How to Increase Students’ Involvement in Extracurricular Activities: A Structural Equation Model

Abstract

Participation in extracurricular activities (ECAs) represents an effective strategy for students to become better competitors in the labor market. Their benefits extend the academic area to professional and personal domains. Therefore, this paper examines the predictive relationship between autonomous motivation, cognitive engagement, and ECA participation. We assumed that individual attributes such as cognitive emotional self-regulation, autonomous motivation, and cognitive engagement will have an impact on students’ involvement in ECAs. The results of the structural equation model results show the positive impact of positive refocus and positive reappraisal on ECA participation. Further, emotional self-regulation positively impacts autonomous motivation and cognitive engagement, which, in turn, have a positive impact on students’ involvement in ECAs. The implications and limitations of the study are further discussed.

Keywords

• extracurricular activities
• university students
• emotional self-regulation