Influence of Educational Measures on Emotional Adjustment in Students with and without Specific Learning Difficulties according to Gender

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The article supported with proficiency  the results the influences of educational measures on emotional adjustment in students with and without specific learning difficulties according to gender. It underlined also, that  the variables of Specific Learning Disabilities and Educational Measures have a negative impact on the internalising problems and personal resources of adolescents.

It has scientifical interesting for the future research the conclusion sentence according that there  is no significant effect with respect to gender. 

According my opinion, the research must be proove more the the negative impact of repeating a school year according to the condition

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

Thank you very much for taking the time to review this manuscript. Please find the detailed responses below and the corresponding revisions/corrections highlighted/in track changes in the re-submitted files.

 

Questions for General Evaluation

 

Comments 1: Is the content succinctly described and contextualized with respect to previous and present theoretical background and empirical research (if applicable) on the topic? yes

Response 1: The comment is appreciated

 

Comments 2: Are the research design, questions, hypotheses and methods clearly stated? yes

Response 2: The comment is appreciated

 

Comments 3: Are the arguments and discussion of findings coherent, balanced and compelling? yes

Response 3: The comment is appreciated

 

Comments 4: For empirical research, are the results clearly presented? yes

Response 4: The comment is appreciated

 

Comments 5: Is the article adequately referenced? yes

Response 5: The comment is appreciated

 

Comments 6: Are the conclusions thoroughly supported by the results presented in the article or referenced in secondary literature? yes

Response 6: The comment is appreciated

 

Point-by-point response to Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The article supported with proficiency the results the influences of educational measures on emotional adjustment in students with and without specific learning difficulties according to gender. It underlined also, that the variables of Specific Learning Disabilities and Educational Measures have a negative impact on the internalizing problems and personal resources of adolescents.

 

Comments 7: It has scientifical interesting for the future research the conclusion sentence according that there is no significant effect with respect to gender. 

Response 7: The gender variable has not shown significant differences. This aspect has been highlighted and clarified (line 589 and following)

 

Comments 8: According my opinion, the research must be prove more the negative impact of repeating a school year according to the condition

Response 8: This aspect has been expanded and clarified in the discussion (line 622 and following); conclusions and educational implications (line 683, line 705 and following)

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Overall, I believe that this article has a very good contribution to the research on repetition. You do need to be stronger on the real purpose of this article in really pointing out that the internal feelings and adolescents with learning difficulties etc are already in a stressed state and repeating can have further stressors added to their schooling.  I don't think you really expressed this strongly and advocated for your research importance enough.

As I am in education/schooling I would like to see a real 'push' for schools to really consider their reasons for repeating students as it is a traumatic process - especially for adolescents. Doubly so for ones with learning difficulties as there is a lot to contend with in this process. Perhaps if you gave more 'voice' to your participant views about this issue. Consider some information qualitatively matching your quantitative data.  Their voice is not fully understood in this publication.

Apart from the minor comments above I have some line-by-line comments that need your attention. But, a really interesting project that would be really nice if you could expand your participant base. However, I think the world should hear about your current study.

I commend your reporting of the results it was thoroughly reported, and data was well analysed.

You do need to make your discussion section more obvious and definite in the results. Perhaps it was the use of very long sentences that often your message was not strong enough. As a reader, it is difficult to read a sentence with lots of commas and understand the actual point you are making. It took repeated readings of these sentences to gain meaning. So please have a look through your paper and divide the long sentences into shorter ones. This will then make you more definite in your statements.

Please improve your discussion section and really be clear of what this does actually mean for all levels of schooling (teachers, policies, students) for adolescents with learning difficulties.   

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

 

Thank you very much for taking the time to review this manuscript. Please find the detailed responses below and the corresponding revisions/corrections highlighted/in track changes in the re-submitted files.

 

Questions for General Evaluation

 

Comments 1: Is the content succinctly described and contextualized with respect to previous and present theoretical background and empirical research (if applicable) on the topic? Can be improved

Response 1: The introduction and theoretical background have been improved

 

Comments 2: Are the research design, questions, hypotheses and methods clearly stated? yes

Response 2: The comment is appreciated

 

Comments 3: Are the arguments and discussion of findings coherent, balanced and compelling? Can be improved

Response 3: The arguments and discussion background have been improved

 

Comments 4: For empirical research, are the results clearly presented? yes

Response 4: The comment is appreciated

 

Comments 5: Is the article adequately referenced? yes

Response 5: The comment is appreciated

 

Comments 6: Are the conclusions thoroughly supported by the results presented in the article or referenced in secondary literature? Can be improved

Response 6: The conclusions have been improved and the theoretical references expanded.

