The Lifelong Learning Literacy Model and Psychological Needs: The Mediating Role of Psychological Capital

The purpose of this study was to identify the mediating role of psychological capital in the relationship between psychological needs and lifelong learning literacy. The present study was conducted in a descriptive manner to identify the relationships among variables in the form of a structural model in the correlational research design; therefore, the relationships among variables were tested in the form of a structural model. The statistical population included all twelfth grade high school students in Abhar (Iran) who were studying in the academic year 2020-2021. Among them, 435 students (51 males and 385 females) were selected by multistage cluster random sampling and answered the questionnaires on basic psychological needs (BNSG-S), psychological capital (PCQ), and lifelong learning literacy (LLL). The data were analyzed using the structural equation modeling method with Amos-24, and the combined reliability method was used to determine the reliability of the instrument. The results showed that the direct relationship between psychological needs and psychological capital (P < 0.001, β = 0.73) and the direct relationship between psychological capital and lifelong learning literacy (P ≤ 0.001, β = 0.70). Psychological capital also fully mediated the relationship between basic psychological needs and lifelong learning literacy, so that by satisfying more basic psychological needs of students, their psychological capital could be fertilized. As a result, their lifelong learning literacy increased.