Designing an Academic Failure Model Based on Fear of Failure and Academic Burnout with the Mediating Role of Mindfulness
Keywords:
Academic failure, Fear of failure, Academic burnout, MindfulnessAbstract
Objective: The present study aimed to develop an academic failure model based on fear of failure and academic burnout, with the mediating role of mindfulness, among second-grade high school students in Ardabil city.
Methods and Materials: This applied research employed a quantitative–analytical design using structural equation modeling. The statistical population comprised 2,890 male and female second-grade high school students who had experienced academic failure or were at risk of it, identified through official data from the Department of Education. A purposive sampling method was used, and 510 students meeting the inclusion criteria participated. Data were collected using the Performance Failure Appraisal Inventory (Conroy, 2001), the Academic Burnout Questionnaire (Breso et al., 1997), and the Mindfulness Questionnaire (Baer et al., 2006), all with acceptable reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.70–0.72). Data analysis was conducted with SPSS and LISREL, assessing direct and indirect effects through path analysis and bootstrap mediation testing.
Findings: Fear of failure had a significant direct negative effect on mindfulness (β = -0.33, p < 0.001) and a significant direct positive effect on academic failure (β = 0.35, p < 0.001). Academic burnout had a significant direct negative effect on mindfulness (β = -0.40, p < 0.001) and a significant direct positive effect on academic failure (β = 0.40, p < 0.001). Mindfulness had a significant direct negative effect on academic failure (β = -0.32, p < 0.001). Indirect effect analysis indicated that both fear of failure (β = 0.1056, p < 0.001) and academic burnout (β = 0.1280, p < 0.001) influenced academic failure positively and significantly via mindfulness. The final model demonstrated good fit indices (e.g., RMSEA = 0.05, CFI = 0.97).
Conclusion: Fear of failure and academic burnout significantly increase the likelihood of academic failure both directly and indirectly through reduced mindfulness. Enhancing mindfulness in students may serve as a protective mechanism to mitigate the adverse effects of these psychological risk factors on academic performance.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Nima Sabalani Taleshmekaeil (Author); Alinaghi Aghdasi (Corresponding Author); Rahim Badri Gargari, Seyyed Davoud Hoseini Nasab (Author)
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