Optimism and intellectual engagement: a mediating moderating role of academic self-efficacy and academic burnout

Abstract

Purpose

The study examines a mediated, moderated process of students' intellectual engagement from optimism, academic self-efficacy and academic burnout.

Design/methodology/approach

Five hundred and twenty-seven participants who completed a self-reported questionnaire were selected using a convenient sampling technique. PLSc was used to test the proposed hypotheses.

Findings

Results showed that optimism positively affects students' intellectual engagement and academic self-efficacy. Additionally, academic self-efficacy correlates positively with students' intellectual engagement and further mediates the relationship between optimism and intellectual engagement. Finally, the moderation effect of academic burnout was positive and non-significant.

Originality/value

This paper is among the first to have tested a model including optimism, academic self-efficacy, intellectual engagement and academic burnout in a university setup from a developing country perspective.

Citation

Azila-Gbettor, E.M., Mensah, C., Abiemo, M.K. and Agbodza, M. (2023), "Optimism and intellectual engagement: a mediating moderating role of academic self-efficacy and academic burnout", Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, Vol. 15 No. 5, pp. 1370-1391. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-01-2022-0003