The Relationship Between Moral Character and Anxiety and Academic Burnout of Students: The Mediating Role of Academic Self-Efficacy

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences & Psychology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.

2 MA in Educational Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences & Psychology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran. E-mail:

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Eghlid Higher Education Center, Eghlid, Iran

4 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology and Counselling, Farhangian University, Tehran, Iran

10.22091/jrim.2025.13071.1297

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the mediating role of academic self-efficacy in the relationship between moral character and students’ academic anxiety and burnout. The present study was applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-correlational in terms of data collection and analysis, and the statistical population included students in Shiraz. For this purpose, 295 high school students in Shiraz (134 boys and 161 girls) were selected using a multi-stage cluster random sampling method and completed questionnaires on moral character, academic self-efficacy, academic anxiety, and academic burnout. The reliability of the instruments was examined using Cronbach’s alpha method and their validity was examined using confirmatory factor analysis. The results showed that the research instruments had good reliability and validity. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results of the data analysis showed that the research model had a good fit. According to the findings, moral character had a direct and positive effect on academic self-efficacy. Also, academic self-efficacy had a direct and negative effect on academic anxiety and academic burnout. The results of the bootstrap test also indicated that academic self-efficacy mediated the relationship between moral character and academic anxiety and burnout. Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that in order to reduce students’ academic anxiety and burnout, promoting moral character and academic self-efficacy should be prioritized

Keywords


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