Gamification, defined as the integration of videogame components to promote a gameful experience, is increasingly being implemented in education with the aim of enhancing students' engagement and motivation. Accordingly, since 2010 it has constituted an area of growing interest for researchers and teachers. Following PRISMA 2020's methodology, a systematic review (SR) was conducted in November 2022 seeking to explore the influence of gamification strategies on students' motivation to learn. Having identified 548 articles, 40 studies were chosen based on the selection criteria set and analyzed to reveal that game elements such as points, badges and rankings are widely used to motivate students. From a theoretical perspective, gamification studies focus on the dichotomy of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. The results suggest a positive influence of gamification strategies on students' motivation, although in the long run, such motivation can decline. Furthermore, the influence of a novelty effect and extrinsic rewards on motivation is identified, which can lead to greater motivation in the short term, followed by a decrease with further exposure to gamification. Future studies should focus on the influence of students' individual traits (e.g., gaming experience, openness to competition and cooperation) on gamification strategies. Moreover, long-term exposure to gamification as well as the novelty effect should be explored.

This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the effects of gamification on students’ motivation and engagement in mathematics at the secondary and higher education levels. A literature search (April 2025) followed by an updated search (November 2025) across ten databases identified 45 studies for qualitative synthesis and 11 for meta-analysis. The review followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines with a pre-registered protocol, and study quality was appraised with the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Meta-analytic results using a three-level Correlated and Hierarchical Effects model with robust variance estimation showed a significant small-to-moderate positive effect on motivation ( g = .383, 95% CI [.11, .66], p = .0218). Motivation was assessed more consistently than engagement that could not be included in the meta-analysis due to the lack of validated measures. The systematic review indicates that gamification supports motivation and engagement, with only four studies reporting negative effects. Most interventions used digital platforms (e.g., Kahoot! ; Classcraft ) and common game elements such as points, leaderboards and instant feedback. Overall, gamification appears promising for enhancing motivation and engagement in mathematics when designs are aligned with students’ needs, balancing competition with mastery and cooperation. Therefore, educators should limit excessive competition and prioritize personal progress and cooperative tasks that foster social interaction. Future studies should employ validated measures, larger samples, and examine both motivation and engagement to strengthen the evidence base and guide effective implementation in education.

Parental school involvement (PSI) is a multidimensional construct that significantly influences children’s academic adjustment and overall development. However, inconsistencies persist in its definition and measurement, with researchers operationalizing PSI through a varied of parental activities. This study aimed to (1) identify PSI instruments and their theoretical models and (2) evaluate their psychometric properties. Following PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO ID CRD42023451091, registered August 2023), this systematic review examined six databases (Web of Science, ERIC, MEDLINE, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, PsycArticles, and PsycInfo), analyzing quantitative studies from 2000 to 2024. Inclusion criteria encompassed instruments designed for parents, teachers, or children aged 6–15 and published in peer-reviewed journals in English, Portuguese, Spanish, or French. From an initial pool of 490 records, 38 studies were included, yielding 43 instruments: 23 for parents, 15 for children, and 5 for teachers. Seven instruments followed Epstein’s model, while nine followed the Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler framework, underscoring the prominence of these theoretical approaches. The study quality, assessed with MMAT, was generally moderate to high. Despite an exhaustive search effort, it is possible that some relevant instruments were not identified. Nevertheless, this review advances the understanding of PSI operationalization, promotes more consistent and replicable assessments, enhances alignment between instruments and study objectives, and strengths the validity of findings derived from these tools.

Using self-determination theory, this study examined the autonomous motivation and regulatory styles of volunteers. The Volunteer Motivation Scale (VMS) is one of the main instruments available to assess these constructs, but it requires validation and adaptation for different contexts. Therefore, the goal of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties of the 12-item VMS in a sample of Portuguese volunteers. The sample consisted of 207 volunteers, mostly women (74.4%), aged from 14 to 81 years, from various areas of volunteering. The measures included self-regulation, basic psychological needs, causality orientation, and autonomy support. Confirmatory factor analysis using the lavaan package in R was performed to test a four-factor model and a two-factor model. The results indicated that the four-factor model had a better fit to the data. The VMS showed good internal consistency, discriminant validity, and convergent validity. The VMS can be viewed as a valuable tool for professionals and a promising avenue for future research on the motivations of volunteers.

Young people in residential care settings hold distinct preferences regarding their relationships with key adults, including caseworkers and caregivers. However, their perspectives are not consistently assessed or effectively integrated into case planning. Evaluating this integration is essential for fostering positive adjustment and placement stability. Given that residential care represents the predominant child welfare intervention in Portugal, this study adapts and validates an existing instrument for use with youth in residential care institutions, providing evidence of its validity and reliability. Self-report questionnaires—the Positive Residential Care Integration (PRCI) scale (an adapted Positive Home Integration scale) and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire—were administered to 511 youth (279 girls and 232 boys), aged 12 to 24 years, across 46 Portuguese residential care institutions. The study examined the face validity, discriminant validity, and reliability of the PRCI scale. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated good model fit, supporting a unidimensional six-item structure. Correlation analyses demonstrated associations with psychological adjustment and sociodemographic variables. The PRCI scale showed satisfactory psychometric properties, confirming its reliability for assessing youth integration in residential care. Cross-gender measurement invariance was also confirmed. These findings underscore the instrument’s relevance and validity for evaluating integration within residential settings and provide valuable guidance for caregivers, professionals, and caseworkers in child welfare services.

Parental school involvement (PSI) is an important contributor to children’s academic and overall positive development. Such activities as discussing schoolwork and tracking progress can boost children’s motivation and achievements. Although the multifaceted nature of PSI is widely recognized, there are limited reliable measures that comprehensively capture all its dimensions, particularly for children and adolescents. This study aims to develop a measure for assessing children and adolescents’ perceptions of parental involvement based on parent- and teacher-validated self-report measures—the Parental School Involvement Questionnaire—Children’s version (PSIQ-CV). A total of 537 children and adolescents (M_Age = 9.64, SD_Age = 2.43), mainly female (52.8%), from the south of Portugal participated in this study. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA, n = 150) and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA, n = 387) were carried out. The EFA indicated a three-factor solution (i.e., support in learning activities, parent–school communication, and supervision), supported by the CFA, with good quality-of-fit indices (χ² = 225; df = 101; χ²/df = 2.23; CFI = 0.91; TLI = 0.89; RMSEA = 0.060 [CI: 0.049–0.070]). Our data confirmed that the PSIQ-CV has robust psychometric properties, with acceptable reliability and validity. The PSIQ-CV can be considered a relevant and valid tool for measuring the perception of parental school involvement among children and adolescents, in line with Epstein’s theoretical model, and useful for both researchers and practitioners.