Utrecht Work Engagement Scale For Students Research Articles

Cognitive motivational variables and dropout intention as precursors of university dropout

IntroductionThe intention to dropout and dropout is a problem still unresolved in higher education institutions.ObjectiveTo estimate the differences in the levels of engagement, motivation and academic satisfaction according to (a) intention to dropout and (b) students who remained with those who dropped out. Method: non-experimental designs were used. Two studies are reported, study 1 involved 3,256 students and study 2 involved 2,110 students. The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale Student Test, the Academic Self-Regulation Scale and the Academic Satisfaction Scale were used. The intention to dropout was measured with 3 items and the final dropout data was taken from the official register of students who dropped out of university.ResultsThere are significant differences in the levels of engagement, autonomous motivation and satisfaction between the students who remained and those who dropped out of the university.DiscussionStudents who dropped out in the 3rd semester presented lower levels of academic engagement, motivation and academic satisfaction than those who remained. The intention to dropout and lower levels of these cognitive-motivational variables may contribute to the identification of students at high risk of dropping out. These results contribute to unveiling key variables for the educational transformation of Higher Education in the 21st century.

Resolving Dimensionality Issues of the Utretch Work Engagement Scale for Students Using an Integrative Data-Analytic Framework

Academic engagement plays a crucial role in students’ learning and performance. One of the most popular measures for assessing this construct is the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for Students (UWES-S), which is based on a tridimensional conceptualization consisting of dedication, vigor, and absorption. However, prior research on its factor structure has yielded inconsistent results, and the substantial correlations between dimensions raise doubts about their empirical distinctiveness. Thus, questions remain whether academic engagement is experienced as a global construct, or as its three components. The present study addressed this issue by examining the dimensionality of both UWES-S17 and UWES-S9 using a comprehensive factor-analytic framework. One- to four-factor CFA and ESEM models, along with corresponding bifactor-CFA and bifactor-ESEM models, were tested using data from 453 Ecuadorian university students. The results indicated that ESEM yielded superior fit indices and less correlated factors compared to CFA. However, discriminant validity test did not support the distinctiveness of UWES-S factors, and bifactor analyses consistently demonstrated a strong general factor and weak or collapsed specific factors. These findings were remarkably consistent across both UWES-S versions. Collectively, the results suggest that academic engagement, as currently operationalized by the UWES-S, can be considered as a unidimensional rather than a multidimensional construct. Implications for conceptualization, measurement, and research on academic engagement are discussed.

Effects of perceived variety-support on middle school students' learning engagement in physical education: the mediating role of motivation.

High engagement in physical education (PE) could effectively develop students' motor competence and promote physical activity, which was significantly important for students' physical and mental health. Researches had shown that motivation was an important factor in explaining students' learning engagement, and variety-support as the fourth independent psychological need was a potential factor influencing students' learning motivation. However, there was a lack of empirical research evidence on the effect of perceived variety-support on middle school students' learning engagement in PE and the influencing mechanisms. This study aimed to investigate the direct effect of perceived variety-support on learning engagement in PE and the mediating effect of motivation in PE on the relationship. A cross-sectional study was conducted and 587 middle school students from Liaoning province filled the paper-and-pencil questionnaires adopting perceived variety-support in PE scale (PVSPES), utrecht work engagement scale-student (UWES-S), and perceived locus of causality in PE scale, which had been proved to have good reliability and validity (294 boys and 293 girls, Mage=13.47 ± 0.94). The results showed three variables were significantly positively correlated with each other (r = 0.323-0.562 p < 0.01) and perceived variety-support in PE could not only directly promote middle school students' learning engagement in PE but also indirectly through the mediating effect of motivation in PE. Therefore, in order to better promote students' participation in PE class, we should pay more attention to satisfy students' varied PE learning needs and stimulate students' autonomous learning motivation.

Mindfulness and academic procrastination among Chinese adolescents: a moderated mediation model.

