Learning Styles, self-concept, and academic performance in health Professional Training

Attention to diversity is fundamental to the current educational reform. It is crucial for teacher to determine which methods or variables improve learning. Therefore, we studied the relationship between learning styles, self-concept, and academic performance. The methodology was non- experimental, cross-sectional, correlational, and predictive. The sample consisted of 67 Spanish Health Professional Training students (intermediate degree in Pharmacy and Parapharmacy Technician and Nursing Auxiliary Care Technician) selected non-randomly and intentionally. We assessed learning styles with the CHAEA-36 (Maureira, 2015), self-concept with the AF-5 (Garc & iacute;a and Musitu, 1999), and performance, with the center's report cards. The results indicate a moderate preference for reflective and theoretical learning styles, and low, for active and pragmatic ones. Family self-concept predominates, followed by academic, social, physical, and emotional self-concept. Average academic performance is remarkable. Academic and physical self-concept are positively and lowly correlated with performance, and pragmatic style is negatively and lowly correlated with performance. Finally, pragmatic style and academic self-concept predict performance (by 7.1% and 9.8%, respectively, in isolation, and by 10.6% jointly). The data are discussed for their educational implications.