Factors Contributing to Academic Optimism: Meta-analysis of Existing Studies

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran

Abstract

The aim of the present research was the quantitative synthesis of the results of studies conducted on academic optimism with a meta-analysis approach. To this end, all the papers on academic optimism in various journals published from April 2013 to October 2021 on SID, Magiran, and Google Scholar were collected and evaluated. Finally, 47 studies on academic optimism which met the criteria on the checklist for the technical and methodological review of papers were analyzed in CMA 2. Our findings show that among the factors contributing to academic optimism, the variables of trust (0.77), academic emphasis (0.772), self-efficacy (0.583), motivation (0.58), and academic progress (0.56) had the largest effect size respectively. These variables can be predictors of academic optimism in target communities, namely the education department and the universities. Accordingly, educational managers are recommended to strengthen the culture of trust as the first step in developing academic optimism in the education system.
Introduction
Academic optimism is currently being increasingly highlighted by education scholars because it does not involve students’ socioeconomic status (Nourabadi & Kariman, 2021). Academic optimism plays a significant role in the process of training creative students in educational institutions (Kulophas et al,2018). A glance at the theoretical principles of academic optimism reveals its roots in the theories of value expectation, hope (goal selection, expectation, and self-efficacy), and perceptual error (Barati,2018). A variety of optimism exists for each context: unrealistic optimism, dispositional optimism, dynamic optimism, learned optimism, academic optimism, trait optimism, and state optimism (Brown,2014).  Among these, academic optimism in educational systems was initially proposed by Hoy, Tarter and Woolfolk Hoy (2006) as a common asset for school excellence and a scientific belief for student achievements. This is classified into teacher academic optimism and student academic optimism (Barati,2019).
Research findings reveal that most studies consider academic optimism an independent variable. Despite the large body of research conducted on academic optimism, few studies have evaluated factors contributing to academic optimism and reported different effect sizes. Thus, the present meta-analysis of all domestic studies on academic optimism was conducted to synthesize their results and determine the mean effect size of variables correlated with academic optimism in Iran. The main research questions are to hypothesize which factors contribute to teacher and student academic optimism in Iran, and which factors have the greatest combined effect on academic optimism.
 
Methodology
To answer the research questions, all the papers published in Persian were initially collected from local databases and other search engines by entering the two keywords of “academic optimism” and “scientific optimism”. The search began with the keyword “academic optimism”, but continued with the keywords “role of academic optimism” and “contributing factors to academic optimism” in conjunction with the operator “AND”. Thus, all the studies conducted from 2013 to 2021 were collected from SID, Magiran, and Google Scholar. The inclusion criteria for the articles in the meta-analysis were publication in reputable scientific-research journals, being focused on academic optimism. A researcher-made checklist was validated and used for data collection to ensure the selected studies had used the correct methodology, and had all the required data for calculating the effect size. In the preliminary review, 52 papers on academic optimism were retrieved, but only 47 papers could pass the checklist and enter analysis stage. Data were analyzed in Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software (CMA 2). The Schmidt and Hunts (1982) method was used to convert the results of the analyzed papers into effect sizes.
Results
Research findings show that the variables of trust, academic emphasis, self-efficacy, motivation, and academic progress have the largest effect size. (Table 1)
Discussion and conclusion
The systematic review of the papers showed that studies conducted on academic optimism were rather limited in terms of methodological diversity. The majority of studies were quantitative and field surveys. Therefore, qualitative research on academic optimism is seriously needed in educational institutions. Hence, the aim of the present research was the quantitative synthesis of the results of studies conducted on academic optimism with a meta-analysis approach.
 
Based on the findings of this research, it is recommended that educational managers focus on the variables of trust, academic emphasis, self-efficacy, motivation, and academic progress to increase academic optimism with the support of organizations both in material and human terms in order to create organizational trust and design plans to instill the spirit of trust and self-efficacy in the education system. Researchers are also recommended to empirically examine the five factors identified in this research and use meta-synthesis to investigate the contributing factors and outcomes of academic optimism. In the next stage, the results of the meta-analysis must be compared to the results of the quantitative meta-synthesis for further confirmation of contributing factors and outcomes in academic optimism in the education system of Iran.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