While previous studies have linked mindfulness to reduced academic procrastination, the mechanisms involved remain under-explored. This study deepens the understanding by investigating how learning vigor mediates the mindfulness and procrastination relationship, and how harsh parenting influences this mediation. This study, adopting a positivist research approach, utilized a cross-sectional design. Data were collected from 800 students at three middle schools in Henan Province, China, through cluster random sampling. This approach yielded 800 questionnaires. The participants sequentially completed four questionnaires: the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-Student, the Aitken Procrastination Inventory, and the Harsh Parenting Questionnaire. After removing 67 invalid questionnaires due to incomplete responses and patterned answers, a total of 733 valid questionnaires were obtained, with 53.3% girls and an average age of 13.12 years (SD = 1.01), leading to an effectiveness rate of 91.63%. Upon data collection, SPSS 26.0 software was used for correlation analysis, mediation analysis, and moderated mediation analysis to assess the relationships between variables. (1) Mindfulness negatively predicts academic procrastination; (2) Learning vigor serves as a mediator in the relationship between mindfulness and academic procrastination; and (3) Harsh parenting moderates the relationship between mindfulness and learning vigor. Specifically, the positive impact of mindfulness on learning vigor is more pronounced in individuals experiencing lower levels of harsh parenting compared to those with higher levels. This study reveals that mindfulness significantly protects against academic procrastination in adolescents, with 52.27% of this effect mediated by increased learning vigor. Additionally, it shows that high levels of harsh parenting weaken mindfulness's positive impact on learning vigor, tempering its overall protective influence on procrastination. These insights, which apply Trait Activation Theory to educational psychology, not only deepen our understanding of the dynamics between mindfulness and procrastination but also have important implications for addressing academic procrastination in Chinese adolescents.

The relationship between mobile phone dependence and academic burnout in Chinese college students: a moderated mediator model.

The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between the level of mobile phone dependence among college students and their experience of academic burnout. Additionally, the study sought to explore the potential mediating effect of study engagement and the moderating role of love. During October and December 2023, a cross-sectional study measuring mobile phone dependence, academic burnout, and study engagement among Chinese college students, using the UtrechtWork Engagement Scale-student (UWES-S), College Student Mobile Phone Dependence Questionnaire (CSMPDQ), and Academic Burnout Questionnaire (ABQ). To examine the hypothesis of mediating and moderating effect, SPSS PROCESS was utilized. The predictive effect of mobile phone dependence on academic burnout was significant (β = 0.410, t = 14.236, p < 0.001), and the predictive effect of mobile phone dependence on academic burnout remained significant when the mediating variable study engagement was introduced (β = 0.308, t = 10.288, p < 0.001), mobile phone dependence had a significant predictive effect on study engagement (β = -0.292, t = -11.639, p < 0.001), and study engagement had a significant positive predictive effect on academic burnout (β = -0.270, t = -9.028, p < 0.001). Love significantly negatively predicted study engagement (β = -0.564, t = -9.641, p < 0.001); and the interaction term for mobile phone dependence and love was significant (β = -0.211, t = -3.688, p < 0.001), indicating a significant moderating effect of love between mobile phone dependence and study engagement. Mobile phones among college students has been found to have a direct correlation with academic burnout. It can also indirectly contribute to academic burnout by diminishing levels of academic engagement. This indirect relationship is further influenced by love. These findings can help researchers and educators better understand the underlying mechanisms between smartphone dependence and learning burnout in undergraduates.

Relationships among locus of control, academic engagement, and achievement motivation in Chinese adolescents

Previous studies have revealed the effect of locus of control on academic engagement and achievement motivation, but the role that achievement motivation plays in the relationship between the other two variables for Chinese adolescents has remained unclear. We conducted two studies to explore this issue. In Study 1 we used standardized scales to measure locus of control (Internal–External Control Scale), academic engagement (Utrecht Work Engagement Scale–Student), and achievement motivation (Achievement Motivation Scale) among 1,811 middle school students. In Study 2 we intervened in the participants' achievement motivation by way of group counseling to further check the effect on their academic engagement. We randomly recruited 64 students from the same school for control and experimental groups and constructed a relationship model among the three variables of locus of control, academic engagement, and achievement motivation. Results demonstrated that intervention in achievement motivation can effectively enhance the academic engagement of middle school students.

