Developing a Causal Model of Academic Burnout Based on Outcome Expectations with Mediating Role of Academic Motivation in Pre-University Female Students

Near the university entrance exam, pre-university students may be impressed by motivational and psychological variables. Academic burnout is a variable that can always occur under these conditions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mediating role that academic motivation plays between outcome expectations and academic burnout in pre-university female students. ‎The research method was descriptive based on Structural Equation Modeling. Using cluster sampling method, 350 students were selected from the statistical population of pre-university students of Tehran city. They responded to questionnaires of academic burnout, outcome expectations, and academic motivation. Structural model test results showed that there was a positive relationship between outcome expectations from one hand and internal and external motivations on the other hand; and there was a negative relationship between outcome expectations and non-motivation. There was a positive relationship between academic burnout from one hand and non-motivation and external motivation on the other hand; and there was a negative relationship between academic burnout and internal motivation. The relationship between outcome expectations and academic burnout was negative. The results of the present study showed that the conceptual model fits well with the tested model and also academic motivation has a mediating role in the relationship between outcome expectations and academic burnout.