Psychological capital bolsters motivation, engagement, and achievement: Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies

Preliminary Effectiveness of a Brief School-Based HERO Intervention: Improving the Wellbeing of Final Year Adolescent Female Students

Young people face multiple challenges, including appearance dissatisfaction, academic stressors, anxiety and depression. These challenges may increase during the final year of high school and may have become further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examines the preliminary effectiveness of a brief, uncontrolled school-based intervention aimed at enhancing Psychological Capital (PsyCap), consisting of positive resources of hope, self-efficacy, resilience and optimism (HERO), and reducing mental health symptoms among female year 12 students (n = 95, Mage = 16.78, SD = 0.45). Outcomes on measures of HERO and secondary outcomes of flourishing, appearance dissatisfaction, anxiety and depression were measured at pre and post-intervention. In the overall cohort, no significant changes were found on the HERO outcomes or flourishing post-intervention, while symptoms of depression, anxiety and appearance dissatisfaction decreased significantly. For students with higher baseline anxiety, optimism and anxiety symptoms improved significantly at post-intervention. However, students with lower baseline anxiety experienced significant decreases in self-efficacy and optimism, as well as a significant increase in anxiety symptoms post-intervention. Baseline depression levels did not impact intervention outcomes. The findings, although mixed and limited by the lack of control group, suggest that a brief intervention grounded in PsyCap theory may improve student wellbeing under challenging circumstances.

Mindfulness and the Mediating Role of Psychological Capital in Predicting the Foreign Language Anxiety

The present study was conducted to investigate the relationship between mindfulness and foreign language anxiety among a sample of 504 University students who were learning English as a foreign language. In addition, the mediating role of psychological capital was examined. Three self-reported questionnaires were administered to the participants and Pearson correlation, path analysis, and structural equation modeling was utilized to test the hypotheses. The results indicated that all five components of mindfulness except observation have a direct and significant effect on foreign language anxiety. However, it should be noted that the two components of description and non-reactivity to inner experiences had a positive while the two components of aware action and non-judgment of inner actions had a negative effect on students' foreign language classroom anxiety. In addition, two of the components of psychological capital, namely self-efficacy and resilience, play a mediating role in the relationship between the components of mindfulness and EFL classroom anxiety. Implications are discussed and suggestions for further research are given.

The core self-evaluations, psychological capital, and academic engagement: a cross-national mediation model

Introduction

An academic environment with continuously more demanding tasks requires students to capitalize on their strengths to meet the challenges and engage in learning experiences. Engaged students are deeply involved in their work, are strongly connected with their studies, and are more successful in academic tasks. The present study aimed to test a model in that core self-evaluations (CSE) predicts academic engagement (AE) directly and indirectly by increasing personal resources (i.e., psychological capital; PsyCap) in the case of two different samples, Romanian and Serbian.

Methods

Data were collected through three online questionnaires from 672 undergraduate students (Romania - 458; Serbia - 214).

Results

The findings confirmed that CSE was positively related to PsyCap, which was positively associated with AE, and PsyCap mediates the relationship between the two variables in both samples. A positive evaluation of one's characteristics (high CSE) mainly affects the cognitive and emotional mechanism of appraising the academic-related tasks one encounters (high PsyCap), ultimately shaping their motivation and engagement.

Discussion

These results pointed out the importance of the CSE and PsyCap that support each other and increase students' AE, explaining the mediating mechanism of PsyCap. Also, they provide insight into the students' engagement from two different cultural and educational contexts, being helpful to universities in their effort to increase students' engagement.

Family intimacy and adolescent peer relationships: investigating the mediating role of psychological capital and the moderating role of self-identity

According to existing research, family intimacy affects the formation of peer relationships among adolescents; Parent-child relationships may influence children's relationships with peers, but the mechanism of its influence is still unclear due to the uncertainty of its effect. According to the ecological systems theory, this study examines how family intimacy affects adolescent peer relationships through psychological capital and how self-identity moderates this effect. These hypotheses were tested based on a survey of 414 adolescents, which showed that family intimacy positively affects adolescent peer relationships; The relationship between family intimacy and adolescent peer relationships is mediated by psychological capital; Self-identity positively moderates the direct effects of family intimacy and adolescent peer relationships; Self-identity not only positively moderates the direct effect of psychological capital and adolescent peer relationship, but also positively moderates the indirect effect of family intimacy on adolescent peer relationship through psychological capital. This study provides new perspectives on the relevant mechanism of family intimacy and adolescent peer relationships.