How physical exercise influences academic burnout among Chinese "Double Non" college students: the chain mediation role of mobile phone addiction and learning engagement.

With mental anxiety caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the trend of "lying down" has become increasingly prevalent among Chinese college students such as not thinking ahead, decadent abandonment, and being weak daily. Particularly, Chinese "Double Non" college students are more likely to face academic burnout (AB) due to lower school satisfaction and after-degree employment ratio, in comparison to "Double First-Class" college students. In view of this, the present study examined the structural relationships of physical exercise (PE), mobile phone addiction (MPA), learning engagement (LE), and AB among Chinese "Double Non" college students, aiming at exploring corresponding mechanism to provide supportive guidance for alleviating potential AB. This study adopted a cross-sectional survey approach among the sample of "Double Non" college students in China. We recruited 930 participants (272 men and 658 women) in the second half of the 2022-2023 academic year, all of whom completed questionnaires involving Physical Exercise Rating Scale, Mobile Phone Dependence Index Scale, Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-Student, and Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey. A series of statistical analyses, including descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations, and direct and indirect effects among study variables, were proceeded based on the collected data. The results showed that PE can not only directly and negatively influence AB, but also indirectly and negatively influence AB through the mediation of MPA as well as the chain mediation of both MPA and LE. While PE had no significantly indirect effect on AB via LE. Physical exercise was proved to be an effective way to reduce MPA and then enhance LE, consequently leading to decreased AB in Chinese "Double Non" college students. The findings were discussed in light of related research, and implications and future directions were put forward for application in potential theoretical research and educational practice.

Analysis on the Relationships of Smartphone Addiction, Learning Engagement, Depression, and Anxiety: Evidence from China.

With the popularization of the Internet and smartphones, smartphone addiction among college students is becoming increasingly common, causing the problems of their learning engagement, anxiety, and depression. The study aimed to analyze the relationships of smartphone addiction, learning engagement, anxiety and depression among Chinese college students. Based on the Self-Determination Theory, in January 2023, 780 college students from 6 universities in Heilongjiang Province in China were selected as examples for the study. Internet Addiction Test, Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-Student, Chinese version of Beck Depression Inventory-II, and Spielberger Trait Anxiety Inventory were employed to measure smartphone use, learning engagement, depression, and anxiety among college students. Pearson correlation and multiple logistic regressions were also used. Smartphone use was negatively correlated with learning engagement (r = -0.097, P < 0.001), whereas it was positively correlated with depression (r = 0.184) and anxiety (r = 0.18, P < 0.001). Significant differences were observed in learning engagement and depression and anxiety symptoms in different degrees of smartphone use. Taking severe smartphone addiction as a comparison standard, depression and anxiety symptoms had a significant influence on different levels of smartphone use, whereas learning engagement did not have a significant influence on different smartphone use levels. The intervention and prevention of college students' smartphone addiction can improve their learning engagement, relieve their anxiety and depression, and enhance their mental health level.

PENGARUH MODAL PSIKOLOGIS TERHADAP ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT (STUDI PADA MAHASISWA UNIVERSITAS X)

Education is a very important thing at this time. During their education, of course, students are expected to have adequate knowledge and abilities as measured by their academic achievements. In many previous studies, it was concluded that academic achievement is influenced by various factors, one of which is academic engagement. There are several personal factors that can affect academic engagement, such as self-efficacy, hope, and optimism. These factors are part of psychological capital. Based on these references, this study was conducted to determine the impact of psychological capital on academic engagement among students of University X. This research is a quantitative study. Data collection is carried out by distributing questionnaires. The questionnaires used were the Psychological Capital Questionnaire and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-Student. A total of 312 participants with an age range of 18 years to 24 years were involved in this study. Based on the results of the regression analysis between psychological capital and academic engagement, the results obtained are F (1.310) = 86.997, p = 0.000, and R2 = 0.219. This shows that there is a significant impact of psychological capital while the contribution is 21.9% on the academic engagement of the students of University X.

