Exploring the Relations Between Grit, Students’ Approaches to Learning, and Burnout Among First-Year University Students: A Mediation Analysis

Abstract

Grit and student learning skills, such as their approaches to learning (SAL), play a significant role at the very onset of university studies, as they impact student burnout. The present study contributes to this area of research by examining the associations between grit, SAL, and burnout among first-year students using the study demand-resources (SD-R) model. Specifically, the study investigates the mediating effect of SAL between grit and burnout through a structural equation model (SEM). A total of 648 first-year students participated in this study. The SEM analysis revealed that an unreflective approach negatively mediated the relationship between passion and burnout, suggesting that adopting an unreflective approach may explain why higher levels of passion can lead to a greater risk of burnout. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of supporting student learning by activating their prior knowledge and passion for learning to reduce burnout during the first year of higher education.