Self-Concept Clarity and Learning Engagement: The Sequence-Mediating Role of the Sense of Life Meaning and Future Orientation

In this study, we systematically examined the effects of self-concept clarity on high school students' learning engagement and the mediating role of sense of life meaning and future orientation between self-concept clarity and learning engagement in order to provide guidance to enhance students' learning engagement. A total of 997 students from freshmen to seniors were selected for the study using a cluster random sampling method. The following tools were used: the Self-Concept Clarity Scale, the Learning Engagement Scale, the Sense of Life Meaning Scale, and the Future Orientation Questionnaire. The results indicated that the clarity of self-concept positively predicted the level of learning engagement of high school students. Sense of life meaning and future orientation partially mediated the effect between self-concept clarity and learning engagement, and sense of life meaning and future orientation had sequence-mediated effects between self-concept clarity and learning engagement among high school students. This study suggests that high levels of self-concept clarity can help high school students actively seek a sense of life meaning and make more optimistic future orientations, thereby increasing their level of learning engagement.