 

General comments

Comments 1: Overall, I believe that this article has a very good contribution to the research on repetition. You do need to be stronger on the real purpose of this article in really pointing out that the internal feelings and adolescents with learning difficulties etc are already in a stressed state and repeating can have further stressors added to their schooling.  I don't think you really expressed this strongly and advocated for your research importance enough.

Response 1: The comment is appreciated. The educational conclusions and implications have been reinforced.

 

Comments 2: As I am in education/schooling I would like to see a real 'push' for schools to really consider their reasons for repeating students as it is a traumatic process - especially for adolescents. Doubly so for ones with learning difficulties as there is a lot to contend with in this process. Perhaps if you gave more 'voice' to your participant views about this issue. Consider some information qualitatively matching your quantitative data.  Their voice is not fully understood in this publication.

Response 2: The negative consequences of the educational measure have been reinforced. Some references have been included on the qualitative aspect of repeating.

 

Comments 3: Apart from the minor comments above I have some line-by-line comments that need your attention. But, a really interesting project that would be really nice if you could expand your participant base. However, I think the world should hear about your current study.

Response 3: The comment is appreciated. The comments have been taken into account to improve the quality of the manuscript.

 

Comments 4: I commend your reporting of the results it was thoroughly reported, and data was well analysed.

Response 4: The comment is appreciated.

 

Comments 5: You do need to make your discussion section more obvious and definite in the results. Perhaps it was the use of very long sentences that often your message was not strong enough. As a reader, it is difficult to read a sentence with lots of commas and understand the actual point you are making. It took repeated readings of these sentences to gain meaning. So please have a look through your paper and divide the long sentences into shorter ones. This will then make you more definite in your statements.

Response 5: These aspects have been reviewed throughout the manuscript. The wording has been revised. Sentences have been simplified and their meaning clarified.

Comments 6: Please improve your discussion section and really be clear of what this does actually mean for all levels of schooling (teachers, policies, students) for adolescents with learning difficulties.   

Response 6: Discussion has been improved

 

2. Point-by-point response to Comments and Suggestions for Authors

 

Comments 1: Please improve Para 2 – it needs an edit as has some sentence structure issues and the information needs to be clearer. Particularly the last sentence in this paragraph

Response 1: Sentences and their structure have been changed. The wording of the last sentence has been simplified.

 

Comments 2: Para 4 – Please define protective factors clearly.

Response 2: The three protective factors have been listed: self-esteem, social competence and awareness of problems. The three protective factors have been listed in the following paragraph.

 

Comments 3: Para 5 – Would like to see some further literature references for self-esteem.

Response 3: The definition of self-esteem has been improved and the references have been expanded.

 

Comments 4: Final sentence in this para needs an edit – it is a bit unclear 

Response 4: The final sentence has been divided into two.

 

Comments 5: Paragraph (line 74) starting Specific Learning Disabilities are defined… Please improve the last sentence in this paragraph as loses meaning. Perhaps create two sentences for a clearer explanation

Response 5: The sentence has been simplified and the wording improved.

 

Comments 6: Paragraph (line 85) mentions that Donolato et al. refers to internalising symptoms – do you mean the ones in the previous sentence? Unclear term usage here for the reader. Plus you refer to control group etc but did not say what the study was about

Response 6: The wording has been improved and the type of studies specified. The types of internalizing symptoms have been indicated, and the term control group has been changed.

 

Comments 7: Line 114 – indicates some authors but you only have one paper cited

Response 7: More references have been added.

 

Comments 8: 118 says on the other hand – so what was the ‘one hand?’ Incorrect use of a term. Perhaps change you opening phrase for this paragraph

Response 8: The expression has been changed

 

Comments 9: This whole paragraph (from line 118) has a lot of content and it is a bit unclear. Consider rewriting and creating two paragraphs

Response 9: The wording has been improved and the paragraph has been divided into two. The paragraph of Spanish education laws has been simplified.

 

Comments 10: Paragraph (line 140) says This educational measure - to what does ‘this’ refer? This whole first sentence needs an edit as it has a lot of information and needs at least two sentences not one long one.

