Social cognitive predictors of Mexican American college students' academic and life satisfaction

J Couns Psychol. 2011 Jan;58(1):61-71. doi: 10.1037/a0021687.

Abstract

In this study, we used Lent's (2004) social cognitive model of well being to examine the academic and life satisfaction of 457 Mexican American college students attending a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Using structural equation modeling, results indicated that the model provided a good fit to the data. Specifically, we found positive relations from positive affect to enculturation, acculturation, college self-efficacy, academic satisfaction, and life satisfaction; from enculturation to college self-efficacy; from acculturation to college self-efficacy and college outcome expectations; from college self-efficacy to college outcome expectations, academic goal progress, academic satisfaction, and life satisfaction; from college outcome expectations to academic satisfaction; from academic goal progress to academic and life satisfaction; and from academic satisfaction to life satisfaction. Findings indicated the model was invariant across gender groups, and overall, 38% and 14% of the variance in academic satisfaction and life satisfaction, respectively, were explained by the predictor variables. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acculturation*
  • Achievement*
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aspirations, Psychological
  • Emotional Intelligence*
  • Female
  • Goals
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mexican Americans / psychology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Models, Psychological
  • Personal Satisfaction*
  • Personality Inventory / statistics & numerical data
  • Psychometrics
  • Quality of Life / psychology*
  • Self Efficacy
  • Sex Factors
  • Social Values
  • Students / psychology*
  • Young Adult