Mastery orientation predicts greater subjective well-being: perseverance and adaptability as mediators

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective Existing research demonstrates that being mastery oriented is associated with several academic outcomes such as better engagement and achievement. To date, however, there is a dearth of research evidence on the emotional payoffs of mastery orientation. The current study explored the link between mastery orientation, subjective well-being (SWB), and the mediating functions of perseverance and adaptability. Method The study used data from the PISA 2018 dataset and had 6,062 participants, of which 54.4% were female and 46.4% were male. The proposed model was tested using path analysis to determine if perseverance predicts SWB and to examine the mediating roles of perseverance and adaptation. Results The results showed that students’ SWB was positively predicted by mastery orientation. Perseverance and adaptability also predicted SWB and served as a partial mediator of between mastery orientation and SWB. Conclusions The study advances knowledge of the psychological benefits of students embracing mastery orientation. The findings suggest that pupils who are mastery-oriented not only succeed academically but also report higher levels of subjective well-being. Perseverance and adaptability serve as underlying psychological mechanisms in this relationship.