The Effect of Self-Efficacy on Academic Achievement and Learning Engagement: A Systematic Literature Review

This paper aims to explore teachers' support and students' academic achievements. Because students' academic achievements are related to the quality of higher education, however, not all students' academic achievements are invested in learning activities independently, and a big factor in learning gains is students' social support. With reference to previous studies and existing literature, This study selects teacher support as the independent variable, vocational students' academic achievements as the dependent variable, students' academic self-efficacy and learning engagement as the mediation variables to build a research model to explore the chain mediation effect of teacher support on academic achievement through academic self-efficacy and learning engagement. In this study, 414 vocational college students in Chongqing were investigated by questionnaire. The reliability and validity of the questionnaire were consistent with the academic level, and were statistically tested by SPSS 25.0; The results show that: 1. Teacher support positively predicts vocational students' academic achievements; 2.Teacher support can indirectly predict the academic achievements of higher vocational students through academic self-efficacy; 3. Teacher support can indirectly predict the academic achievements of higher vocational students through learning engagement; 4. Academic self-efficacy - learning engagement plays a chain mediation role between teacher support and academic achievement. Finally, based on the conclusions of the study, this study puts forward specific suggestions for future research.

PurposeThe link between academic self-efficacy and academic achievement and its potential mediation by learning engagement was investigated in college students in China.MethodsThe Chinese versions of the Academic Self-Efficacy Scale, Academic Achievement Scale, and Learning Engagement Scale were administered to 1158 Chinese college students (544 men, 614 women; age [years]: M=19.37, SD=1.16, ranging from 17 to 30 years; college year: 641 freshmen, 302 sophomores, 197 juniors, 18 seniors).ResultsThe results showed that, among Chinese college students, there were positive correlations between academic self-efficacy and both academic achievement and learning engagement, and between learning engagement and academic achievement. Additionally, a structural equation model demonstrated that learning engagement could mediate the association between academic self-efficacy and achievement.ConclusionAcademic self-efficacy, learning engagement, and academic achievement were found to be significantly and positively associated in Chinese college students, with the association between self-efficacy and achievement observed to be significantly mediated by learning engagement, which mediates the link between self-efficacy and achievement. As the study was cross-sectional, causal inferences were difficult to determine; thus, longitudinal studies should be conducted in the future for further analysis of the causal relationships between these three variables. The present research results reveal the mechanism by which academic self-efficacy of college students impacts their academic achievement, expanding the research perspective of learning engagement, and can help guide the development of interventions to improve college students’ academic achievement.

Despite the return of college students to campus in the post-pandemic era, the deep influence of COVID-19 on learning approaches persists. Existing research has explored fewer mechanisms underlying academic self-efficacy and learning engagement. In line with social cognitive theory, the psychological resilience framework, and vocational socialization theory, this research investigated academic self-efficacy, professional commitment, psychological resilience, and academic engagement among college students in the post-pandemic era. In this research, the focus was on understanding the impact of academic self-efficacy on learning engagement, taking into account gender as a moderator and psychological resilience and professional commitment as mediators. We conducted a survey with 1,032 college students in Henan Province, China, utilizing the Psychological Resilience Scale, Academic Self-Efficacy Scale, College Student Learning Engagement Questionnaire, and College Student Professional Commitment Scale. SPSS and the Process plugin were used to assess mediating and moderating effects. Academic self-efficacy significantly and positively correlates with college students' commitment to learning. The positive anticipation of learning engagement facilitated by academic self-efficacy exerts its effect through the fully parallel mediation of psychological resilience and professional commitment. Notably, the mediation effect of professional commitment was greater than that of psychological resilience. Further research found that the mediation of professional commitment was moderated by gender, with female students demonstrating stronger perceptions of professional commitment associated with elevated levels of learning engagement. Gender did not exhibit a significant moderating effect on psychological resilience. College students' academic self-efficacy, professional commitment, and psychological resilience must be addressed to enhance their learning engagement.