Psychological Capital, Autonomous Motivation and Innovative Behavior: A Study Aimed at Employees in Social Networks

The present study investigates the relationship between positive psychological capital (PsyCap) and innovative work behavior (IWB), as mediated by autonomous motivation and participative leadership moderation. The study was conducted on a sample of 246 employees from various public and private organizations, recruited through different social networks. The moderated mediation analysis provided evidence about the impact of employees' PsyCap on their innovative behavior at work. This behavior will be higher when individual factors (PsyCap) and social factors (participative leadership) interact with one of the most self-determined forms of motivation. Our findings highlight the importance of the individual's positive psychological capital in activating the resources and motivation, necessary to develop innovative behavior in employees, thus achieving organizational success in today's dynamic and competitive business environment. The results also confirmed the moderating effect of participative leadership on the relationship between autonomous motivation and innovative behavior of employees, supporting that the relationship will be stronger when participative leadership is higher. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed, as well as limitations and suggestions for future studies.

Developing the HERO within: Evaluation of a brief intervention for increasing Psychological Capital (PsyCap) in Australian female students during the final year of school in the first year of COVID-19

Academic stress is linked to adolescent distress and perfectionism during the final years at school, with girls being at greater risk. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was an additional stressor that impacted student learning on a global scale. The present study examines the effectiveness of an intervention targeting Psychological Capital (PsyCap), comprising hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism (HERO) to increase these HERO resources and assess its impact on mental health symptoms and subjective wellbeing outcomes among a cohort of Year 12 students (n = 82, Mage = 17.09, SD = 0.28, 99% identifying as female) from a girls school during the first year of the pandemic. Primary outcomes of anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and flourishing and secondary outcomes of HERO variables and perfectionism were examined. There were no significant changes in primary outcomes. Significant changes in efficacy, optimism, omnibus PsyCap (HERO combined) and perfectionism were found at post-intervention. Findings indicate the intervention targeting HERO constructs may be promising for developing HERO capabilities in youth and reducing common areas of concern for students (e.g., perfectionism). Future research directions addressing limitations are discussed.

Labor of love, or love of labor? Psychological capital's mitigating role in the relationship between workaholism and work stress

BACKGROUND

Workaholism is conceptualized as a compulsive need to work incessantly, and it is related to numerous detrimental organizational and individual consequences. For that reason, it is imperative that researchers uncover possible variables that can alleviate its potentially harmful effects.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to examine the relationship between workaholism, psychological capital (PsyCap), physical health, and work stress. The potential mitigating role that PsyCap could play between workaholism and physical health, as well as work stress, was also examined.

METHODS

Data on workaholism, PsyCap, physical health, and work stress were collected from 343 full-time faculty and staff from a large Southeastern university.

RESULTS

Results showed workaholism negatively related to physical health and positively related to work stress. Additionally, PsyCap had a positive relationship with physical health and a negative relationship with work stress. Moreover, PsyCap moderated the relationship between workaholism and work stress, such that as PsyCap increased, the relationship between workaholism and work stress weakened.

CONCLUSIONS

PsyCap may be a fairly simple and cost-effective intervention for organizations to implement, as it can be learned through short training sessions. By incorporating PsyCap, organizations may be able to help mitigate levels of stress in their employees, specifically among those who suffer from workaholism.

The relationship between students’ psychological capital, social-contextual factors and study-related outcomes – an empirical study from higher education in Norway

Purpose

This study aims to examine the relationships between students’ psychological capital (PsyCap), social-contextual factors and study-related outcomes. Social-contextual factors are represented by two education-related variables: academic support and peer support. Three study-related outcome variables are included, namely, study engagement, academic performance and student well-being.

Design/methodology/approach

Students from different higher education campuses and academic programs in Norway participated.

Findings

PsyCap is directly related to the three study-related outcome variables. The relationship between PsyCap and academic performance is mediated by study engagement. The two social-contextual factors (academic support and peer support) are both related to PsyCap. Finally, PsyCap also mediated the relationship between the two social-contextual factors and the three study-related outcome variables.

Research limitations/implications

Overall, the findings reveal that PsyCap has a key role in all study-related outcomes. Accordingly, managers of higher education institutions should take students’ PsyCap seriously and seek ways to intervene and manage the different resources embraced in the concept of PsyCap.

Originality/value

This study contributes to a relatively new but seemingly growing area of research in educational management, focusing on the role of student PsyCap.

Detrimental Effects of Disempowering Climates on Teaching Intention in (Physical Education) Initial Teacher Education

Previous research has looked at the positive consequences generated by teacher-generated climates on the motivational experiences of pre-service teachers. However, there is scant research focusing on the adverse motivational consequences that affect the perceptions of future teachers during the training process. The objective of this study was to explore the dark side of Duda's multidimensional conceptualization, its influence on academic engagement, and the intention of pre-service teachers to be educators. A total of 1,410 university students in initial teacher training (including physical education pre-service teachers) (59.6% women; 40.3% men; 0.1% other; M_age = 23.85; SD = 5.13) participated. The following scales were used: disempowering motivational climate, frustration of basic psychological needs, academic motivation, academic engagement, and the intention to choose teaching. The results of the structural equation model with latent variables show the positive prediction of the disempowering climate on the dark side and its negative influence on the intention to be a teacher. Controlled motivation preceded by academic engagement significantly mediates the relationship between a disempowering climate and the intention to be a teacher, increasing the total effect on the latter variable. Therefore, this research highlights for both teachers and researchers the impact of a disempowering motivational style, as well as its influence on the dark side as a negative promoter in trainee teachers regarding their intention to become teachers.

