The Mediating Role of Academic Self-Efficacy in the Relationship between Class Structure and Counterproductive Academic Behavior

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between class structure and counterproductive academic behavior mediated by the role of academic self-efficacy. Participants included 365 (214 women and 151 men) undergraduate students of Shiraz University selected by random cluster sampling. They completed the class structure questionnaire, academic self-efficacy scale, and the counterproductive student behavior scale. Cronbach’s alpha and confirmatory factor analysis were used to examine the reliability and validity of research tools, respectively. The findings showed that all instruments had a satisfactory level of reliability and validity. The results of structural equation modeling showed that the class structure had a significant direct effect on counterproductive academic behavior. Furthermore, academic self-efficacy mediated the relationship between class structure and counterproductive academic behavior. Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that to reduce the likelihood of counterproductive academic behavior in students, class structure and students’ academic self-efficacy should be considered.