Background and Aim: Academic engagement، as one of the most significant components of educational progress and success، plays a crucial role in students’ motivation، persistence، and academic performance. Accordingly، the objective of the current research was to investigate the structural equation modeling of predicting academic engagement based on social adaptation، with the mediating role of self-defeating academic behaviors.
Method: The present study employed a descriptive-correlational research design. The statistical population comprised all second-grade high school students enrolled in public schools in Maragheh city during the year 2024. A sample of 100 students was selected using a multi-stage cluster random sampling method. These students completed questionnaires on academic engagement (Wang et al.، 2011)، the Bell Adjustment Scale (Bell، 1961)، and the Self-Defeating Behavior and Cognition Scale (2007) in groups within their educational settings. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics with SPSS version 26 and SmartPLS version 4 software.
Findings :The findings indicated that the research model exhibited a good fit with the collected data. Furthermore، the results demonstrated that social adaptation has a direct and significant effect on academic engagement. The indirect effect of social adaptation on academic engagement، mediated by self-defeating academic behaviors، was also confirmed.
Conclusion In summary، this research highlights the significant role of self-defeating academic behaviors in the relationship between academic engagement and social adaptation. It is recommended that educational authorities focus on enhancing students’ social adaptation and addressing their self-defeating academic behaviors to foster greater academic engagement.