The aim of this study is to investigate the correlation between learning engagement and academic self-efficacy towards academic achievement among normal college students in China. The method of this research is a descriptive survey conducted in the field. Students’ statistical community from Shangrao Normal University in Jiangxi Province, China that their number is about 15,000 people, and 1,507 people were selected as a sample by simple random method. Out of these participants, 471 were malearning engagement (31.3%) and 1036 were femalearning engagement (68.7%) students. This study used Learning Engagement Scale-Student (UWES-S), Academic Self-efficacy Questionnaire (ASEQ) and academic achievement assessment as instruments. The data was analyzed using t-tests, one-way ANOVA and regression analysis. The results indicate that there is no significant gender difference observed in learning engagement or academic self-efficacy. However, when considering different grades, learning engagement demonstrates a significant disparity with the lowest level found among Grade 2 students, which significantly differs from Grade 1, Grade 3, and Grade 4 respectively. On the other hand, no significant differences are observed in academic self-efficacy across different grades. Furthermore, there are notable learning engagement variances between students with varying levels of achievement regarding both learning engagement and academic self-efficacy. Regression analysis reveals that learning engagement directly influences academic achievement while academic self-efficacy acts as a mediating factor for academic achievement. The research results confirmed the significant correlation between students’ learning engagement, academic self-efficacy, and academic achievement; learning engagement has a direct impact on academic achievement, meanwhile academic self-efficacy mediates the relationship between learning engagement and academic achievement. Driven and facilitated by the power of the interactive field, the participants can reduce the sense of inferiority, overcome the fear of feeling and enhance the ability of introspection and self-efficacy.

The purpose of this study was to identify the structural relationship between professor's support, academic self-efficacy, learning engagement, major satisfaction and academic persistence intention of junior college freshmen. The survey instruments used were those developed in previous studies, with confirmed reliability and validity, and 476 questionnaires were used for analysis. Data analysis included reliability analysis, descriptive statistics analysis, correlation analysis, normality analysis, and multicollinearity analysis using IBM SPSS 23.0. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were conducted using Mplus 7.0. 
 The results of this study are as follows. First, an appropriate structural relationship model was reasonably identified between professor's support, academic self-efficacy, learning engagement, major satisfaction and academic persistence intention of junior college freshmen. Second, according to the analysis of direct effects, professor's support had a significant positive influence on academic self-efficacy, learning engagement, and major satisfaction, but showed a negative effect on academic persistence intention. Academic self-efficacy had a significant positive effect on learning engagement, and learning engagement had significant positive effects on major satisfaction and academic persistence intention. Major satisfaction had a significant positive effect on academic persistence intention. Third, The analysis of indirect effects through mediation revealed that learning engagement, and major satisfaction mediated the relationship between professor's support and academic persistence intention, respectively. Learning engagement mediated the relationship between academic self-efficacy and academic persistence intention, while major satisfaction mediated the relationship between learning engagement and academic persistence intention. Furthermore, it was found that academic self-efficacy and learning engagement acted as dual mediators between professor's support and academic persistence intention, and learning engagement and major satisfaction acted as dual mediators between professor's support and academic persistence intention as well as between academic self-efficacy and academic persistence intention. Finally, Academic self-efficacy, learning engagement, and major satisfaction acted as triple mediators between professor's support and academic persistence intention. Based on these results, the implications and recommendations for academic persistence intention of junior college freshmen were discussed.

