The Hidden Role of Perceived Happiness and Satisfaction with School in Explaining Academic Boredom: Testing the Mediating Role of Positive Orientation towards School

10.22034/jnael.2026.601829.1012

Document Type : Original Article (Quantified)

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran.

2 . M.A. in Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Electronic Branch, Tehran, Iran.

3 . Ph.D. in Psychology, Department of Psychology, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract
This study tested a conceptual model explaining how perceived happiness and satisfaction with school relate to academic boredom, focusing on whether positive orientation towards school mediates this relationship. The research followed a descriptive-correlational design. The population comprised all female second-year theoretical high school students in Marivan during the 2024–2025 academic year (N = 1631), from which 310 participants were selected through simple random sampling based on Morgan's table. Data were collected using the Academic Boredom Scale (Abedi et al., 2022), the Happy School Scale (Gharibzadeh et al., 2023), and the Positive Orientation towards School Scale (Ahmadi & Abolmaali Alhosseini, 2023). Face and content validity were confirmed, and Cronbach's alpha coefficients were 0.93, 0.76, and 0.97, respectively. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and structural equation modeling via Smart PLS-4 and SPSS-29. The model demonstrated good fit. Happiness at school had a direct, negative effect on academic boredom (β = -0.29, p < 0.001) and a direct, positive effect on positive orientation (β = 0.37, p < 0.001). Positive orientation had a direct, negative effect on academic boredom (β = -0.44, p < 0.001). The indirect effect of happiness on academic boredom through positive orientation was also significant (β = -0.16, p < 0.001). These findings suggest that happiness at school reduces academic boredom by strengthening students' positive orientation.

Keywords

  • Receive Date 09 May 2026
  • Revise Date 29 June 2026
  • Accept Date 17 August 2026