Testing the effectiveness of motivation-based teaching in Nursing English course: A quasi-experimental study

BackgroundMotivation is a crucial factor in determining the student-learning process. Integrating the Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction (ARCS) motivation model into the Nursing English course has the potential to motivate nursing students and improve their learning outcomes. ObjectivesTo apply motivational tactics to the Nursing English course and explore the effects on the learning motivation, engagement, and performance of vocational college nursing students. DesignA quasi-experimental study. SettingThe study was conducted at a vocational college in XXXX. ParticipantsA total of 229 sophomore nursing students (experimental group = 114; comparison group = 115) participated. MethodsMotivation-based teaching was applied to the experimental group, while traditional lecture-based teaching was used with the comparison group. The Course Interest Survey (CIS) was used to measure student learning motivation; the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale—Student (UWES-S) was used to assess student learning engagement (both pre- and posttest). Midterm and final examination scores were used to compare the learning performance between both groups. ResultsThere were no significant differences between both groups at the pretest in the CIS, UWES-S, and midterm examination scores. Significant group ∗ time interactions were found for CIS, UWES-S, and examination scores. The simple effect analysis showed that the experimental group's CIS, UWES-S, and examination scores were significantly higher than the comparison group at the posttest. Furthermore, the motivation-based teaching led to significant improvements in the CIS scores (from 3.12 [0.43] to 3.66 [0.34], p < 0.001), UWES-S scores (from 3.72 [0.53] to 4.05 [0.69], p < 0.001) and the CIS and UWES-S sub-scale scores of the experimental group. No changes were observed in the comparison group. The experimental group showed more remarkable improvement than the comparison group in examination scores. ConclusionsMotivation-based teaching effectively improved learning motivation, learning engagement, and learning performance of students in the Nursing English course.

Multidimensionality and measurement invariance of the revised developmental work personality scale

The current study examined the factor structure, measurement invariance, and construct validity of the 14-item Revised Developmental Work Personality Scale (RDWPS) using a sample of 603 college students in a Midwest university of the United States. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis results indicated that the 11-item RDWPS resulted in a better fit of the measurement model. Partial measurement invariance was also detected between gender groups. In addition, it was weakly to moderately correlated with the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-Student (UWES-S), self-reported effort, and GPA among college students. Lastly, it was found that males scored lower than females in all three subscales of the RDWPS in comparison to the latent means of the gender groups.

Psychometric properties of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for Students (UWES-S) in the Taiwanese context

Academic engagement in recent years has become the focus of determining student learning and achievement. However,despite this growing awareness that has revolutionized academic policies and educational approaches, literature on engagement in the academic context is still in its infancy. This study seeks to remedy this through the confirmation of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for Students’ (UWES-S) promising psychometric properties and by providing empirical evidence on the relationship between academic engagement, personality traits, and social media addiction, a determinant that has yet to be explored. Our findings indicate that of the five personality traits analyzed, agreeableness had the strongest negative correlation with academic engagement, and perhaps equally as striking is the positive, albeit insignificant, association between social media and academic engagement. Furthermore, the most informative and least informative items for academic engagement were identified using IRT analysis. Finally, this study also addresses several gaps in the literature by determining that the one-factor construct of the UWES-S is an adequate measure of academic engagement compared to its three-factor counterpart and by demonstrating the measurement invariance of the UWES-S across gender, class year, and academic major in our sample of Taiwanese undergraduates.

Korean Version of the 17-Item Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for University Students: A Validity and Reliability Study.

Work engagement is a factor that has key influence on learning outcomes for college students. The psychometric properties of the Korean version of the 17-item Utrecht work engagement scale for students (UWES-S) survey have yet to be determined. The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and validity of the Korean version of the 17-item UWES-S among Korean college students. A total of 248 college students were recruited from three universities in South Korea. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS and the Mplus program. Among 248 college students, the mean age was 21.19 years, and 87.5% of the students were female. Reliability was deemed satisfactory by Cronbach’s alpha 0.940, McDonald’s omega 0.941, and composite reliability 0.941. Construct validity was supported by confirmatory factor analysis results (CFI = 0.93, TLI = 0.91, SRMR = 0.05, RMSEA = 0.08). Convergent validity was supported by the significant relationship between academic engagement and burnout (r = −0.344, p < 0.001). Our findings showed that the Korean version of the 17-item UWES-S was a reliable and valid instrument. This instrument can be used to assess and improve work engagement in college students.