The academic achievement of secondary school students has consistently been a focal topic of interest among researchers. However, the relationship between physical activity and academic achievement, along with its underlying mechanisms, remains unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between physical activity and academic achievement of secondary school students, and to verify the mediating role of social support and learning engagement between them. Based on the purpose, a survey was conducted involving 3,230 secondary school students (M age = 13.21, SD age = 0.54) in Guangdong Province, utilizing the Physical Activity Level Scale, Academic Achievement Scale, Perceived Social Support Scale, and Learning Engagement Scale. Data were statistically analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, regression analysis and mediation analysis by using SPSS to examine the relationship between physical activity and academic achievement, as well as the mediating roles of social support and learning engagement. Independent Sample t-test were used to test gender differences, which were observed only in physical activity, with boys exhibiting significantly higher scores than girls (Boys: 36.41 ± 19.17; Girls: 34.21 ± 19.78; p = 0.008). ANOVA were used to test age differences, which were observed in physical activity (F = 3.426, p = 0.001) and learning engagement (F = 3.054, p = 0.012), with physical activity declining among middle school students as age increased, while learning engagement showed a continuous rise across all age stages. Regression analysis showed that the direct path from physical activity to academic achievement was significant (β = -0.025, p < 0.01). Physical activity positively predicted social support (β = 0.085, p < 0.01) and learning engagement (β = 0.082, p < 0.01). Social support significantly predicted learning engagement (β = 0.096, p < 0.01) and academic achievement (β = -0.038, p < 0.01). Social support and learning engagement play significant mediating roles in the relationship between physical activity and academic achievement, accounting for 90.25% of the total effect. The mediating effect consists of three pathways: (1) physical activity → social support → academic achievement (mediating effect is 0.017), (2) physical activity → learning engagement → academic achievement (mediating effect is 0.032), and (3) physical activity → social support → learning engagement → academic achievement (mediating effect is 0.062). Physical activity not only directly predicts academic achievement in middle school students, but also directly through the separate mediating roles of social support and learning engagement, and indirectly through the chained mediating roles of social support and learning engagement. These findings underscore the significant influence of physical activity on academic achievement, offering valuable insights for educators in developing and implementing strategies that foster students' academic development.

Objective: This study examines the structural relationships between perceived teacher support, academic self-efficacy, and learning engagement among Chinese high school students. It also verifies the mediating effect of academic self-efficacy. Methods: A survey targeting Chinese high school students was conducted; of 580 total responses, 519 valid responses were analyzed. Perceived teacher support, academic self-efficacy, and learning engagement were measured on scales derived from the literature. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0, AMOS 24.0, descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and structural equation modeling. Bootstrapping was used to verify the mediating effect. Results: Perceived teacher support was positively correlated with academic self-efficacy and learning engagement, while academic self-efficacy was positively correlated with learning engagement. Both relationships reached significance. A partial mediating effect of academic self-efficacy was also identified in the relationship between perceived teacher support and learning engagement. Conclusions: This study empirically confirms the positive effect of perceived teacher support on high school students’ academic self-efficacy and learning engagement, and that academic self-efficacy plays a significant mediating role in this relationship. The study discusses the educational implications and scope for future research based on these findings.

In sharp contrast to the relevant research on positive psychological quality and academic performance in basic education, there is almost no relevant research in higher education in China. In order to explore the relationship between positive psychological quality and their academic performances of college students, and furthermore, whether positive psychological quality can affect their performances through the influence of academic self-efficacy and learning engagement, we conducted survey research among medical students in southwest and northeast China. We found that there are differences in positive psychological quality, academic self-efficacy, academic engagement and academic performance among students of different genders and grades. Girls' academic performance and engagement are higher than boys. The positive psychological quality of higher grades is better than that of lower grades. Positive psychological quality can affect academic performance alone, and the effect is more obvious when it is combined with academic self-efficacy. The positive psychological quality and academic self-efficacy can effectively affect learning engagement, which also can affect academic performance. However, learning engagement and academic self-efficacy have no mediating effect on positive psychological quality and academic performance.

