Gratitude and academic engagement: exploring the mediating effects of internal locus of control and subjective well-being

Hongbo Cui; Xiaoyan Bi; Weiyu Chen; Tao Gao; Zaihua Qing; Keke Shi; Yankun Ma

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1287702

Gratitude and academic engagement: exploring the mediating effects of internal locus of control and subjective well-being

Front Psychol. 2023 Dec 20:14:1287702. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1287702. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Hongbo Cui^#^{1

2}, Xiaoyan Bi^#¹, Weiyu Chen¹, Tao Gao¹, Zaihua Qing¹, Keke Shi¹, Yankun Ma¹

Affiliations

¹ School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China.
² Mental Health Education and Counseling Center, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the relationship between gratitude and academic engagement in Chinese students. The students of some junior high schools in Guangzhou were surveyed using the Gratitude Questionnaire-6, the School Engagement Questionnaire, the Levenson's IPC Scale, and the General Well-being Schedule. A total of 708 valid responses were collected. The results indicate a significant positive relationship between gratitude and academic engagement. Subjective well-being plays a mediating role between gratitude and academic engagement. Locus of control and subjective well-being serve as serial mediators between gratitude and academic engagement. These findings suggest that promoting students' academic engagement can be achieved by fostering gratitude and improving their internal locus of control and subjective well-being. By cultivating gratitude and enhancing these factors, educators and policymakers can create a more engaging and supportive learning environment for students.

Keywords: academic engagement; gratitude; internal locus of control; mediating effects; subjective well-being.

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. 2023 Positive Psychology Project of Guangdong Happiness Positive Psychology Research Institution (XF230009).