Abbaspour, A., & Barati, H. (2018). The Effect of Leadership Style on Organizational Optimism by Mediating Role of Psychological Climate. Positive Psychology Research, 4(1), 49-62. DOI: 10.22108/PPLS.2018.106895.1236 (Text in Persian)
Abbaspour, A., & Barati, H. (2018). The Effect of Leadership Style on Organizational Optimism by Mediating Role of Psychological Climate. Positive Psychology Research, 4(1), 49-62. DOI: 20.1001.1.24764248.1397.4.1.5.0 (Text in Persian)
Abbaspour, A., Barati, H., Rahimian, H., Abdollahi, H., & Asadzadeh, H. (2018). Women’s Optimism: Role of Psychological Climate and Psychological Capital. Women’s Health Bulletin, 5(3), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.5812/whb.64166
Abbaspour, A; & Brati, H. (2020). Optimism and the psychology of optimism in the organization: basics, approaches and research achievements. Tehran: Center for Public Administration Education.
Abbaspour, A; Barati, H; Rahimian, H., Abdollahi, H., & Asadzadeh, H. (2018). Designing an Academic Optimism Causal Model Based on Psychological Capital Components by mediating psychological climate among the Students of Farhangian University. Birjand University of Medical Sciences, 25(2), 115-125.  http://journal.bums.ac.ir/article-1-2398-en.html (Text in Persian)
Ahmadi, H., Jadidi, H., & Khalaatbari, J. (2020). Desogmomg a model of academic engagement based on academic optimism and achievement motivation through mediating of school wellbeing and academic bouncy. Journal of Modern Psychological Researches, 14(56), 1-23. 20.1001.1.27173852.1398.14.56.1.0 (Text in Persian)
Alipour Esfahani, N., & Sadeghi, A. (2020). The role of Career Optimism and Adaptability in Academic Achievement of Students. Positive Psychology Research, 6(1), 1-12. DOI: 10.22108/PPLS.2020.120957.1865 (Text in Persian)
Arguedas, M. & Daradoumis (2016). Analyzing how emotion awareness influences students' motivation, engagement, self-regulation and learning outcome. Educational technology and society, 19(2), 87-103. https://www.jstor.org/stable/jeductechsoci.19.2.87
Baghianfar, M; Dehghani, M; & Javadipour, M. (2016). The ability to predict the academic optimism of teachers in Yasouj city based on the components of technological leadership of managers and acceptance of educational innovations. Educational Leadership and Management Quarterly, 10(2), 9-26. https://sanad.iau.ir/Journal/edu/Article/857271 (Text in Persian)
Bahadori Jahromi, S., Cheraghpour, R., & Payan, S. (2019). Predicting the academic performance based on academic vitality, achievement motivation and academic optimism in students. Educational researches, 14(60), 19-34. https://doi.org/10.22054/jem.2018.20290.1498 (Text in Persian)
Bakhshi Parikhani, S., Gramipour, M., & Hamedinasab, S. (2017). Psychometric properties of the questionnaire optimism school science and its relationship with the student's academic optimism, self-efficacy and achievement motivation among students in Ardabil. Quarterly of Educational Measurement, 8(29), 23-46.  https://doi.org/10.22054/jem.2018.20290.1498  (Text in Persian)
Barati, H. (2018). Designing an organizational optimism model based on individual, psychological and organizational components in Farhangian University of South Khorasan Province. PhD Thesis, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Allameh Tabatabai University. (Text in Persian)
Barati, H. (2019). Examining the Role of Psychological Climate in the Relationship between Management Style and Organizational Optimism–A Case Study of Farhangian University. Educational and Scholastic studies, 8(1), 79-98.  DOI: 20.1001.1.2423494.1398.8.1.4.5 (Text in Persian)
Biondi-Zoccai, G (2018). Diagnostic meta-analysis : a useful tool for clinical decision-making. (Farzad, V., Zare, H., Zare, S Translators). Tehran: Arjmand (2023) (Text in Persian)
Börü, N., & Bellibaş, M. Ş. (2021). Comparing the relationships between school principals’ leadership types and teachers’ academic optimism. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 1-19.  https://doi.org/10.1080/13603124.2021.1889035
Boz, A., & Saylik, A. (2021). The Impact of Enabling School Structure on Academic Optimism: Mediating Role of Altruistic Behaviors. International Journal of Educational Methodology, 7(1), 137-154. DOI: 10.12973/ijem.7.1.137
Brown, R. S. (2014). Does Optimism pass on to the Employees? The impact of Supervisor optimism on employees in small and medium sized businesses (Doctoral dissertation, University of Texas--Pan American).