Utrecht work engagement scale: Construct validity and reliability in Chilean health science students.

The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-Student (UWES-S) has been extensively applied in different countries to assess engagement in students, but there are discrepancies about its factor structure outcomes. To analyse the factor structure of Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-Student as construct validity evidence and reliability in medical students. The non-experimental cross-sectional study was conducted at the public-sector University of Concepción in the Bio-Bio region in central Chile at the end of the first academic semester, between July and August 2017, and comprised students of health science undergraduate degree programmes in Medicine, Kinesiology, Pharmacy, and Speech and Language Therapy. Data was collected using a sociodemographic proforma and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-Student. The subjects were randomly divided into groups A and B. With group A, exploratory factor analysis was performed using the method of extraction of the main axis analysis. With group B, confirmatory factor analysis was performed using the maximum likelihood method. Data was analysed using STATA 11 SE. Of the 898 students, 538(59.91%) were females and 360(40.09%) were males. The overall mean age was 21.29±2.51 years (range: 17-34 years). Two factors, 'involvement with studies' and 'enthusiasm for the career', with eigenvalues 7.59 and 1.18 were identified with the potential to explain majority of the total variance of items. Comparative fit index, Tucker-Lewis index and the root mean square error of approximation showed the solution having the best fit. Involvement with studies and enthusiasm for career were found to be critical factors, but did not show adequate adjustment even though confirmatory factor analysis found this to be the solution with the best fit.

Emotional Intelligence and Academic Engagement in Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Self-Esteem.

BackgroundAcademic engagement is a variable of vital importance in adolescence due to its relationship with academic adjustment and its protective role against risk behaviors. Therefore, the objective of this study was to find out the variables involved in its development.ObjectiveThe specific objectives were to analyze the relationship between emotional intelligence, self-esteem and academic engagement, and determine the mediating role of self-esteem in the relationship between emotional intelligence and engagement in adolescence.MethodsThe sample of 1287 high school students used for this filled in the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale Student, Brief Emotional Intelligence Inventory and the Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale.ResultsThe results showed the existence of positive relationships between vigor, dedication and absorption with the emotional intelligence factors and self-esteem. Furthermore, the mediation models showed the direct effect of emotional intelligence on engagement of youths. Self-esteem acted as a mediator in the relationship between intrapersonal factors, stress management and adaptability of emotional intelligence and engagement.ConclusionDesign of emotional intelligence intervention programs are recommended as a measure for promoting self-esteem and engagement in adolescence.

The Mediating Role of Goal Orientation (Task) in the Relationship between Engagement and Academic Self-Concept in Students.

Some students many not possess the necessary strategies and skills to meet the demands of academic life and develop negative attitudes, physical and mental exhaustion, and other attitudes that will undermine their personal and academic development. This study analyses the relationship and possible role of goal orientation as a mediator between engagement and academic self-concept. Methods: The study concerned a population of 1756 subjects from 12 secondary schools (ESO). The instruments used included the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale—Student (UWES-S), the Perception of Success Questionnaire (POSQ), and the Academic Self-Concept Scale (ASCS). Results: The results revealed significant correlations between academic engagement, task-oriented goal orientation, and academic self-concept. In addition, task orientation was found to play a positive mediating role between academic engagement and academic self-concept, leading to adaptive models in secondary school students. Conclusion: These results highlight the need to promote goal orientation in order to stimulate self-determined behaviours in the school environment and improved levels of academic self-concept, which in turn will facilitate the psychological and personal development of the student and increase the chances of academic success.

The role of social skills in burnout and engagement among university students

Introduction. Social skills may prevent burnout and enhance engagement in students by increasing social support and improving relationships with peers and teachers. Method. This study explores the interrelation between self-reported social skills and experienced burnout and engagement among 351 university students (70.5% women, 29.5% men) in different study fields. The Study Burnout Inventory (SBI-9), the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-Student (UWES-S) and a social skills questionnaire were utilised. The data was analysed using linear regression analysis. Results. The results show an association between higher social skills and lower burnout and higher engagement. Higher engagement was also associated to lower burnout. Discussion and Conclusion. The findings imply that targeting social skills might offer a way to increase engagement and diminish burnout among students.

