and sources of perceived social support with academic achievement of Spanish university students in their first and third year. The sample consisted of 219 emerging adults, 149 women and 70 men, of average age 18.01 years (SD= 0.46), enrolled on different degree courses at a public Spanish university. Data were collected during the first academic year (time 1) and again during the third academic year (time 2). Regression analysis of the data showed that different dimensions of social support predicted academic success throughout a period of two years. The study findings could be used to help university counsellors and administrators refine programmes and policies aimed at enhancing students’ adjustment and academic achievement.

Resumen: El apoyo social percibido se considera un factor esencial para la reducción del estrés psicológico, el fracaso académico y el abandono de los estudios universitarios; sin embargo, la investigación sobre la relación del apoyo social con el rendimiento académico en la universidad es escasa. En el presente estudio se examinó la relación de diferentes recursos y fuentes de apoyo social percibido con el rendimiento académico en estudiantes universitarios españoles. La muestra estaba compuesta por 219 adultos emergentes, 149 mujeres y 70 hombres, con una edad media de 18.01 años (SD= 0.46), matriculados en distintas titulaciones de una universidad pública española. Los datos fueron recogidos durante el primer curso académico (tiempo 1) y de nuevo durante el tercer curso (tiempo 2). Mediante un análisis de regresión de los datos se encontró que diferentes dimensiones del apoyo social percibido predecían el éxito académico a lo largo de los dos años. Los hallazgos del estudio pueden ayudar a orientadores y administradores a mejorar programas y políticas destinadas a favorecer la adaptación y el rendimiento académico de los estudiantes.

A Psicologia do Desenvolvimento parece ter chegado a uma estrutura teórica de trabalho que pode tornar possível vencer a barreira da fragmentação, frequentemente referida na disciplina. Isto pode ser verificado pelo vasto suporte dado a visão dos sistemas, enriquecido pelos postulados contextuais e dialéticos. Neste artigo, nós brevemente revisamos os antecedentes dessa abordagem e exploramos seus conceitos básicos (centrais), indicando suas origens e caminhos precisos nos quais eles são aplicados na análise do desenvolvimento nos dias de hoje. Nós também examinamos as implicações da visão sistêmica para investigação do desenvolvimento e seus desafios.

Developmental Psychology seems to have come to an unifying theoretical framework which may make feasible to overcome the fragmentation so frequently referred to within the discipline. This is indicated by the widespread support being given to the systems approach, enriched by dialectic and contextual postulates. In this article, we briefly review the antecedents of this approach and explore its core concepts, indicating their roots and the precise way in which they are applied to developmental analyses today. We also examine the implications of the systems approach for developmental investigation, and its challenges.

No presente estudo, a influência do estilo cognitivo dependência-independência de campo no rendimento acadêmico de estudantes universitários brasileiros foi explorada, bem como o efeito mediador das estratégias de aprendizagem nesta influência. As estratégias de aprendizagem de 313 estudantes universitários de primeiro curso (189 mulheres e 124 homens, idade M=20,86, DP= 3,86) a partir de diferentes domínios, com pontuações elevadas, intermediárias e baixas em dependência-independência de campo, foram avaliadas em um auto questionário e as suas médias globais de rendimento acadêmico no primeiro ano foram registradas. Resultados de uma análise de regressão mostraram que o estilo cognitivo e as estratégias de aprendizagem contribuem significativamente para o sucesso acadêmico. Uma path analysis revelou que as estratégias de planejamento mediam a influência do estilo cognitivo na sua realização.

In the present study, the influence of the cognitive style called field dependence-independence on academic achievement of Brazilian university students was explored as well as the mediating effect of learning strategies on that influence. Learning strategies of 313 first-year university students (189 women and 124 men; M age = 20.86, SD = 3.86) from different fields, with upper, medium and lower scores on field dependence-independence were assessed on a self-report questionnaire and their overall academic marks in the first year were registered. Results of a regression analysis showed that cognitive style and learning strategies significantly contributed to academic achievement. A path analysis revealed that planning strategies mediated the influence of cognitive style on achievement.

Los estilos cognitivos se encuentran entre las dimensiones de diferencias individuales consideradas relevantes en la enseñanza adaptativa. De especial valor heurístico se ha mostrado la dependencia-independencia de campo, dimensión que influye, de manera consistente en los resultados académicos de los estudiantes, al margen de su nivel educativo y su origen cultural y del área de conocimiento evaluada. Esta constatación ha inspirado intentos de entrenar a los estudiantes en las habilidades de los independientes de campo, así como una línea de investigación centrada en la adaptación de los métodos instruccionales al estilo cognitivo, que ha venido proporcionando datos que deberían ser considerados en la práctica educativa. En el presente trabajo, se sintetizan los estudios realizados hasta el momento sobre entrenamiento y adaptación instruccional y se proponen algunas líneas generales de actuación en la adaptación de la enseñanza al estilo cognitivo.

Cognitive styles are among the dimensions of individual differences considered particularly relevant in adaptive teaching. Field dependence-independence is one of the most heuristic cognitive style constructs and has been shown consistently to determine academic results of students, regardless of their educational level or cultural origin and the area of knowledge considered. This fact has prompted attempts to train field independence and a thriving line of investigation focused on the adaptation of instructional methods to cognitive style, which has been offering data which should be considered in educational practice. Studies made to date both on training and instructional adaptation have been gathered and synthesized in the present revision, and some general lines of action when adapting teaching to cognitive style have been extracted.

Este artigo relaciona o estilo cognitivo "dependência-independência de campo" com o desempenho em tarefas envolvendo vários processos e recursos de atenção. Com uma amostra de 98 crianças e 95 adolescentes portugueses, foram aplicadas quatro tarefas de atenção: capacidade de armazenamento (Dígitos em ordem direta); memória de trabalho verbal (Dígitos em ordem inversa); capacidade para dirigir, mudar e manter a atenção (Código); e capacidade de atenção sustentada (Teste de Atenção e Rastreio Visual, VSAT). Recorreu-se, ainda, à aplicação de uma prova de fator g, tendo em vista o controle da inteligência. Os resultados revelam diferenças entre dependentes e independentes de campo, especialmente relevantes no grupo de crianças na prova de VSAT. Esses resultados abrem novas linhas de investigação para explicar a pior execução acadêmica dos indivíduos dependentes de campo.

The present study relates the "field dependence-independence" cognitive style to the performance on tasks involving several attention processes and resources. With a 98 Portuguese children and 95 Portuguese adolescents sample, four attention tasks were applied: storage capacity (Digits Forward Test); verbal working memory (Digits Backward Test); capacity to focus, shift, and maintain attention (Digit Symbol Test); and capacity for sustained attention (Visual Search and Attention Test, VSAT). It was also applied a factor g test for intelligence control. Results showed differences on attention processes between field-dependence and field-independence cognitive styles. These differences are more evident in the children subgroup on VSAT. These results open new research topics to explain lowest academic performance of field-dependent children.