Callaway, P. (2007). The relationship of organizational trust and job satisfaction: An analysis in the US federal work force. Universal Publishers.
Chen, Y., Chen, D. & Wang, E. (2018). Political uncertainty and firm’s information environment. Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, 25(7), 39-64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaccpubpol.2018.01.005
Erdoğdu, M. Y. (2021). The Mediating Role of Academic Achievement in the Relationship between Optimism (Life Orientation) and Life Satisfaction. Egitim ve Bilim, 46(205). DOI: 10.15390/EB.2020.8998
Fathi, J., Derakhshan, A., & Ebrahimi Galedar, D. (2023). An Investigation of the Relationship between Teacher Self-efficacy and Teacher Academic Optimism among Iranian EFL Teachers: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach. Language and Translation Studies (LTS), 55(4), 33-63.   DOI: 20.1001.1.22285202.1401.55.4.2.2
Galindo, C. L., & Sanders, M. G. (2021). Teachers’ academic optimism and professional practice in an urban full-service community high school. Journal of Educational Change, 1-28. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-021-09430-6.
Gholamipour, Mozhgan; Tohidi, A; & Askarzadeh, Q. (2018). Academic hope with progress and academic motivation with the mediating role of academic optimism of married female students. Education in Law Enforcement Sciences, 6(21), 145-172. https://sid.ir/paper/524058/fa (Text in Persian)
Glass, G. V. (1976). Primary, secondary, and meta-analysis of research. Educational Researcher, 5, 3–8. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X005010003
Hales, S. D., & Johnson, J. A. (2018). Dispositional optimism and luck attributions: Implications for philosophical theories of luck. Philosophical Psychology, 31(7), 1027-1045.   https://doi.org/10.1080/09515089.2018.1474344
Homaini Demirchi, A; MirKamali, S, M; & Ezzati, M (2014). Investigating the relationship between distributed leadership and academic optimism of elementary school teachers in public boys' schools in Tehran, Educational Leadership and Management Quarterly, 9(4), 127-148. https://sanad.iau.ir/Journal/edu/Article/857472 (Text in Persian)
Hoy, A. W., Hoy, W. K., & Kurz, N. M. (2008). Teacher's academic optimism: The development and test of a new construct. Teaching and teacher education, 24(4), 821-835.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2007.08.004
Hoy, W. K., & Smith, P. A. (2007). Influence: A key to successful leadership. The International Journal of Educational Management, 21, 158–167.https://doi.org/10.1108/09513540710729944
Hoy, W. K., Tarter, C. J., & Woolfolk Hoy, A. (2006). Academic optimism of schools: A force for student achievement. American Educational Research Journal, 43(3), 425–446.https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312043003425.
Hosseini, S. F., Talebzadeh Shushtri, L., Khamsan, A. (2022). Designing educational package for students' academic optimism based on Shannon Moran's theory. The Quarterly Journal of New thoughts on Education, 18(1), 7-32. DOI: 10.22051/JONTOE.2021.32334.3098 (Text in Persian)
Jaeckel, D., Seiger, C. P., Orth, U., & Wiese, B. S. (2012). Social support reciprocity and occupational self-efficacy beliefs during mothers' organizational re-entry. Journal of vocational behavior, 80(2), 390-399.     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2011.12.001
Jafari, U, K; & Berimani, A. (2019). The relationship between organizational health and social responsibility with the mediating role of academic optimism in teachers. Sociological Research, 14(4), https://sanad.iau.ir/Journal/soc/Article/867734117-138. (Text in Persian)
Kulophas, D., Hallinger, P., Ruengtrakul, A., & Wongwanich, S. (2018). Exploring the effects of authentic leadership on academic optimism and teacher engagement in Thailand. International Journal of Educational Management. 43(1), 27-45. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEM-10-2016-0233
Lee, E., Joo, J. & Rn, P. (2018). The moderating role of leader member exchange in the relationships between emotional labor and burnout. Asian Nursing Research, 12, 56- 61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anr.2018.02.002
Mascall, B., Leithwood, K., Straus, T., & Sacks, R. (2008). The relationship between distributed leadership and teachers' academic optimism. Journal of Educational Administration, 46(2), 214-228.   https://doi.org/10.1108/09578230810863271
