Strengths use and deficit improvement: The relationship with engagement and fit with study course amongst first-year students. Issue 1 (29th February 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: van Niekerk, Gabrielle; Mostert, Karina; de Beer, Leon T.
• Is Part Of: Journal of psychology in Africa. Volume 26:Issue 1(2016)
• Page Start: 43
• Page End: 48
• Publication Date: 2016-02-29
• Subjects: strengths use -- deficit improvement -- student engagement -- fit with study course first-year students; Psychology -- Africa, Sub-Saharan -- Periodicals; Psychology -- Latin America -- Periodicals; Black people -- Latin America -- Psychology -- Periodicals; Black people -- Africa, Sub-Saharan -- Psychology -- Periodicals; 155.8496
• DOI: 10.1080/14330237.2015.1124610
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1433-0237

Abstract

Abstract : This study sought to test a model of students' proactive behaviour to use their strengths and improve their deficits and how this relates with their self-reported perceptions of their fit with a study course and engagement. Participants were 692 first-year students from a higher education institution in South Africa (females=60.3%; blacks=71.3%; mean age=19.71; SD=1.93). They completed measures of strengths use, deficit improvement, perceptions of fit with a study course and engagement. Structural equation modelling was utilised to examine the relationship between students' strengths use and deficit improvement, perceptions of fit with a study course and student engagement. In addition, the bootstrapping method was used to identify possible mediating effects of fit with a study course. The results indicated that only deficit improvement showed a significant relationship with engagement. Perceptions of fit with a study course mediated the relationship between students' strengths use and deficit improvement.