The Correlation of Self-Compassion and Benefits of Empathy with Academic Well-Being in High School Students: The Mediating Role of Academic Buoyancy

Abstract

Background: Focusing on the health and wellness within educational settings is essential, as it plays a vital role in measuring the effectiveness of educational processes. Given the correlation between self-compassion and benefits of empathy on academic well-being, the present study investigated the mediating role of academic buoyancy in high school students.Methods: Using a descriptive-correlational approach, structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the interplay between variables. Through multistage cluster sampling method, 384 high school students were selected between February and April 2023 in Ahvaz, Iran. The participants were asked to fill out School Related Well-Being Scale (SWBS), Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), Empathy Assessment Scale (EAS), and Academic Buoyancy Scale (ABS). The proposed model was evaluated using SEM. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS Amos version 25.Results: Significant positive correlations were found between self-compassion and academic well-being (r=0.22, P=0.008), as well as between self-compassion and academic buoyancy (r=0.37, P=0.001). A positive correlation was also observed between the benefits of empathy and academic buoyancy (r=0.36, P=0.001). Furthermore, a significant positive correlation existed between academic buoyancy and academic well-being (r=0.59, P=0.001), along with significant indirect paths through academic buoyancy to academic well-being (P=0.010).Conclusions: The study findings supported the goodness of fit of the proposed model, suggesting its potential utility in developing interventions to enhance students’ academic well-being.

Keywords

• self-compassion
• empathy
• health
• resilience
• students