Knowledge development visualization and mapping path of the psychological capital research

With the respect to the key factors, namely the psychological state of individuals and organizations, psychological capital (PsyCap) is widely used in various fields, such as management decisions and organizational behavior. To fully show the related studies and their knowledge development and mapping path, in this paper, we examine 2,786 papers about the PsyCap related research from 1970 to 2021. Based on the bibliometric analysis and main path demonstration (the tools are Cite-Space and Pajke, respectively), we derive some conclusions as follows: (1) the publication number about the PsyCap study is growing rapidly and it is a highly cross-cutting research topic. (2) The main authors come from Australia, the United States, and China, and also are the core researchers. (3) Refinement and measurement in the PsyCap study are constant and hot topics. (4) Stress, performance and well-being issues among students, health care workers and corporate employees are core research themes, and team organization, creativity, innovation, and COVID-19 are hot topics in this field. The bibliometric analysis are quantitatively analyzed to provide scholars with a more comprehensive insight into PsyCap research. The main path demonstration helps scholars to understand the main lines and key nodes of development in the field of psychological capital.

Bayesian Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Psychological Capital PCQ-12 Scale

Abstract. Psychological Capital (PsyCap) is a key construct in psychological research across the lifespan. Although the 12-item Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ-12) is among the most used scales to approach its measurement, its factor structure and reliability remain controversial, particularly in samples of adolescents. Data came from a cross-sectional survey administered to 267 Spanish adolescents, 59.9% girls ( Mage = 13.96, SD = 1.56). Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFAs) in Mplus 8.6 were used to compare three competitive models (one factor, four correlated factors, and a second order structure) estimated with Bayesian methods. Although Self-Efficacy, Hope, and Optimism significantly explained their indicators, and their cross-loadings were not statistically significant, Resilience operated differently. We obtained evidence supporting the second-order structure. Also, it becomes clear that the scale has difficulties measuring Resilience in adolescents. Consequently, further research should explore new adaptations or alternative measures to overcome these limitations when researching adolescents.

The relationship between disaster preparedness, psychological capital, and coping style among nurses: A cross-sectional study from China

PURPOSE

To find the relationship between psychological capital, coping style, and disaster preparedness in public hospital nurses.

DESIGN AND METHODS

A cross-sectional study of 515 registered nurses from a public hospital in northeast Sichuan Province, China who were enrolled to complete self-reported questionnaires sent through the WeChat app.

RESULTS

Disaster preparedness and psychology capital (r = 0.73, p < 0.01), disaster preparedness and coping style (r = 0.55, p < 0.01), and psychological capital and coping style (r = 0.56, p < 0.01) were positively correlated. Psychological capital (B = 1.81, p < 0.01) and coping style (B = 0.87, p < 0.01) accounted for 50% of disaster preparedness. Coping style partly mediated the effect of psychological capital on disaster preparedness (ab: 0.33, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.21-0.45).

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

The level of psychological capital of nurses can provide an objective reference for administrators to establish intervention strategies and to promote positive psychological resources among nurses.

The Alchemy of Coaching: Psychological Capital as HERO within Coaches' Selves

The complex nature of coaching challenges instructional coaches (ICs) professionally as it requires them to deal with not only teachers' resistance, acceptance and expectation but also adhere to the complex and multifaceted roles that they are bearing. Psychological capital (PsyCap) has been upheld as an effective construct for defending against stress, negative emotions and burnout among educators. This phenomenological study explores ways in which PsyCap was experienced by Malaysian instructional coaches (ICs). Data were gathered from face-to-face interviews with seven instructional coaches purposefully selected from six different District Education Offices (DEOs) throughout Malaysia. Extracted from participants' own words and through the exploration performed, PsyCap was experienced by the participants through a sense of responsibility, positive resources and work commitment. This study highlights the importance of PsyCap as inner positive psychological resources that aided instructional coaches in their practice of coaching. In addition, this study suggests future research recommendations towards implementing PsyCap developmental training with another group of instructional coaches.

Linking academic buoyancy and math achievement in secondary school students: Does academic self-efficacy play a role?

Academic buoyancy describes the ability to successfully overcome and recover from setbacks in an academic context (e.g., a poor grade, motivational dips, stress due to upcoming performance exams). This day-to-day form of academic resilience has recently been defined in the context of positive psychology. The present study aimed to gain insights into the mechanisms of academic buoyancy by predicting math achievement. Since there is already evidence that this relationship is rather indirect than direct, we were particularly interested in investigating a potential actor of an indirect effect, namely academic self-efficacy. For this purpose, n = 974 students at eleven secondary schools in southwestern Germany were surveyed through a questionnaire. The data were analyzed using a latent variable approach. The results of the study show that academic buoyancy is a significant predictor of math achievement and that this relation is explained through academic self-efficacy, even when controlling for gender. Implications for practice and further research are also discussed.

