| Description |
The purpose of this research study was to investigate observed variables predicting academic outcomes using structural equation modeling. The results were based on an analysis of variables using a national sample of college student servicemembers and veterans (n = 412). Study participants were recruited with the collaboration of veteran support center administrators and academic administrators at various nationwide colleges and universities. Observations were made from survey responses. Cognitive reappraisal and expression suppression were measured using the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ). Additionally, self-efficacies were measured using the Regulatory Emotional Self-Efficacy Scale (RESES) and the College Self-Efficacy Inventory (CSEI). Posttraumatic symptom severity was measured using the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). All were predictors for self-reported cumulative grade point average. Structural path analyses were conducted using Mplus Version 7 to infer causal versus noncausal correlations among variables. Model fit indices suggested a college self-efficacy model is indeed the best fitting model as compared to other structural models in this study. Furthermore, an alternative latent model analysis suggested significant predictive strength from cognitive reappraisal as well as expression suppression when predicting college self-efficacy. This is supported by significant correlations that expression suppression and cognitive reappraisal have with college self-efficacy. Moreover, cognitive reappraisal has a significant correlation with cumulative grade point average suggesting that cognitive reappraisal has a unique role in generating positive academic outcomes. Further, college self-efficacy and regulatory emotional self-efficacy partially mediated the significant correlation between cognitive reappraisal and PTSD severity. Additionally, a series of one-way ANOVAs compared participants based upon race, ethnicity, gender, and military branch. Hochberg posthoc analyses suggested that the military reserves had significantly lower rates of PTSD severity as compared to other military branches. Finally, Hochberg posthoc analyses indicated nonsignificant differences in cumulative GPA across gender, military branch, and race. In summary, study results supported and confirmed that cognitive reappraisal and expression both have predictive strength in relationship to college self-efficacy and that regulatory emotional self-efficacy has strength in predicting PTSD severity. It is suggested future qualitative and quantitative studies focus on the predictive relationships that emotion regulation and self-efficacy beliefs have with PTSD severity and academic outcomes among college student servicemembers and veterans. iv |
