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The Mizan Meta-Memory and Meta-Concentration Scale for Students (MMSS) in University Students

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The Mizan Meta-Memory and Meta-Concentration Scale for Students (MMSS) in University Students Manzar et al. BMC Psychology (2018) 6:59 https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-018-0275-7 RESEARCH ARTICLE Open Access The Mizan meta-memory and meta- concentration scale for students (MMSS): a test of its psychometric validity in a sample of university students Md. Dilshad Manzar1, Abdulrhman Albougami1, Mohammed Salahuddin2*, Peter Sony3, David Warren Spence4 and Seithikurippu R. Pandi-Perumal5 Abstract Background: Predisposing factors for metacognitive dysfunctions are common in university students. However, there is currently no valid questionnaire instrument designed to assess metacognitive aspects including meta-memory and meta-concentration in students. To address this need, the present study investigated the psychometric validity of a brief questionnaire, the Mizan meta-memory and meta-concentration scale for students (MMSS) in university students. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study with simple random sampling was conducted among students (n = 383, age = 18–35, body mass index = 21.2 ± 3.4 kg/m2) of Mizan-Tepi University, Ethiopia. MMSS, a socio-demographics questionnaire, and the Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) were employed. Results: No ceiling/floor effect was seen for the MMSS global and its sub-scale scores. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that a 2-Factor model had excellent fit. Both, the comparative Fit Index (CFI) and goodness of fit index were above 0.95, while both the standardized root mean square residual and root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) were less than 0.05, while χ2/df was less than 3 and PClose was 0.31. The 2-Factor MMSS model had adequate configural, metric, scalar, and strict invariances across gender groups as determined by a CFI > .95, RMSEA<.05, χ2/df < 3, non-significant Δχ2 and/or ΔCFI≤.01. Good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.84, 0.80 and McDonald’s Omega =0.84, 0.82) was found for both subscales of the MMSS. No correlations between the MMSS scores and ESS score favored its divergent validity. Conclusion: The MMSS was found to have favorable psychometric validity for assessing meta-memory and meta- concentration among university students. Keywords: Affective disorders, Cognitive function, Consistency, Divergent validity, Factor analysis, Khat, Meta-concentration, Meta-memory, Validity Background states, as well as their self and non-self attributions, are de- The mental process of metacognition is a growing sub- termined by a set of affective and cognitive skills, broadly ject of neuro-psychological research, with particular rele- described as meta-cognitive abilities [3]. Metacognitive vance for the processes of teaching and learning, and problems are associated with impairments to the affected thus for the education system [1]. Metacognition is defined person’s social functioning, which in turn decrease their as awareness and cognition about one’s own cognitive pro- quality of life as well as their ability to respond to treatment cesses [2]. Individuals’ perceptions of their internal mental [3]. Metacognitive impairments are associated with affective disorders such as depression, stress, and anxiety [3–5]. * Correspondence: [email protected] However, all of these affective states are commonly re- 2Department of Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, ported to occur among university students across the Mizan-Tepi University (Mizan Campus), Mizan-Aman, Ethiopia world [6, 7]. Furthermore, substance use, such as alcohol Full list of author information is available at the end of the article © The Author(s). 2018 Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated. Manzar et al. BMC Psychology (2018) 6:59 Page 2 of 11 consumption is generally associated with metacognitive administer. An exception to this generalization is a brief dysfunctions, and is a prevalent activity among university metacognition questionnaire,which was recently developed students in many parts of the world [8]. It was recently for use at the Charité - University Medicine Berlin [10]. found that the prevalence of alcohol consumption and The present investigators reviewed this questionnaire and chewing of khat, an indigenous psychoactive substance, used it as a guide for developing the questionnaire that is was, respectively, 32.3 and 27.9% among Ethiopian univer- reported on here, although it has been modified to make it sity students [8]. These relationships among metacognitive more appropriate for students. In this study, we present dysfunctions, affective disorders, and substance use that the psychometric properties of this adapted version of a are prevalent in student populations highlight the need for brief meta-memory and meta-concentration question- a tool to screen for dysfunctions in metacognition and its naire, which has been designed to suit the daily activities aspects among university students. of university student populations. Meta-memory and meta-concentration are two very im- portant dimensions of metacognition [9, 10]. Meta-memory Methods and meta-concentration are associated with success in The study presents findings of data taken (Fig. 1) from a everyday functioning. Furthermore, there is an interaction cross-sectional study using simple random sampling effect between these two metacognitive aspects that is es- method regarding psychological health and associated sential for success in daily routine activities [10]. Those with factors among university students carried out at the Mizan meta-cognitive and meta-memory deficits develop a protec- campus of the Mizan-Tepi University (MTU), Mizan-Aman, tionist approach to avoid challenging situations, thus affect- Bench Maji Zone, South Nation Nationalities Peoples ing their capacity to deal with similar situations in the Region, Ethiopia. future, and thus having broadly detrimental effects for deal- ing with life problems and adjustment [9, 11]. There is a re- Participants ciprocal relationship between meta-memory and other Three hundred and eighty-three university students with metacognitive characteristics such as vocabulary develop- an age range of 18–35 years and a body mass index of ment and comprehension [12]. Meta-cognitive instructions 21.2 ± 3.4 kg/m2 completed this study. Students with have intermediate and delayed effects, which can manifest self-reported mental illness difficulties, such as a previ- in improved mathematical achievement and improved cog- ous diagnosis of depression or psychosis that might have nitive regulation among students [13]. Various studies have compromised the data quality were excluded. Similarly, suggested that knowledge about meta-memory can be those under the age of 18 years were not included be- acquired and may directly benefit the learning process in cause in such cases consent would have to have been ob- students [14]. Metacognitive abilities related to concentra- tained from their parents as well, a difficult requirement tion i.e., meta-concentration, is one of the most important to fulfill inasmuch as many students were from remote non-intellective psychological factor which can influence regions of the country. students’ performance, as indicated by grade point average [15]. At the present time, there is no questionnaire designed Procedures to measure these metacognitive aspects, either separately or The Institutional Ethics Committee, College of Medicine in terms of their interactive effects, in student populations. and Health Sciences, Mizan-Tepi University approved It was thus felt that a brief, easily administered, and valid the research. Guidelines for Good Clinical Practice and questionnaire would be of use to campus counselors, psy- the norms of the 2002 Declaration of Helsinki (DoH) chologists, and others. It was also felt that such a tool could were followed. Informed written consent was provided help in the routine screening of the students. by the participants after the objective and procedures of the We therefore investigated the literature on this subject study were explained to them. The Mizan meta-memory for useful examples of instruments that could be adapted and meta-concentration scale for students (MMSS), a for use with students. A number of excellent psychometric semi-structured socio-demographics questionnaire, plus instruments currently exist for diagnosing meta-memory the Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) were employed. The and meta-concentration. These include commonly used questionnaire packages were administered in English be- questionnaires for metacognition such as the Metamemory cause participating students belonged to different linguistic in Adulthood (MIA) scale [16], which has 108 items, the groups and had differing levels of proficiency for reading Metacognition Questionnaire (MCQ), which has 65 items Amharic. Moreover, the study participants were students of [17], and the Metacognition Questionnaire-30 (MCQ-30), auniversityinEthiopia,where the medium of instruction is which has 30 items [17]. These instruments, however, are English. The instruments were administered to the partici- primarily designed
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