How does psychological capital lead to better well-being for students? The roles of family support and problem-focused coping

Recent studies have shifted the attention on the beneficial role of psychological capital from workplace to academic contexts. Moreover, the mediating role of psychological capital in the effect of social support on student outcomes remains unknown. This topic has become more imperative under the pandemic. The current study aimed to investigate the impact of psychological capital on students' well-being with family support as an antecedent and problem-focused coping as a mediator. Two hundred and eighty-one students completed the questionnaire at two time points. Results of the cross-lagged mediation analysis showed that family support positively predicted psychological capital, psychological capital positively predicted problem-focused coping, and problem-focused coping predicted well-being. Moreover, the chain mediation path between family support and well-being via psychological capital and problem-focused coping was significant. The current findings identify the antecedent and underlying mechanism behind the relationship between psychological capital and well-being, providing insights into psychological capital interventions for students.

The Mediating Role of Dispositional Optimism in the Relationship between Health Locus of Control and Self-Efficacy in Pregnant Women at Risk of Preterm Delivery

Difficult situations during pregnancy, such as threatened preterm labor, trigger negative experiences in women. The levels of stress experienced and the way individuals cope with it depend on their personal resources, such as optimism, internal health locus of control, and self-efficacy, among other factors. The purpose of this paper was to determine the role of dispositional optimism in the relationship between health locus of control and self-efficacy in pregnant women with threatened preterm labor. Dispositional optimism plays the role of mediator in relationships between: (1) internal health control and self-efficacy; and (2) impact of random events on one's health and self-efficacy. Dispositional optimism does not mediate the relationship between the perceived impact of others on one's health and self-efficacy. For women with a high-risk pregnancy, dispositional optimism is a significant resource for coping with the problems they encounter. It changes the direction (from negative to positive) of the association between experiencing the impact of external factors (random events) on one's health and perceived self-efficacy. It prevents the cycle of loss caused by the interpretation of random events as having an impact on one's health, and acts as a mediator to initiate a cycle of gains that leads to greater perceived self-efficacy. Optimistic pregnant women maintain a positive outlook, even when confronted with difficult, negative experiences such as threatened preterm labor.

The path from social and organizational resources to satisfaction: the mediating role of academic engagement and the moderating role of psychological capital

Purpose

This study draws on the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model to analyze if (1) social and organizational resources impact students' satisfaction, via academic engagement, and (2) psychological capital moderates the mediating path.

Design/methodology/approach

To test our hypotheses, the authors collected data from two well-established higher education institutions (HEIs), in which 840 students participated.

Findings

Additionally, the results demonstrated that the indirect relationship between resources and satisfaction through academic engagement was conditional on the individual's levels of psychological capital, in such a way that it became stronger for those who presented lower levels of psychological capital, compared to those with higher levels. The students' satisfaction can be an indicator of the institution's perceived quality, in addition to positioning the HEI as a healthy organization.

Research limitations/implications

The cross-sectional design of the study is a limitation.

Practical implications

The students' satisfaction levels can be an indicators of the institution's perceived quality, in addition to positioning the HEI as a healthy organization. Thus, these conclusions can contribute to guiding the actors of HEIs in designing and promoting interventions to promote students' satisfaction.

Originality/value

However, the study presents some guidelines for academic and organizational practice, namely regarding the relevance of resources for increasing academic engagement and, consequently, satisfaction.

A Cross-Sectional Study of Individual Learning Passion in Medical Education: Understanding Self-Development in Positive Psychology

Background

Boosting the individual learning passion of medical students is a novel approach to improve their academic performance. It facilitates the medical education reform, motivating both policymakers and educators to focus on the function of positive psychology in the career development of medical students. Therefore, this study aimed (1) to assess the status of two types of learning passion; (2) to clarify the relationship between self-esteem and two types of learning passion among Chinese medical students; (3) to examine the mediating role of psychological capital (PsyCap) in the relationship between self-esteem and two types of learning passion, respectively; and (4) to identify the moderating role of professional identity in the relationship between PsyCap and two types of learning passion, respectively.

Methods

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted from April to June 2016 in China. A total of 1,218 valid questionnaires (effective completion rate: 67.93%) were collected from four medical schools.

