Supervisor support and engineering identity among engineering postgraduates: engineering self-efficacy as a mediator
Weiwei Li1, Liangting Jia2, Jinfeng Lu3
1Faculty of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
Introduction:
In contemporary society, engineering postgraduates face substantial academic and career-related pressures. Some students may choose to leave the engineering field during their study or employment stage. Notably, engineering postgraduates tend to report relatively low levels of engineering identity, a condition that may be linked to an increased risk of engineering talent attrition, warranting closer scholarly scrutiny. During postgraduate training, supervisors play a pivotal role, and the support they provide constitutes a critical resource for addressing this challenge. Consequently, it is crucial to systematically examine the relationship between supervisor support and engineering postgraduates' engineering identity.
Method:
This study utilized a cross-sectional online survey design to collect data from 869 engineering postgraduates in China. Established and validated measurement instruments were employed to assess supervisor support, engineering self-efficacy, psychological capital, and engineering identity. A mediation and moderation model was tested to examine the relationship between supervisor support and engineering identity, the mediating role of engineering self-efficacy, and the moderating effect of psychological capital on the direct path.
Results:
The findings revealed that supervisor support was positively associated with engineering postgraduates' engineering identity. Engineering self-efficacy mediated this relationship. Furthermore, psychological capital moderated the association between supervisor support and engineering identity, such that the positive relationship was stronger among postgraduates with higher psychological capital.
Discussion:
These results emphasize the significance of adopting effective supervisor support strategies and cultivating engineering postgraduates' engineering self-efficacy and psychological capital, factors that are positively associated with engineering identity among Chinese engineering postgraduates.
Related Concept Videos
Self-Efficacy
Sources of Self-Esteem II: Performance Feedback
Sources of Self-Esteem III: Social Comparison
Self-Evaluation Maintenance Model
Protecting Self-Esteem
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
