The Role of Psychological Well-Being in Women Undergraduate Students' Engineering Self-Efficacy and Major Satisfaction

Abstract

This research examined the role of psychological well-being in women undergraduate students' engineering self-efficacy and major satisfaction in Korea. To achieve this purpose, first, differences in psychological well-being, engineering self-efficacy and major satisfaction among engineering students were examined. Second, the relationships among psychological well-being, engineering self-efficacy and major satisfaction were investigated. In addition, the effects of psychological well-being, as perceived by men and women engineering students, on engineering self-efficacy as well as major satisfaction were explored. A total of 253 engineering students from one university in Korea responded to survey based on a three-variables scale. The findings were that, firstly, men students scored higher in all of the three variables including psychological well-being, engineering self-efficacy and major satisfaction, and that these gender differences were statistically significant. Secondly, a positive correlation among psychological well-being, engineering self-efficacy and major satisfaction was identified. Thirdly, psychological well-being predicted engineering self-efficacy and major satisfaction's sub-factors. The practical implications of these findings are discussed herein, with particular attention on education for promotion of psychological well-being, engineering self-efficacy and major satisfaction.