Results

Self-esteem significantly and positively influenced medical students’ PsyCap (β = 0.637, P < 0.01) and two types of learning passion, including harmonious learning passion (β = 0.589, P < 0.01) and obsessive learning passion (β = 0.436, P < 0.01). PsyCap fully mediated the relationship (β = 0.578, P < 0.01) between self-esteem and harmonious learning passion positively, whereas it suppressed the relationship (β = 0.490, P < 0.01) between self-esteem and obsessive learning passion. Further, professional identity significantly moderated the correlation between PsyCap and harmonious learning passion (β = −0.554, P < 0.05), rather than obsessive learning passion (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

Two types of learning passion of medical students are positively influenced by self-esteem and PsyCap. Medical students with high-level self-esteem should possess strong PsyCap, which augments their harmonious as well as obsessive learning passion. Moreover, the positive effect of medical students’ PsyCap on harmonious learning passion is more notable among those with a lower professional identity. Finally, this study argues that strengths-based interventions of self-esteem and PsyCap are a beneficial approach for future enhancing learning passion in the domain of medical education.

Psychological Capital Profiles and Their Relationship With Internal Learning in Teams of Undergraduate Students

This study aims to analyze the relationship between psychological capital profiles and internal learning in teams. The participants in this study were 480 undergraduate students. We performed a cluster analysis using the SPSS and yielded four distinct psychological capital profiles. The student profile with the highest scores in self-efficacy, optimism, hope, and resilience (Profile 2-Fully PsyCap) exhibited also the highest scores of internal learning in teams. On the other hand, the student profile with the lowest scores in self-efficacy, optimism, hope, and resilience (Profile 1- Empty PsyCap) presented the lowest scores of internal learning in teams. It is also noteworthy that there was no significant relationship between the profile with a positive combination between self-efficacy and hope (profile 4) and the profile that presents the optimism as the only positive psychological capability (profile 3), in the way they relate to internal learning in teams, which led us to reject the second hypothesis of the study. This study reinforces the role of psychological capital in academic settings and suggests that psychological capital profiles can affect internal learning in teams differentially.

How Impactful Are Grit, I-Deals, and the Glass Ceiling on Subjective Career Success?

Due to the ever-changing organizational and societal conditions that make reliance on external definitions of success unworkable or undesirable, subjective career success has remained a critical topic in careers studies. Among the drivers of subjective career success, research has identified personality traits and job resources as essential sources. Grit, in the form of a personality trait, together with I-deals (job resource) and perceptions of employees’ glass ceiling can provide new insights regarding factors, which can heighten employees’ subjective career success. Therefore, the main purpose of the study is to investigate the direct and indirect effect of grit on each dimension of subjective career success via I-deals and perceptions of the glass ceiling. Surveys from 221 female security forces from both private and public sector in Oyo state, Nigeria, were collected and the data was analyzed using the smartPLS. The results showed that grit is positively related to I-deals, glass ceiling and career satisfaction, but not to happiness, psychological wellbeing, and work engagement. I-deals mediated the relationship between grit and subjective career success’ dimensions, while the glass ceiling did not. This study was able to infer that personality trait (grit) has much to relate with how women perceive the existence of the glass ceiling in their organization.

How Psychological Wellbeing and Digital Mental Health Services Intervene the Role of Self-Efficacy and Affective Commitment of University Students in Their Performance?

Student performance is a critical factor in academic achievement. Other factors like the students' self-efficacy, affective commitment, and psychological wellbeing play a significant role in shaping their performance. The present study aims to understand the role of self-efficacy, affective commitment, and psychological wellbeing in the students' performance. To carry out the study, the data were collected from the 308 students currently enrolled in the public sector universities of China. Smart-PLS is used to check the validation of the proposed hypotheses. Partial least square structural equation modeling is used for hypothesis testing. Results of the study show that self-efficacy does not play a role in the student performance in public sector universities; however, the affective commitment of the students plays a significant role in their performance. The psychological wellbeing of the students has a substantial influence on their performance. Furthermore, the results have also indicated that psychological wellbeing is an important indicator of student performance. It has also been revealed that psychological wellbeing significantly mediates the relationship between self-efficacy, affective commitment, and student performance. The students who availed of the digital mental health services were found to have a low relationship between their self-efficacy and performance.

City Brand Image Building and Its Impact on the Psychological Capital of New Entrepreneurs Following Cultural Construction

The purpose of the study is to provide effective direction and ideas for urban modernization and promote the development of the city innovation economy and the stability of the employment rate. First, the main contents and influencing factors of urban culture construction are introduced. Second, the construction of city cultural images and the social capital of new entrepreneurs are discussed, and the relationship between the two is analyzed. Then, Interpretative Structural Modeling Method (ISM) is put forward, and five influencing factors of city entrepreneurial environments are expounded. A questionnaire survey is designed based on the ISM model, and a nationwide survey of new entrepreneurs is carried out. The survey results show that entrepreneurs of different genders, ages, and educational levels have different degrees of concern for the city image. Among them, the entrepreneurs with different educational levels have the most obvious difference in their attention to the cultural image of the city (p < 0.05). In addition, public transportation, educational conditions, tourism resources, air quality, and image orientation are the most obvious factors affecting the construction of city brand images (p < 0.05). The influence of the educational level of residents and investment environment on new entrepreneurs is more prominent. This shows that in the process of shaping the city brand image, the improvement of city culture is helpful for new enterprises. The more perfect the city culture is, the more attractive it will be for highly educated entrepreneurs. The study can help relevant decision-makers to plan the future development direction of the city more accurately and realize the stable development of city brand images.