Messick, P. P. (2012). Examining relationships among enabling school structures, academic optimism and organizational citizenship behaviors (Doctoral dissertation, Auburn University).
Mollaei, F., Hejazi, M., Yosefi Afrashteh, M., & Morovvati, Z. (2020). Mediating Role of Cognitive Flexibility on Relation of Academic Optimism, with Academic Vitality, Among High School Girl Students of Zanjan. Education Strategies in Medical Sciences, 13(1), 43-52.   http://edcbmj.ir/article-1-2103-en.html (Text in Persian)
Ncokazi, A., & Mpiti, P. T. (2023). Critical Evaluation of the Relationship between the Need for Achievement and Entrepreneurship Performance: Risk-Taking Propensity, Entrepreneurial Independence and Motivation. DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.105620
Nourabadi, S., & Kariman, F. (2021). Investigating the relationship between hidden curriculum and academic optimism in upper secondary school students. Revista Tempos e Espacos Educacao, 14(33). https://doi.org/10.20952/revtee.v14i33.16086
Peterson, C., & Chang, E. C. (2003). Optimism and flourishing. In J. Haidt & C. Keyes (Eds.), Flourishing: Positive psychology and the life well-lived (pp. 55–79). https://doi.org/10.1037/10594-003
Petitti, D. B. (2001). Approaches to heterogeneity in meta-analysis. Statistics in Medicine, 20(36), 25–33.  https://doi.org/10.1002/sim.1091
sán, P., Salavera, C., & Quílez-Robres, A. (2022). Self-Efficacy, Optimism, and Academic Performance as Psychoeducational Variables: Mediation Approach in Students. Children, 9(3), 420. https://doi.org/10.3390/children9030420
Schmidt, F. L., Hunter, J. E., & Pearlman, K. (1982). Assessing the economic impact of personnel programs on workforce productivity. Personnel Psychology, 35(2), 333-347. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.1982.tb02199.x
Senobar, A., Kasir, S., TaghaviNasab, A., & Raeisi, E. (2018). The role of cognitive and metacognitive learning strategies, academic optimism and academic engagement in predicting academic vitality of nursing students. Education Strategies in Medical Sciences, 11(2), 149-155.  DOI: 10.29252/edcbmj.11.02.19 (Text in Persian)
Shahbaziyan Khonig, A., Samimi, Z., Habibi Kaleybar, R. (2018). Discrimination of Students with High and Low Academic Vitality based on Academic Optimism and Goal Orientation. The Quarterly Journal of New thoughts on Education, 14(1), 247-267.DOI: 10.22051/JONTOE.2018.15882.1845  (Text in Persian)
Shahriari H, Zare H, Aliakbari Dehkordi M, Sarami Foroushani G. (2018). Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Interventions in the Treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis . JRUMS; 17 (5) :461-478 URL: http://journal.rums.ac.ir/article-1-3947-fa.html
Steinmayr, R., Dinger, F. C., & Spinath, B. (2010). Parents’ education and children's achievement: The role of personality. European Journal of Personality, 24(6), 535-550. https://doi.org/10.1002/per.755
Tschannen‐Moran, M., Bankole, R. A., Mitchell, R. M., & Moore, D. M. (2013). Student academic optimism: A confirmatory factor analysis. Journal of Educational Administration.51 (2), 150-175. https://doi.org/10.1108/09578231311304689
Usán, P., Salavera, C., & Quílez-Robres, A. (2022). Self-Efficacy, Optimism, and Academic Performance as Psychoeducational Variables: Mediation Approach in Students. Children, 9(3), 420. https://doi.org/10.3390/children9030420
Wu, H. C. (2012). Collective responsibility, academic optimism, and student achievement in Taiwan elementary schools. The Ohio State University.
Yousefvand, M., Ghadampour, E., Sadeghi, M., & Gholamrezaei, S. (2019). Role of Academic Optimism, Locus of Control (Internal-External) and Academic Engagement (Cognitive-Behavioral-Motivational) in the Prediction Academic Resilience. Journal of Modern Psychological Researches, 14(55), 252-276. DOI: 20.1001.1.27173852.1398.14.55.12.9 (Text in Persian)
Yuan, W., & Wang, L. (2016). Optimism and attributional style impact on the relationship between general insecurity and mental health. Personality and Individual Differences, 101, 312-317.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2016.06.005
Zahed Babelan, A., & Karimianpour, G. (2020). The Relationship between Academic Optimism and Buoyance, the Mediator Role of Academic Self-efficacy. Educational and Scholastic studies, 9(1), 149-170.  DOI: 20.1001.1.2423494.1399.9.1.7.5 (Text in Persian).

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics