Modeling the Relationships among Academic Identity, Psychological Sense of School Membership, and Teacher Support: The Mediating Role of Academic Adjustment in Academic Performance

This study was conducted to model the relationships of academic identity, psychosocial sense of school membership, and teacher support with academic performance by the mediating role of academic adjustment.

In this cross-sectional research, structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the relationships. The statistical sample of the study (n=422) were students selected by multi-stage cluster sampling method. The instruments used to gather the necessary data were the following questionnaires: Adjustment Inventory for School Students, Academic Identity Status Scale, Psychological Sense of School Membership Scale, and Teacher Emotional Support Scale. Furthermore, the studentchr('39')s grade point average in the current semester was considered as a measure of academic performance. The collected data were analyzed in AMOS software (version 24) using path analysis and SEM.

The direct affecting analysis results revealed that the variables of moratorium identity and achievement identity, psychological sense of school membership, and academic adjustment each had a direct significant effect on studentschr('39') academic performance (P<0.05). However, there was no significant relationship between teacher affective support and studentschr('39') academic performance (P>0.05). The results of the indirect-affecting analysis showed that such variables as moratorium, diffusion, and achievement identity, psychological sense of school membership, and teacher affective support by the mediating role of academic adjustment had a significant effect on academic performance (P<0.05).

The results showed that besides the teacher affective support, some aspects of academic identity, psychological sense of school membership, and academic adjustment had a significant effect on studentschr('39') academic performance. Therefore, it is recommended to develop programs based on the variables of this study to increase studentschr('39') academic performance.