The influence of achievement motivation on college students’ employability: A chain mediation analysis of self-efficacy and academic performance

How Can General Self-Efficacy Facilitate Undergraduates' Employability? A Multiple Mediation Model

Self-efficacy is a key cognitive factor affecting undergraduates' employability, but existing studies have not sufficiently explored the underlying mechanisms of how self-efficacy influences employability, not to mention proposing a comprehensive model to clarify these pathways. Based on social cognitive career theory (SCCT), this study developed an empirical model to explore how achievement motivation and occupational aspiration mediate the relationship between general self-efficacy and employability. A survey was conducted with 454 undergraduates from five regional universities with industrial features in mainland China. The results showed that (1) there was a significant positive correlation between the four variables of general self-efficacy, achievement motivation, occupational aspiration and undergraduates' employability; (2) general self-efficacy had a significant positive effect on undergraduates' employability; and (3) general self-efficacy could affect undergraduates' employability through three indirect paths, namely, the independent mediation of achievement motivation, occupational aspiration and the chain mediation of achievement motivation and occupational aspiration. This study provides insights into how self-efficacy enhances employability, suggesting that educational interventions focusing on boosting students' self-efficacy and fostering achievement motivation and occupational aspiration are effective strategies for improving employability.

The relationship between physical exercise and psychological capital in college students: the mediating role of perceived social support and self-control

BACKGROUND

The mental health of college students significantly impacts their life, academic performance, and even employment prospects. Research indicates that physical exercise can promote mental health, but the pathways of its influence require further exploration. This study investigates the relationship between physical exercise and psychological capital in college students, focusing on the mediating roles of perceived social support and self-control.

OBJECTIVES

This study seeks to investigate the relationship between physical exercise and psychological capital among university students, with a further in-depth analysis of the mediating roles played by perceived social support and self-control within this dynamic.

METHODS

Using cluster sampling, we surveyed 898 college students from five universities in Xinxiang, Henan Province, employing the Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3), the Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS), the Revised Self-Control Scale (SCS), and the Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ). Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 and Amos 23.0, and common method bias was tested using Harman's single-factor test. The significance of the mediation effects was tested using the bootstrap sampling method.

RESULTS

(1) Physical exercise is significantly correlated with psychological capital (r = 0.786, p < 0.01); (2) Perceived social support and self-control mediate the relationship between physical exercise and psychological capital; (3) The mediation effect consists of two indirect effects: physical exercise → perceived social support → psychological capital (β = 0.404, 95% CI: 0.336-0.473) and physical exercise → self-control → psychological capital (β = 0.158, 95% CI: 0.067-0.242).

CONCLUSION

Physical exercise can directly enhance the psychological capital of college students and can indirectly influence psychological capital through perceived social support or self-control. The mediating effect of perceived social support is stronger than that of self-control.

Review of the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on the employment of college graduates in China and countermeasures to it

The employment of college graduates has always been the focus issue of the whole society. Affected by the COVID-19, college graduates are facing a severe employment situation. In the present study, we explore the impacts of the COVID-19 on the employment of college graduates. We explore the employment promotion measures introduced by Chinese government and colleges and universities through a quick review and illustrate the difficulties that college graduates face. Furthermore, the present study explores the impacts of the COVID-19 on five aspects of the employment of college graduates: recruitment demand reduce, employment competition rise, employment channels change, psychological anxiety increase and employment structural contradiction intensify. In addition, we conclude that the employment promotion measures introduced by Chinese government and colleges and universities in respond to the impacts of the COVID-19 on the employment of college graduates have significantly promoted the employment of college graduates to a large extent and we provide implications based on the application of the study. The findings of the present study are of great significance for all countries worldwide to better cope with various similar emergency events, to alleviate employment pressure and to promote better and fuller employment of college graduates.

