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Wang S, Zhou M, Chen T, Yang X, Chen G, Wang M, Gong Q. Examining gray matter structure associated with academic performance in a large sample of Chinese high school students. Sci Rep 2017; 7:893. [PMID: 28420876 PMCID: PMC5429851 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-00677-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 03/08/2017] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Achievement in school is crucial for students to be able to pursue successful careers and lead happy lives in the future. Although many psychological attributes have been found to be associated with academic performance, the neural substrates of academic performance remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated the relationship between brain structure and academic performance in a large sample of high school students via structural magnetic resonance imaging (S-MRI) using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) approach. The whole-brain regression analyses showed that higher academic performance was related to greater regional gray matter density (rGMD) of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), which is considered a neural center at the intersection of cognitive and non-cognitive functions. Furthermore, mediation analyses suggested that general intelligence partially mediated the impact of the left DLPFC density on academic performance. These results persisted even after adjusting for the effect of family socioeconomic status (SES). In short, our findings reveal a potential neuroanatomical marker for academic performance and highlight the role of general intelligence in explaining the relationship between brain structure and academic performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song Wang
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Ming Zhou
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Taolin Chen
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xun Yang
- School of Sociality and Psychology, Southwest University for Nationalities, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Guangxiang Chen
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Meiyun Wang
- Department of Radiology, Henan Provincial People's Hospital & the People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450003, China.
| | - Qiyong Gong
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
- Department of Psychology, School of Public Administration, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China
- Department of Psychology, Chengdu Mental Health Center, Chengdu, 610031, China
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Schicke MC, Fagan TK. Contributions of Self-Concept and Intelligence to the Prediction of Academic Achievement among Grade 4, 6, and 8 Students. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1177/082957359401000108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This study examined the contributions of self-concept and intelligence to the prediction of academic achievement among grade 4, 6, and 8 students. One unidimensional and one multidimensional measure of self-concept were employed to investigate which self-concept model would better predict educational achievement. Zero-order correlations between general self-concept and achievement were found; however, small but significant positive associations between academic self-concept and achievement were obtained. Regression analyses suggested that intelligence accounted for the most variance in achievement, and academic self-concept added a small amount above intelligence. Correlations between both global and academic self-concept and achievement were similar across grade levels.
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