Goal Achievement and Academic Dropout Among Italian University Students: The Mediating Role of Academic Burnout
As stated by the Goal Orientation Theory, students want to achieve a goal for multiple reasons, with each having a different impact on academic performance. This framework encompasses a three-factor model of goal achievement: a mastery goal, a performance-avoidance (PAv) goal, and a performance-appr...
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2025-01-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education |
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| author | Arianna Nicita Angelo Fumia Concettina Caparello Carmelo Francesco Meduri Pina Filippello Luana Sorrenti |
| author_facet | Arianna Nicita Angelo Fumia Concettina Caparello Carmelo Francesco Meduri Pina Filippello Luana Sorrenti |
| author_sort | Arianna Nicita |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | As stated by the Goal Orientation Theory, students want to achieve a goal for multiple reasons, with each having a different impact on academic performance. This framework encompasses a three-factor model of goal achievement: a mastery goal, a performance-avoidance (PAv) goal, and a performance-approach (PAp) goal. Students may experience elevated stress levels and burnout due to adopting an ineffective approach to goal achievement. This can lead to a loss of interest in studies and even physical and psychological exhaustion. In severe cases, this may result in students abandoning their studies early. This study aims to integrate these factors into a comprehensive model. A cross-sectional study comprising 1497 Italian university students examined the mediating role of academic burnout (professional efficacy, cynicism, and emotional exhaustion) in the association between achievement goals (mastery, PAv, and PAp goals) and the intention to drop out (ID). The questionnaires were administered from October 2022 to September 2023. Structural equation modeling was employed to evaluate the association between variables. The results of the mediation analysis indicate that cynicism and professional efficacy fully mediate the association between mastery and dropout. Cynicism (β = −0.28, <i>p</i> < 0.001) and professional efficacy (β = −0.17, <i>p</i> < 0.001) were both negatively associated with ID, while they partially mediate the association between PAv goals and ID (cynicism: β = 0.21, <i>p</i> ≤ 0.001; professional efficacy: β = 0.05, <i>p</i> ≤ 0.001), and between PAp goals and ID via professional efficacy (β = −0.04, <i>p</i> ≤ 0.001). This study contributes to the currently limited literature on the relationship between achievement goals, burnout, and ID in a sample of university students. The findings of this study may have useful implications for the application of interventions that impact students’ well-being and academic success, potentially limiting their possible dropout. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5f50334c12fa4359913fe58aee5cea37 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2174-8144 2254-9625 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education |
| spelling | doaj-art-5f50334c12fa4359913fe58aee5cea372025-01-24T13:30:39ZengMDPI AGEuropean Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education2174-81442254-96252025-01-01151310.3390/ejihpe15010003Goal Achievement and Academic Dropout Among Italian University Students: The Mediating Role of Academic BurnoutArianna Nicita0Angelo Fumia1Concettina Caparello2Carmelo Francesco Meduri3Pina Filippello4Luana Sorrenti5Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyDepartment of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyDepartment of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyDepartment of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98124 Messina, ItalyDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98124 Messina, ItalyAs stated by the Goal Orientation Theory, students want to achieve a goal for multiple reasons, with each having a different impact on academic performance. This framework encompasses a three-factor model of goal achievement: a mastery goal, a performance-avoidance (PAv) goal, and a performance-approach (PAp) goal. Students may experience elevated stress levels and burnout due to adopting an ineffective approach to goal achievement. This can lead to a loss of interest in studies and even physical and psychological exhaustion. In severe cases, this may result in students abandoning their studies early. This study aims to integrate these factors into a comprehensive model. A cross-sectional study comprising 1497 Italian university students examined the mediating role of academic burnout (professional efficacy, cynicism, and emotional exhaustion) in the association between achievement goals (mastery, PAv, and PAp goals) and the intention to drop out (ID). The questionnaires were administered from October 2022 to September 2023. Structural equation modeling was employed to evaluate the association between variables. The results of the mediation analysis indicate that cynicism and professional efficacy fully mediate the association between mastery and dropout. Cynicism (β = −0.28, <i>p</i> < 0.001) and professional efficacy (β = −0.17, <i>p</i> < 0.001) were both negatively associated with ID, while they partially mediate the association between PAv goals and ID (cynicism: β = 0.21, <i>p</i> ≤ 0.001; professional efficacy: β = 0.05, <i>p</i> ≤ 0.001), and between PAp goals and ID via professional efficacy (β = −0.04, <i>p</i> ≤ 0.001). This study contributes to the currently limited literature on the relationship between achievement goals, burnout, and ID in a sample of university students. The findings of this study may have useful implications for the application of interventions that impact students’ well-being and academic success, potentially limiting their possible dropout.https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/15/1/3goal achievementacademic burnoutacademic dropoutItalian university students |
| spellingShingle | Arianna Nicita Angelo Fumia Concettina Caparello Carmelo Francesco Meduri Pina Filippello Luana Sorrenti Goal Achievement and Academic Dropout Among Italian University Students: The Mediating Role of Academic Burnout European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education goal achievement academic burnout academic dropout Italian university students |
| title | Goal Achievement and Academic Dropout Among Italian University Students: The Mediating Role of Academic Burnout |
| title_full | Goal Achievement and Academic Dropout Among Italian University Students: The Mediating Role of Academic Burnout |
| title_fullStr | Goal Achievement and Academic Dropout Among Italian University Students: The Mediating Role of Academic Burnout |
| title_full_unstemmed | Goal Achievement and Academic Dropout Among Italian University Students: The Mediating Role of Academic Burnout |
| title_short | Goal Achievement and Academic Dropout Among Italian University Students: The Mediating Role of Academic Burnout |
| title_sort | goal achievement and academic dropout among italian university students the mediating role of academic burnout |
| topic | goal achievement academic burnout academic dropout Italian university students |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/15/1/3 |
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