Response 10: The wording has been changed and divided into several various sentences

 

Comments 11: Line 147 – has on the other hand again…. It must state before using this phrase – on the one hand then on the other hand…that is the correct usage of these phrases.

Response 11: That expression has been eliminated and changed to another more appropriate.

 

Comments 12: Final sentence - What does “All this…” refer to?

Response 12: Clarified and used terms instead of pronouns

 

Comments 13: Line 154 – ‘In this same vein…” don’t assume the reader knows what ‘vein’ you refer to… use some of the words to describe what you want the reader to understand what ‘vein’ is assumed knowledge?

Response 13: A more appropriate connector has been used

 

Comments 14: Line 161 – think about changing and to better explain the phrase “ school and socially”

Response 14: Those terms have been changed and specified

 

Comments 15: Line 177 – behaviour problems are loosely used here. There are a lot of literature on overt behaviour issues rather than introverted behaviours. What is your definition of behaviour problems are you using…the definition varies across the literature? So be clear… behaviour problems are not necessarily overt.

Response 15: The types of problems have been specified. The Achenbach 2019 classification has been used, in two types of internalizing symptoms (anxiety or depression) or externalizing symptoms (ire or aggression).

The bibliographical references of the theoretical background have been completed.

 

Comments 16: Line 208 – you say there are four…so make it clearer for the reader number the points 1-4 …not use bullet points here

Response 16: They have been changed by numbers

 

Comments 17: Line 220 – same advice as above

Response 17: They have been changed by numbers

 

Comments 18: Line 236 – students do not belong to a school – they attend a school

Response 18: It has been changed

 

Comments 19: Line 239 – paragraph. Reduce lengths of sentences in this paragraph consider using two or three sentences as too many commas which may cloud the readers understanding. 

Response 19: The information has been reduced and clarified

 

Comments 20: Line 278 – change the term concretized to a word that has better readability by a range of readers in the field of education

Response 20: The term has been changed

 

Comments 21: Method and results

You tell the reader that site for research is in Malaga. Yet you make no points in your introduction about Malaga as an educational setting and discuss how students are diagnosed etc or what occurs in the classroom/curriculum etc. Vast differences across schooling systems so somewhere you need some information about the Malaga school system.

Response 21: In the participants’ section, it has been indicated that the study was carried out in the province of Malaga, state of Andalusia (Spain).

The Spanish educational system has been specified in the sample description.

 

Comments 22: However, a good section with clear descriptions and results. Very clearly stated and condensed.

Response 22: The comment is appreciated

 

Comments 23: Line 413/4 an interesting result

Response 23: The comment is appreciated

 

Comments 24: Discussion

Please be consistent throughout the document – you sometimes capitalise specific learning disabilities and sometimes not. Which one? If there is a reason then please explain this. You sometimes put the words then the acronym – sometimes you just put the acronym – please be consistent or explain why you do this?

Response 24: This aspect has been revised. The term SpLD is maintained in the same way.

 

Comments 25: Line 529 – why place this sentence here by itself ?– please put in a place more appropriate or delete

Response 25: This sentence has been deleted

 

Comments 26: Line 543 may need to be limitations rather than now to let the reader know about age issues and depending upon the test used…. It makes your results seem already skewed and somewhat invalid. How does this significantly then give you vital information as in this discussion section by using this information. It almost dilutes it. IS that what you want the reader to know here? Please add it into limitations rather than here is my advice.

Response 26: The paragraph has been modified. This information has been included in the limitations of the study.

 

Comments 27: Line 560 paragraph – the results I feel are significant in that it is the internalising problem rather than gender that is the important factor. Perhaps need to reinforce this…

Response 27: More arguments have been included to reinforce this discovery.

 

Comments 28: Line 572 – I think there is more in play here. Students may very well be OK in the repeated year but are they prepared for the following year? It will be new material and anxiety etc. for the new year. Could that be a factor? I have read studies that show no benefit later in school life for repeating due to problems again once they enter a new grade with new content etc. There are more studies on repetition that you could explore for this information.

Response 28: Arguments have been introduced in this regard. This information has been clarified.

 

Comments 29: Line 630 – worse use – not a very useful term here

Response 29: The term has been changed

 

Comments 30: Line 669 – I think you do need to make clearer that this paper does not suggest that repetition is the way forward for students with SpLD but there does need to be a larger study that gives greater meaning to your findings.

Response 30: This information has been clarified. The educational implications have been modified to clarify this aspect.

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf