Structural Model of Academic Conscientiousness Based on Social Adequacy with the Mediating Role of Academic Engagement

Academic conscientiousness is the best predictor of personality for professional, educational, and academic performance. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to provide a model of academic conscientiousness based on social adequacy through the mediation of academic engagement in female high school students.

The method of this research was descriptive-correlational modeling of structural equations. The statistical population includes all-female high school students in Bukan County (N = 1400) who were studying in the 2019-2020 academic year. The sampling method was multi-stage cluster. The sample size was 300 participants. For data collection, McIlroy and Banting’s Academic Conscientiousness Questionnaire (2002), Academic Adequacy Questionnaire (Felner et a, 1990), and Fredricks, Blumenfeld, and Pari’s School Engagement Questionnaire (2004) were used as assessment tools. Data analysis was performed by Pearson’s correlation method and structural equation modeling by using the SPSS 23 software and LISREL 8.8.

Findings showed that the direct path of social adequacy to academic conscientiousness (β = 0.45, p <0.001), academic engagement to academic conscientiousness (β = 0.60, p <0.001), academic engagement to social adequacy (β = 0.63, p <0.001) and the indirect path of social adequacy to academic conscientiousness mediated by academic engagement (β = 0.42, p <0.001) were positive and significant. Fit indices equal to CFI = 0.97, NFI = 0.95, FIFI = 0.93, AGFI = 0.90, RMSEA = 0.074, p = 0.001, which shows that the assumed model had a relatively good fit with the data.

Based on the results obtained, social adequacy was directly and indirectly related to academic conscientiousness through academic engagement, and social adequacy and academic engagement can be a good predictor of academic conscientiousness. The results of this study contain important practical implications for improving students' academic conscientiousness.