Validation of a neuropsychological and metacognitive battery in university students: assessment of learning and adaptation processes

Reducing academic failure and dropout rates is relevant for university institutions. Confirmatory factor analysis is presented for validity and reliability of a cognitive functions assessment battery, relating neuropsychological and metacognitive aspects related to adaptation and learning. A total of 1000 Spanish (295) and Chilean (705) university entrance students were evaluated, excluding 51 students who did not complete all the tests. The confirmatory factor analysis explains a structural model, formed by factors: attention, executive functions, memory, intelligence and metacognition. The adjustment indexes obtained are statistically significant (p<.001). for RMSEA=0.036, chi 2=0.000; (CMIN/DF)=2.297; (CFI)=0.997; (NFI)=0.994; (NNFI/TLI)=0.995. The battery allows grouping the evaluated students according to the profiles obtained from their neuro and metacognitive performances. Two groups with significant differences at the neurocognitive level were identified. A first group with profiles below the 42nd percentile and another above the 62nd percentile. The integration of the differences obtained from the analysis of metacognitive performance allows us to explain a simple nomenclature, in which type A1 students present an overall performance (Neuro M=42 Meta M=18), type B1 students, performance (Neuro M=35 Meta M=51), type C1 students, performance (Neuro M=37 Meta M=86). On the other hand, A2 students, performance (Neuro M=68 Target M=26), B2 students, performance (Neuro M=62 Target M=59) and C2 students, performance (Neuro M=64 Target M=89). Students with low neurocognitive performance present more difficulties with respect to learning processes, while those with low metacognitive performance present adaptive difficulties in the entry cohorts.