Gratitude and academic engagement among primary students: Examining a multiple mediating model

Abstract

The current study investigated 745 primary students by using a gratitude scale, a teacher-student relationship scale, an academic self-efficacy scale, an academic anxiety scale, and an academic engagement scale to examine the multiple mediating roles of the teacher-student relationship, academic self-efficacy, and academic anxiety in the relationship between gratitude and academic engagement. Our findings indicated that gratitude had a direct and positive impact on academic engagement. In addition, gratitude could exert a positive effect on academic engagement by boosting the teacher-student relationship. Gratitude could positively affect academic engagement through a two-step path from the teacher-student relationship to academic self-efficacy. The positive effect of gratitude on academic engagement could also be achieved through a three-step path from the teacher-student relationship to academic anxiety via academic self-efficacy. Therefore, parents and educators can foster students’ experience and expression of gratitude in school life to further improve their academic engagement. The research findings and limitations were discussed in detail.