Effect of Psychological Capital of Volunteers on Volunteering Behavior: The Chained Mediation Role of Perceived Social Support and Volunteer Motivation

This study explored the role of perceived social support and voluntary motivation in the effect of psychological capital of volunteers on volunteering behavior. A sample of 1,165 volunteers who were registered in the China Voluntary Service Information System was investigated using a self-reported questionnaire, showing that the psychological capital, perceived social support, voluntary motivation, and volunteering behavior of the volunteers were significantly and positively related to each other. The psychological capital of the volunteers affected volunteering behavior not only directly, but also indirectly through the mediating role of voluntary motivation. Moreover, perceived social support and voluntary motivation also played a chain role in the relationship between the psychological capital and volunteering behavior of the volunteers. Therefore, increasing the psychological capital of the volunteers should promote their perceived social support and inspire voluntary motivation, in turn affecting their volunteering behavior.

Validation and Prediction of the School Psychological Capital Among Chinese College Students

This study validated the school psychological capital (PsyCap) scale in the Chinese context and examined the predictive effect of PsyCap resources on academic engagement and achievement emotions. Self-report data for PsyCap resources, student engagement, enjoyment, anxiety, and boredom toward English learning were collected from 1,000 sophomores. Item-level analyses and confirmatory factor analysis were used to verify the validity of the school PsyCap scale, and structural equation modeling was applied to reveal the predictive effect of school PsyCap resources on academic engagement and achievement emotions. Results showed that the school PsyCap scale retained superior psychometric properties. Besides, PsyCap resources were demonstrated to have a positive relationship to academic engagement and enjoyment, and a negative relationship to anxiety and boredom. The effectiveness of the school PsyCap scale was verified among Chinese college students, and besides the traditional predictors, school PsyCap is also critically important for students’ academic engagement and achievement emotions. Limitations and implications are discussed.

Psychological Capital, Positive Affect, and Organizational Outcomes

Psychological capital (PsyCap) is a higher-order construct comprising hope, efficacy, optimism, and resiliency, which has attracted more and more attention from both academics and practitioners. Despite promising progress made in the PsyCap literature, the underlying mechanisms linking PsyCap to organizational outcomes still need more investigation utilizing longitudinal research design. Moreover, the reciprocal relationships between PsyCap and positive affect require more attention. Therefore, we aim to test the central role of positive affect in the relationships between PsyCap and affective organizational commitment (AOC) on one hand and organizational citizenship behaviour toward organization (OCBO) on the other hand as well as the reciprocal relationships between PsyCap and positive affect in this study. A three-wave longitudinal survey was conducted using a cross-lagged panel design with a one-month time lag between two consecutive waves. Panel data was collected from 208 workers in Beijing, China. The results support the hypothesis that positive affect serves as a mediator in the relationships between PsyCap and OCBO. Moreover, we also find some support for a reciprocal relationship between PsyCap and positive affect. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings are also discussed.

Supportive study climate and academic performance among university students: the role of psychological capital, positive emotions and study engagement

Purpose

The overall aim of this study is to explore factors associated with academic performance among university students. Specifically, it explores whether a supportive study climate is directly related to academic performance and whether students’ psychological capital (PsyCap), positive emotions and study engagement play a role in the relationship between supportive study climate and academic performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 588 bachelor students from a range of academic programs participated in a survey. The partial least squares (PLS)-based structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the conceptual models and the hypothesized relationships, using the software SmartPLS.

Findings

No support was found for a direct relationship between supportive study climate and academic performance. However, the results show that PsyCap, positive emotions and study engagement have a mediating role between supportive study climate and academic performance. In addition, the findings reveal a multifaceted pattern among PsyCap, positive emotions and study engagement that promotes academic performance.

Originality/value

This is the first study that simultaneously explores the role of PsyCap, emotions and study engagement between supportive study climate and academic performance among university students. Consequently, it broadens and deepens previous research and offers both theoretical and practical implications.

A Conceptual Examination about the Correlates of Psychological Capital (PsyCap) among the Saudi Arabian Workforce

Psychological capital (PsyCap), which is considered a higher-order construct, is composed of hope, efficacy, optimism, and resilience. The importance of PsyCap stems from the fact that it has the propensity to motivate individuals in their accomplishment of organizational tasks and goals. The concept is related to many behavioral concepts including: subjective well-being, social capital, employee engagement, and emotional intelligence. The majority of the research literature on PsyCap has originated from the West, and limited literature exists about its antecedents and consequences among the Saudi population. Studies undertaken in Saudi Arabia must take into account unique cultural aspects. The present work attempts to identify the contribution that could emerge from the relationship of PsyCap, with constructs like subjective well-being, social capital, and employee engagement, considered through the prism of culture. It also recognizes the influence of, and upon, the external environment. Going beyond the replication of earlier studies, the present work considers the constructs to have a yin-yang relationship. The study presented a model of comprehensive framework emerging from the relevant literature to bring out the complex connections between PsyCap and other constructs. It also emphasized the importance of culture on the identified constructs, and its implication on contribution and performance. The proposed framework needs to be further tested by academics, researchers, and practitioners to confirm its practical implications in industry.