Introduction This article reports the results of a study conducted to assess the mediating effects of grit and learning agility on the relationship between academic burnout and learning engagement among undergraduate students. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a self-report questionnaire. Undergraduate students (N = 344) were recruited from one university in South Korea (58.0% female; average age 21.43) to complete assessments of academic burnout, grit, learning agility, and learning engagement. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, hierarchical regression and bootstrapping to verify the multiple parallel mediation effect. Results We found that the direct effect of academic burnout on learning engagement (B= −0.26, p<.001) and the indirect effect of academic burnout as mediated by learning agility (B= −0.13; 95% CI, −0.20∼−0.06) were significant. This finding confirmed that 33.3% of the total effect of academic burnout on learning engagement was the result of indirect effects via learning agility. Conclusion These results indicate the necessity of developing an educational programme that focuses not only on reducing academic burnout but also on improving learning agility to increase undergraduate students’ learning engagement. This study contributes to the development of a curriculum aimed at increasing the effectiveness of university education, promoting learning engagement, and reducing academic burnout. KEY MESSAGE Our study reports that academic burnout has both a direct effect on learning engagement and an indirect effect via learning agility. Learning agility mediates the relationship between academic burnout and learning engagement among undergraduate students. Although grit has been reported by many previous studies to mediate the relationship between the tendency to pursue happiness and the willingness to continue learning and effectively improving one’s academic achievement and ability, our study did not find any mediating effect via grit in this context.

In recent years, much attention is given by education researchers and accrediting bodies to the role of non-cognitive ability on academic success and potential employment. This research paper aimed to explore the combined influence of non-cognitive and cognitive predictors in forecasting the academic performance of students, measured by university grade point average (GPA), at the end of the second year in university in Saudi Arabia. Results indicate that the key predictors of university GPA were academic achievement test/general aptitude test (AAT/GAT) scores and High School GPA (HSGPA). Pre-university cognitive abilities (AAT, GAT, and HSGPA) were collected from 1,121 participant students. Academic self-efficacy (AS), achievement motivation (AM), academic engagement (AE), and social engagement (SE) of students as key non-cognitive abilities for academic performance were determined. A moderate positive correlation between cognitive factors and AS and AM was found. On the contrary, a weak negative correlation was found with the AE and SA. Using the stepwise regression analysis, AS, AM, and AE together significantly predicted the university GPA over and above AAT, GAT, and HSGPA. A binary logistic regression analysis model was able to predict college of medicine students with a percentage of 68.4% without prior knowledge of university GPA.

Students’ learning environments are significantly influenced by massive open online courses (MOOCs). To better understand how students could implement learning technology for educational purposes, this study creates a structural equation model and tests confirmatory factor analysis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a model through investigating observability (OB), complexity (CO), trialability (TR), and perceived usefulness (PU) with perceived ease-of-use (PEU) of MOOCs adoption by university students to measure their academic self-efficacy (ASE), learning engagement (LE), and learning persistence (LP). As a result, the study used an expanded variant of the innovation diffusion theory (IDT) and the technology acceptance model (TAM) as the research model. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with Smart-PLS was applied to quantitative data collection and analysis of 540 university students as respondents. Student responses were grouped into nine factors and evaluated to decide the students’ ASE, LE, and LP. The findings revealed a clear correlation between OB, CO, and TR, all of which were important predictors of PU and PEU. Students’ ASE, LE, and LP were affected by PEU and PU. This study’s established model was effective in explaining students’ ASE, LE, and LP on MOOC adoption. These findings suggest implications for designing and developing effective instructional and learning strategies in MOOCs in terms of learners’ perceptions of themselves, their instructors, and learning support systems.

Objective: To investigate the factors that influence undergraduate Sudanese nursing students' academic achievement. Methods: An online survey was conducted among 235 Sudanese nursing students using several scales and questionnaires to assess cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains of academic achievement, self-regulated learning (S.R.L.), engagement, academic stress, and grade point average (GPA). A hierarchical multiple linear regression model was used to identify the predictors of academic achievement. Results: Academic achievement was significantly correlated with SRL (r = 0.588, p&lt;0.001), engagement in distance learning (r = 0.476, p &lt; 0.001), academic stress (r = 0.355, p&lt;0.001), and GPA (r = 0.162, p=0.02). No significant correlation was found between academic achievement level and demographic or learning experience variables, participating in a learning support program, voluntary study meetings, and receiving learning counseling. Engagement in distance learning and SRL were identified as significant predictors of academic achievement, with adjusted R2 values of 0.216 and 0.377, respectively. Conclusion: The study highlights the importance of engagement in distance learning and SRL among Sudanese nursing students in the context of distance learning. The nursing institutions need to develop effective strategies to enhance students' engagement and SRL skills to promote academic success in distil learning.