Linking undergraduates' future work self and employability: a moderated mediation model

BACKGROUND

The career intentions of students play a crucial role in shaping the growth of the hospitality and tourism industry. Previous research underlines the significance of future work self in predicting outcomes related to one's career. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the precise ways, timing, and conditions under which the future work self of undergraduate students can enhance their employability.

METHODS

This paper aims to address the existing research gap by employing career construction theory and self-determination theory to propose a moderated mediation model-i.e., career exploration serves as a mediator and job market knowledge functions as a moderator in the relationship between future work self and employability. We conducted two independent studies (i.e., an experimental study and a time-lagged field study) to test the proposed model. Specifically, in Study 1 we employed an experimental research design to recruit 61 students majoring in tourism management to participate. They were randomly assigned to two scenarios (future work self: high vs. low), and we manipulated different levels of future work self by means of scenario descriptions. In Study 2, we used the time-lagged research design to collect data via submitting questionnaires among 253 Chinese undergraduates who majored in hospitality and tourism at a university in the middle area of China.

RESULTS

The results indicate a positive correlation between undergraduates' future work self and their employability. Furthermore, this relationship is mediated by a mediator of career exploration. It is important to note that this mediating relationship is also contingent upon the moderator variable of undergraduates' job market knowledge when considering the impact of career exploration on employability.

CONCLUSION

The findings contribute to enriching the current understanding of the positive effects of future work self on undergraduates' desirable outcomes in employability.

The effect of cadet resilience on self-efficacy and professional achievement: verification of the moderated mediating effect of vocational calling

Background

The primary objective of this study was to empirically examine the influence of cadets' resilience on their professional achievement within the unique context of a Military Academy. In doing so, the study sought to delineate the role of self-efficacy as a key mediator in the intricate relationship between the resilience of cadets and their professional achievements. The main focus of this study was to clarify the causal and effect relationships between the psychology and behavior mechanisms of the cadets. This was achieved through rigorous scrutiny of the moderated mediating effect of vocational calling within the multifaceted relationship involving cadets' resilience, self-efficacy, and professional achievement.

Methods

The study's participant pool consisted of 121 individuals, comprising cadets in their third and fourth years of study, all of whom aspired to attain the rank of officer within the Military Academy. To rigorously investigate the hypotheses presented, a series of causal relationships among the four core variables were evaluated using a robust regression analysis methodology. To facilitate this analysis, the PROCESS macro 3.5v, a Hayes-developed tool, was effectively used.

Results

The findings of this study revealed several critical insights. First, vocational calling emerged as a potent moderating factor in shaping the relationship between cadets' resilience and self-efficacy. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that vocational calling exerted a conditional influence on the impact of cadets' resilience on their professional achievement, with self-efficacy serving as a crucial mediating mechanism in this relationship. In particular, the study affirmed that self-efficacy functioned as a comprehensive mediator, elucidating the pathway through which the resilience of the cadets ultimately influenced their professional achievements.

Conclusion

The results of this research contribute significantly to enhancing our understanding of the intricate connection between the resilience levels exhibited by cadets and their corresponding professional achievements. Furthermore, these findings have valuable implications for the ongoing refinement of military education and training programs. They offer insights that could inform the development of more effective testing and selection protocols for military personnel, ultimately benefiting the armed forces in their pursuit of excellence.

Impact of personality on cadet academic and military performance within mediating role of self-efficacy

Background

The current operational military environment is changing, complex, unpredictable, and ambiguous. Due to such situations, soldiers are constantly forced to think about their values, norms, and roles that should be part of their profession. Consequently, they must first be educated and trained on how to behave in a particular operational military environment. Pursuing an officer's education at military academies is very difficult not only physically but also psychologically. Cadets are required to be prepared to lead in extreme environments upon graduation. Despite the fact that military tasks are technically complex, the individual operational activities of soldiers are gaining more and more strategic meaning. Therefore, the importance of selecting the process and military education programs of soldiers is increasingly stressed. Cognitive abilities and skills individually predict performance in academic and professional settings, but it is less clear how personality can influence performance. Therefore, this study focused on the explanation of the individual factors that affect the achievements of the cadets. Specifically, the objective of this study was to examine direct and mediated relationships between personality traits and the military and academic performance of cadets.

