University students face different challenges throughout their university life. Their ability to cope with difficult situations influences their academic performance. Students with ASD are likely...Show moreUniversity students face different challenges throughout their university life. Their ability to cope with difficult situations influences their academic performance. Students with ASD are likely to face more challenges in university as a result of their autistic symptoms. Additionally, they may experience more difficulties employing effective coping strategies to manage difficult situations compared to students without ASD. This study explored the relationship between primary coping style and academic performance. Differences in primary coping style between university students with and without ASD were also examined. This study also investigated the relationship between primary coping style, autism diagnosis, and academic performance. Students with a clinical diagnosis of autism completed the AQ-Short to assess autistic symptoms. Students’ primary coping style was examined based on their scores on the subscales of the Brief-COPE. Academic performance was measured by students’ grade point average for the current academic year. Results showed, primary coping style was associated with academic performance. Problem-focused and emotion-focused primary coping styles were associated with better academic performance compared to avoidance primary coping style. Additionally, students with ASD were more likely to employ emotion-focused primary coping style or avoidance primary coping style, whereas students without ASD were more likely to employ problem-focused primary coping style. However, autism diagnosis did not moderate the relationship between primary coping style and academic performance. These findings suggested a link between primary coping style and academic performance, as well as differences in coping between students with and without ASD. Limitations and implications for future research were also discussed.Show less
Research master thesis | Developmental Psychopathology in Education and Child Studies (research) (MSc)
open access
Objective: In this study we addressed the questions (1) whether there is a relation between the specialization of the brain and psychopathology, and (2) if there is a relationship between the...Show moreObjective: In this study we addressed the questions (1) whether there is a relation between the specialization of the brain and psychopathology, and (2) if there is a relationship between the specialization of the brain and performance on different academic measures. Method: We used the Finger Tapping Task (FTT) to assess maturation of the brain as measured by fine motor speed, and lateralization of the brain as measured by the difference in speed between both hands. Both maturation and lateralization are used as a measure of specialization of the brain. The participants were children in the age of 5 to 18 years old and were assigned to five distinct diagnostic groups: Mood problems (n=178), Behavior problems (n=82), Autism spectrum Disorders (n=106), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (n=190) and Learning problems (n=44). The diagnostic groups differ with regard to age and gender. Results: We found that children with an autism spectrum disorder show delayed fine motor lateralization. We were also able to determine that the differences in fine motor speed between the different diagnostic groups get larger with age indicating that delayed maturation gets more evident while children get older. Looking at the academic measures, we found that a more matured brain, as measured with fine motor speed, is associated with better academic performance, even when controlled for age. Conclusion: Autism spectrum disorders can be differentiated from other disorders when looking at lateralization of the brain. A more matured brain is associated with a significant higher level of academic performance for math, reading and Writing.Show less