Basic Psychological Needs and Their Association with Academic Factors in the Spanish University Context

Motivational development represents a key element for academic performance in the university context. A non-experimental study with a cross-sectional and ex post facto design through a single measurement in a single group was conducted. The sample was made up of a total of 2736 university students (♂ = 33.8% (n = 924); ♀ = 66.2% (n = 1812)) belonging to a total of 19 Spanish universities. The main instrument used was the Basic Psychological Needs scale, using the IBM SPSS 22.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) software for data analysis. The results showed that the need for autonomy was higher in social sciences students, those who accessed their studies through vocational training and those who attended their degree in person. In addition, this need was positively related to score, but inversely related to age and grade. The need for competence was higher in students who studied in private centers, those who accessed their university studies through other ways and those students who studied online. Likewise, this need was directly related to the score. Finally, it should be noted that the need for relationships was higher in university students from public institutions, students who accessed their studies through vocational training and those who studied in face-to-face universities. The need for a relationship correlated positively with the score, although with less strength than other needs. In this way, the relevance of various academic factors in the motivational development of students can be established, from which various educational implications are derived in order to favor academic performance.

Enhancing Internal Learning in Teams: The Role of Network Centrality and Psychological Capital of Undergraduate Students

This study aims to analyze the mediating role of psychological capital (PsyCap) in the relationship between network centrality and internal learning in teams. A questionnaire was administered to 480 undergraduate students to test this relationship. The results confirmed the positive relationship between network centrality and internal learning in teams, and a mediating role of PsyCap in the relationship between student network centrality and internal learning in teams. This study suggests that it is important to promote centrality in advice networks among undergraduate students. In addition, this study might raise awareness among students, teachers, and public policymakers about the need to promote a socially responsible environment in higher education institutions.

The Mediating Role of Psychological Capital between Motivational Orientations and Their Organizational Consequences

Just as we can speak of different personality traits, it is also possible to identify distinct motivational traits, which may be related to a series of organizational consequences. In this sense, understanding how these traits are related to workers performance is fundamental. Specifically, the purpose of this study is to test the mediating role of psychological capital in the relationship between such traits and organizational citizenship behaviors and counterproductive work behaviors, which is expected to be more significant in the first case. The study was carried out using a panel design, with a sample group of Spanish employees aged over 40 (n = 741), in two waves (with a 4-month interval). The results support the hypothesis that psychological capital resources may play a mediating role in some of the relationships explored and that approach orientation traits are mainly related to a better performance, fostering organizational citizenship behaviors and diminishing counterproductive work behavior. The findings show that employees who develop their personal resources may have a positive impact on their organizations. The implications of this study for counseling practices are discussed.

Work reflection during leisure time and employee creativity: The role of psychological capital

This paper explores the relationships among positive and negative work reflection during leisure time, psychological capital, and radical and incremental creativity. We collected data from 500 dyads of employees and their direct supervisors, and employed the structural equation model to test our research hypotheses. The results reveal that positive work reflection during leisure time is positively related to radical and incremental creativity, while negative work reflection during leisure time is negatively related to the two types of creativity. Our findings also suggest that psychological capital mediates the effects of positive and negative work reflection during leisure time on radical and incremental creativity.

The Influence of Volunteers' Psychological Capital: Mediating Role of Organizational Commitment, and Joint Moderating Effect of Role Identification and Perceived Social Support

This study explores the relationship between volunteers' psychological capital and their commitment to volunteering. We tested whether volunteers' psychological capital had a positive predictive effect on volunteering and whether this effect was mediated by organizational commitment, role identification, or perceived social support. A sample of 1165 volunteers who were registered in the national volunteer service information system of China were recruited in the study. The results showed a significant and positive relationship between volunteers' psychological capital, volunteering, role identification, perceived social support, and organizational commitment. Volunteers' psychological capital not only had a direct effect on volunteering but also affected volunteering through the mediating role of organizational commitment. Additionally, the influence of the volunteers' psychological capital on organizational commitment was affected by the joint moderated effect of role identification and perceived social support. Volunteers with low role identification and low perceived social support, high role identification and low perceived social support, and low role identification and high perceived social support committed to their volunteer organization faster when they had a high level of psychological capital; whereas, volunteers with high role identification and high perceived social support committed to their volunteer organization faster when they had a low level of psychological capital.