Methods

This study followed a quantitative method analysis. The research models were assessed using the structural equation modeling technique. Bootstrap was applied to evaluate a 95% level confidence interval on estimates with 5,000 bootstrap samples, and to evaluate direct and indirect effects. The analysis was based on a sample of 120 cadets from the Lithuanian Military Academy. The effects on military and academic performance were evaluated using the Self-Efficacy scale, the Big Five personality trait scale, academic performance was evaluated through academic grades and military performance was evaluated using instructor ratings.

Results

To support our hypotheses, it was found that self-efficacy has a mediating effect on the performance of cadets. Additionally, the traits of conscientiousness, openness to experience and extraversion were related to both military and academic performance. Furthermore, self-efficacy appeared as a partial mediator of the relationship between personality traits and cadet performance.

Conclusion

The findings of this study help clarify the relationship between the personality traits of the cadets and the military and academic performance. In addition, these results may be useful for the further development of military education and training, for the development of testing, and selection of military personnel.

Association of self-efficacy and mental toughness with sport performance in Brazilian futsal athletes

Introduction

Self-efficacy is considered a component of mental toughness, but there are few studies investigating the relationship of sport self-efficacy with mental toughness in performance athletes, especially in team sports.

Objective

The objective was to examine the impact of sport self-efficacy mediated by mental toughness on the sport performance of Brazilian futsal athletes.

Methods

The sample was composed of five adult male teams participating in the National Futsal League 2020, totaling 77 athletes. As instruments, we used: athlete identification sheet, Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale in Sports (PSES), Mental Toughness Index (MTI) questionnaire and the performance data from the National Futsal League 2020 (NFL). The data were analyzed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Mann-Whitney "U" test, Spearman's correlation, network analysis (LASSO), with the indicators of centrality: strength, proximity and degree of intermediation (p < 0.05).

Results

The results showed that the investigated sample presented high levels of Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale in Sports (PSES) (Md = 4.66) and mental toughness (MT) (Md = 6.44). PSES presented a positive relationship with the number of wins, and negative relationships with the number of red cards and wrong passes (r = -0.08). MT indirectly influenced these variables through its connection with PSES (r = 0.30). The best ranked teams presented higher amounts of goals for, fouls, shots on goal, tackles, assists, and wins. The time of practice revealed an inverse relationship with the number of defeats, while age was positively related to the number of wrong passes (r = 0.09). The centrality indicators showed that the number of games stood out as the most central variable in the network, due to its degree of strength, proximity and intermediation. Moreover, the high degree of proximity and intermediation of the tackles made presented a connection with the number of assists (γ = 0.25; n = 77).

Conclusion

We can conclude that sport self-efficacy and mental toughness are intervening factors in the sport performance of Brazilian futsal athletes.

The impact of career expectation on employment anxiety of art students in higher vocational colleges during the COVID-19: A chain mediating role of social support and psychological capital

Objective

In the process of college students’ employment, psychological capital, and social support play a vital role.

Methods

This study examined the relationship between career expectation and employment anxiety of Chinese vocational art college students (N = 634). Participants completed the Career Expectation Scale (CES), Employment Anxiety Scale (EAS), Psychological Capital Scale (PCS), and Social Support Scale (SSS).

Results

(1) Vocational art students’ career expectation has a positive predictive effect on employment anxiety, social support, and psychological capital; Social support and psychological capital have negative predictive effects on employment anxiety. (2) Social support and psychological capital play a significant chain intermediary role between career expectation and employment anxiety, and there is a masking effect.

Conclusion

These results are of guiding significance to the improvement of the employment quality of art students in higher vocational colleges and the employment consulting work in colleges.