Homework Overload and Academic Apathy: The Mediating Role of Learned Fatigue
Keywords:
homework overload, academic apathy, learned fatigue, high school studentsAbstract
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of learned fatigue in the relationship between homework overload and academic apathy among high school students.
Methods and Materials: A descriptive correlational design was used to examine the proposed model. The sample consisted of 380 high school students from South Africa, selected based on the Krejcie and Morgan table using multistage cluster sampling. Data were collected using three standardized instruments: the Homework Overload Scale (HOS), the Learned Fatigue Questionnaire (LFQ), and the Academic Apathy Scale (AAS). The psychometric properties of all scales were previously confirmed in multiple studies. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated using SPSS-27 to determine the relationships between variables. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was conducted using AMOS-21 to test the mediating role of learned fatigue in the relationship between homework overload and academic apathy.
Findings: Results showed a significant positive correlation between homework overload and learned fatigue (r = .58, p < .001), as well as between learned fatigue and academic apathy (r = .61, p < .001). The direct effect of homework overload on academic apathy was marginally significant (β = 0.14, p = .052), whereas the indirect effect through learned fatigue was significant (β = 0.35, p < .001), confirming full mediation. The total effect of homework overload on academic apathy was also significant (β = 0.49, p < .001). Model fit indices indicated good fit (χ²/df = 1.97, GFI = 0.94, CFI = 0.96, RMSEA = 0.049).
Conclusion: Learned fatigue serves as a key psychological mechanism linking academic burden to motivational disengagement. Addressing fatigue may be essential in mitigating the effects of excessive homework on student apathy, thereby promoting sustained academic engagement and well-being.
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