Intermediary Role of Self-Efficacy and Academic Self-Regulation in the Relationship between Self-Esteem and Happiness

The aim of this study was to investigate the mediating role of self-efficacy and academic self-regulation in the relationship between self-esteem and happiness. The statistical population of the study included undergraduate students of Fars Farhangian University (4803 students) who were studying in the first semester of the 98-97 academic year. Among them, 358 students were selected by one-stage cluster sampling. Subsequently, they completed four valid scales including Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, Sherer General Self-Efficacy Scale, the Cooper Smith Self-Esteem Scale, and the Magno Educational Self-Regulation Scale to assess the variables. The validity and reliability of all the scales were confirmed. Also, Path Analysis with SEQ was run as the statistical technique for analyzing the data. The results show that the proposed model's fitness to observations was desirable. Additionally, happiness was predicted directly by self-esteem (p < 0.03), self-efficacy (p < 0.01) and academic self-regulation (p < 0.001). Moreover, self-efficacy and academic self-regulation had a stronger significant mediating role between self-esteem and happiness (P=0.03). The direct path of self-esteem to self-efficacy (p < 0.001) and self-esteem to academic self-regulation (p < 0.001) were also significant. It means that not only does self-esteem predict happiness, but also it can be predicted strongly by self-efficacy and academic self-regulation. Thus the relationship between self-esteem and happiness with the mediating role of self-efficacy and academic self-regulation is meaningful.