The Blessings of Social-Oriented Virtues: Interpersonal Character Strengths Are Linked to Increased Life Satisfaction and Academic Success Among Filipino High School Students

Some studies have shown that character strengths positively predicted optimal performance and well-being in Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD) societies which may hold limited generalizability to individuals in non-WEIRD contexts. This prospective study examined the association of selected interpersonal character strengths (i.e., fairness, teamwork, leadership, forgiveness, and kindness) with life satisfaction, teacher-reported academic engagement, Mathematics achievement, English achievement, and overall academic achievement among Filipino high school students enrolled in a public high school in the Philippines ( M age = 14.33). There was a 2-month interval between Time 1 and Time 2 data collection. Results indicate that whereas fairness and kindness demonstrated stronger magnitudes of associations with subsequent life satisfaction, academic engagement, and achievement, teamwork and forgiveness had positive and moderate intensity of relationships to such outcomes. Compared to other interpersonal strengths, leadership showed weaker correlations with life satisfaction and achievement outcomes. Results allude to the benefits associated with interpersonal positive virtues in a non-WEIRD context.

I Am a Leader, I Am a Mother, I Can Do This! The Moderated Mediation of Psychological Capital, Work–Family Conflict, and Having Children on Well-Being of Women Leaders

Gender equality is one of the Sustainable Development Goals. Management is one of the jobs that more clearly needs a gender perspective. Women leaders have found a way around the labyrinth to get to the top, which might have developed their personal resources such as psychological capital. Women leaders experience an inter-role conflict when work and family demands are mutually incompatible, affecting negatively their well-being. This study aims to analyze the mediation role that work–family and family–work conflict plays between psychological capital and well-being (engagement and burnout) when moderated by the number of children. In total, 202 Spanish women leaders participated in the study. Results of the mediated moderation model using Model 14 of the macro PROCESS for SPSS software show that psychological capital buffers the negative effects that experiencing work–family conflict has on well-being when having children. The well-being of women leaders is not affected when dealing with family interfering work conflict and having children. As such, women leaders who have children rely on their psychological capital to successfully manage the family demands affecting their work and to reduce the negative effect of work–family conflict on their well-being. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed from the psychology of a sustainability perspective.

Searching for the HERO in Youth: Does Psychological Capital (PsyCap) Predict Mental Health Symptoms and Subjective Wellbeing in Australian School-Aged Children and Adolescents?

Psychological capital (PsyCap) comprising the positive psychological resources of hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism (HERO) has strong empirical associations with increased wellbeing and reduced mental health symptoms in adult samples. Emerging studies of PsyCap among school-age students have also shown preliminary, positive associations between PsyCap and student wellbeing. The present study is the first to examine PsyCap-HERO constructs and associations with both mental health symptoms and subjective wellbeing in school-aged children and adolescents (aged 9-14 years). A convenience sample of Australian school students (N = 456, Mage = 11.54, SD = 1.20, 47% female) completed an online survey during class time. Measures of hope, efficacy, resilience, optimism, flourishing, anxiety, and depression previously well-validated in school samples were used. Significant associations between each HERO construct and flourishing, anxiety and depression symptoms in the expected direction were found, and importantly, the combination of HERO constructs was shown to be a stronger predictor of increased levels of student flourishing, and decreased levels of anxiety and depression symptoms, than individual HERO constructs. Findings indicate that student PsyCap may be a promising area of further investigation for schools, policymakers, clinicians and researchers looking to identify positive psychological resources in youth that may buffer poor mental health and promote wellbeing.

Satisfaction of Basic Psychological Needs Leads to Better Academic Performance via Increased Psychological Capital: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study Among High School Students

This brief report proposes a model in which academic psychological capital (PsyCap) mediates between the satisfaction of student’s basic psychological needs and their academic performance, as assessed by students’ GPA. Participants were 407 adolescents, aged 12–18, recruited from three Chilean schools. Through structural equation modeling, direct and indirect effects were calculated. Results show that academic PsyCap (assessed at time 2) fully mediates the relationship between the satisfaction of basic psychological needs (assessed at time 1) and academic performance (assessed at time 3). This means that students whose basic psychological needs are satisfied at school experience more hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism (PsyCap), which, in turn, leads to better academic performance. Both theoretical and practical implications of the results are addressed, as well as strengths and weaknesses and directions for future research.

Psychological capital is associated with higher levels of life satisfaction and school belongingness

Psychological capital (PsyCap) has been associated with key organizational and well-being outcomes. However, limited investigations have been carried out regarding the role of PsyCap in the educational settings. The present study assessed the association of PsyCap with life satisfaction and school belongingness in the academic context. Four hundred and sixty-two Filipino high school students participated in the current investigation. Structural equation modeling showed that PsyCap was positively linked to school belongingness via the intermediate variable life satisfaction. An alternative structural model also provided evidence of the indirect effects of PsyCap on life satisfaction via school belongingness. Theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.