This systematic review synthesizes 25 empirical studies (1/1/2015–16/6/2025) to examine the impact of teachers’ digital competence on students’ academic self-efficacy, learning engagement, and other related outcomes. The findings reveal that teachers’ digital competence boosts academic self-efficacy by fostering confidence and self-regulation. It also enhances learning engagement across behavioral, emotional, and cognitive dimensions. These effects are supported by frameworks such as TPACK and Social Cognitive Theory. Quantitative research and questionnaires were the most commonly used methods, and technology integration environments (e.g., AR/VR, AI tools) in improving students’ other related outcomes were the most frequent variable focus. However, the existing research exhibits geographical biases (with a predominance of studies from developed regions), methodological limitations (including an overreliance on cross-sectional surveys), and a focus on higher education, which leaves K-12 and vocational contexts underexplored. Key gaps include inconsistent measurement tools and insufficient examination of mediating mechanisms (e.g., the role of academic self-efficacy in the relationship between teachers’ digital competence and learning engagement). This review underscores the need for longitudinal studies, standardized assessments, and more equitable research representation in economically underdeveloped regions. Practical implications highlight the importance of integrating technical and pedagogical training in teacher development programs to optimize digital learning environments.

This study aims to examine how perceived pressure influences doctoral students' learning engagement, specifically analyzing the serial mediating roles of social support and academic self-efficacy. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted with a sample of 432 Chinese doctoral students, utilizing the Perceived Pressure Scale, the Social Support Scale, the General Academic Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Classroom Engagement Scale. Perceived pressure was positively associated with doctoral students' learning engagement via social support (β = 0.065, 95% CI [0.036, 0.100]), and also through academic self-efficacy (β = 0.075, 95% CI [0.068, 0.173]). Additionally, a significant serial mediation pathway was identified-perceived pressure → social support → academic self-efficacy → learning engagement (β = 0.015, 95% CI [0.010, 0.041]). Social support and academic self-efficacy served as serial mediators in the relationship between perceived pressure and learning engagement. Perceived pressure among doctoral students shows a positive direct association and multiple indirect associations with learning engagement. From a Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) perspective, these findings suggest that perceived pressure may function as a challenge demand when adequate resources are available, and that social support and academic self-efficacy jointly facilitate engagement through a sequential resource pathway. While focusing on doctoral students' learning engagement, higher education institutions should emphasize the development of robust social support systems and the enhancement of academic self-efficacy to assist doctoral students in transforming stress into a sustained driving force for academic development.

Purpose: Numerous empirical studies have confirmed that learning from examples and by doing (LFED) can improve learning efficiency; however, its impact on learning motivation is still unclear. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of LFED on students' mathematics learning performance, academic engagement and academic self-efficacy to explore its effect on Learning motivation. Methods: In a cluster randomized controlled trial, 119 seventh-grade students were randomly assigned to either a four-month LFED group (n=59) or a conventional group (n=60). The interventional group was taught by the LFED method, and the other received a traditional teaching method. Both groups were assessed before and after the intervention to measure academic performance in mathematics, learning engagement, and academic self-efficacy. Results: Repeated-measures ANOVA showed a significant group-by-time effect for academic self-efficacy and learning behavior dimension scores; there were no significant group-by-time effects for math academic performance, learning engagement scores, and related dimension scores. Paired-sample t-tests showed no significant change in self-efficacy scores in the LFED group but a significant decrease in self-efficacy and all related dimensions scores in the conventional group. There was no change in cognitive engagement dimension scores in the LFED group but a substantial decrease in the conventional group. Conclusion: As an adaptive learning method originating from artificial intelligence, LFED had an equal impact on math academic performance as traditional teaching methods. However, LFED was feasible and effective in enhancing students’ academic self-efficacy and cognitive learning engagement.