Bullying victimization, school belonging, academic engagement and achievement in adolescents in rural China: A serial mediation model

This study aims to understand how bullying victimization impacts on adolescents' academic achievement through the serial mediation of school belonging and academic engagement in rural China. Altogether 813 rural adolescents in southwestern China (359 boys, 454 girls, M age = 15 years, SD = 0.00) completed the Multidimensional Peer Victimization Scale-Revised (MPVS-R), Psychological Sense of School Membership (PSSM) scale, Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-Student, and the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) tests. The results indicated that: (1) boys reported significantly higher bullying victimization and lower school belonging and academic engagement than girls; (2) school belonging and academic engagement were identified the serial mediators between bullying victimization and academic achievement in the models for the whole sample and boys group; (3) the mediation model for girls group differed from that for boys, as academic engagement did not predict academic achievement in girls. The findings highlight the importance of fostering a positive school climate to fight against negative consequences associated with bullying victimization.

Education Burnout and Engagement in Occupational Therapy Undergraduate Students and Its Associated Factors

IntroductionBurnout syndrome has been characterized as a process of chronic responses to occupational stress in certain employee groups. However, this phenomenon has also been reported in other participant groups including university students. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS), composed of the Exhaustion, Cynicism and Efficacy subscales, was used to evaluate burnout in this sample group while the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) was used to gather data related to engagement, a positive psychology construct composed of the three factors, namely vigor, dedication, and absorption. To date, no studies considered these factors in relation to occupational therapy students. This begs the question, is there a relationship between occupational therapy students’ self-reported levels of burnout and engagement?ObjectivesThe study objectives are to (1) ascertain the self-reported levels of burnout and engagement in a sample of Australian Occupational undergraduate therapy students, and (2) analyze the sociodemographic, occupational and academic characteristic associated with these levels.MethodsParticipants were 225 Australian undergraduate occupational therapy students from Monash University completed the MBI-SS and the UWES for students. Descriptive, bivariate and multiple linear regression analyses were performed.ResultsRegarding MBI-SS burnout dimensions, exhaustion was associated with age, year level of enrolment and hours of direct time spent working on occupational therapy studies, explaining 15% of its variance. Cynicism and efficacy were associated with age, year level of enrolment and hours of indirect time, accounting for 16% of its variance. For the UWES engagement dimensions, year level of enrolment and hours of indirect time spent working on occupational therapy studies were significant predictors of vigor, explaining 27% its variance while while age, gender, year level of enrolment, hours of indirect time spent working on occupational therapy studies, and hours spend per week engaged in self-care activities accounted for 23% of the variance of dedication. Finally, age, year level of enrolment, and hours of indirect time spent working on occupational therapy studies explained 27% of the variance of absorption.ConclusionThe results indicate that a number of demographic and academic study variables are significantly associated with burnout syndrome and education engagement reported by undergraduate occupational therapy students.

Odrednice i ishodi angažiranosti u studiju

and outcomes of students' engagement. Students' engagement is a positive condition characterized by vigor, dedication and absorption in work and it was measured by the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for Students (UWES-S). Our study had two research problems. Within the first problem, we relied to the Job Demands-Resources Model to examine the possible determinants of students' engagement: core self-evaluations and the person-environment fit (congruence as measured with the Iachan M index). Within the second research problem we examined the role of students' engagement in explaining academic achievement. Participants were students enrolled in six different study programs at the University of Zagreb (N = 380). The results have shown that congruence and core self-evaluations explained students' engagement. Core self-evaluations were shown to be related to all aspects of students' engagement, while congruence contributed over and above core self-evaluations to dedication and total students' engagement. Academic achievement was determined by gender, age, core self-evaluations and students' engagement, but not by congruence. Students' engagement explained an additional variance of academic achievement s over gender, age, and core self-evaluations.