TPC-Journal-V4-Issue5

The Professional Counselor \Volume 4, Issue 5 546 reflects the students’ intentional use of strategies to help classmates learn effectively. Typical items include the following: “I tried to help a classmate learn how to do something that was difficult for them to do,” and “I tried to encourage a classmate who was having a hard time doing something.” Finally, the Self-Regulation of Arousal subscale (three items) reflects students’ intentional use of strategies to control disabling anxiety and cope with stress. Typical items include the following: “I focused on slowing my breathing so I would feel less stressed,” and “I imagined being in a calm place in order to feel less stressed.” Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire. The MSLQ is a 55-item, student self-report instrument with five subscales that measure different aspects of students’ motivation, emotion, effort and strategy use (Pintrich & DeGroot, 1990). The different subscales of the MSLQ are designed to be used singly or in combination to fit the needs of a researcher (Duncan & McKeachie, 2005). Items were adapted from various instruments used to assess student motivation, cognitive strategy use and metacognition (e.g., Eccles, 1983; Harter, 1981; Weinstein, Schulte, & Palmer, 1987). The present study used the following four subscales of the MSLQ: Cognitive Strategy Use, Self-Regulation, Self-Efficacy and Test Anxiety. The Cognitive Strategy Use subscale is composed of 13 items that reflect the use of different types of cognitive strategies (e.g., rehearsal, elaboration, organizational strategies) to support learning. Typical items include the following: “When I read material for class, I say the words over and over to myself to help me remember,” “When I study, I put important ideas into my own words” and “I outline the chapters in my book to help me study.” Pintrich and DeGroot (1990) reported that the Cognitive Strategy Use subscale is reliable (Cronbach’s alpha = .83). The Self-Regulation subscale includes nine items that reflect metacognitive and effort management strategies that support learning. Typical items include the following: “I ask myself questions to make sure I know the material I have been studying” and “Even when study materials are boring I keep working until I finish.” Pintrich and DeGroot (1990) reported that the Self-Regulation subscale is reliable (Cronbach’s alpha = .74). The Self-Efficacy subscale is composed of nine items that reflect students’ ratings of their level of confidence in their ability to do well in classroom work. Typical items include the following: “Compared with others in this class, I think I’m a good student” and “I know that I will be able to learn the material for this class.” Pintrich and DeGroot (1990) reported that the Self-Efficacy subscale is reliable (Cronbach’s alpha = .89). The Test Anxiety subscale includes four items that reflect students’ ratings of their experience of disabling levels of anxiety associated with classroom tests and examinations. Typical items include the following: “I am so nervous during a test that I cannot remember facts I have learned” and “I worry a great deal about tests.” Pintrich and DeGroot (1990) reported that the Self-Efficacy subscale is reliable (Cronbach’s alpha = .75). Factor analyses indicated that these MSLQ subscales are related to different latent factors. Scores on the Cognitive Strategy Use subscale have been demonstrated to be related to grades on quizzes and examinations, grades on essays and reports, and overall class grades. Scores on the Self-Regulation subscale have been shown to be related to the above measures plus student performance on classroom seatwork assignments. Scores on the Self-Efficacy subscale have been demonstrated to be related to students’ grades on quizzes and examinations, grades for classroom seatwork assignments, grades on essays and reports, and overall class grades. Scores on the Test Anxiety subscale proved to be associated with lower levels of performance on classroom examinations and quizzes, as well as course grades (Pintrich & DeGroot, 1990). Duncan and McKeachie (2005) reviewed the extensive research on the psychometric properties and research uses of the MSLQ . They concluded that the subscales are reliable, measure their target constructs and have been