Investigating the Links of Social-Emotional Competencies: Emotional Well-being and Academic Engagement among Adolescents

Figures & data

Figure 1. Hypothesized links of the SECs, EWB and academic engagement.

Table 1. Fit for measurement models based on CFA: independent variables together, intermediate variable, and complete six-factor model (n = 1085).

	Fit indices	Range of factor loadings
Dependent variables: Behavioral and emotional engagement	RMSEA = 0.34 (90% CI: .019-0.48); CFI = .96; TLI = .93; SRMR = .015	.81–.97
Intermediate variable: Emotional well-being	RMSEA  = .069; 90% CI (.052-.089),  CFI = .98; TLI = .96; SRMR = .023	.67–.71
Independent variables: The SECs	RMSEA = .046 (90% CI: .040-.052) CFI = .98; TLI = .97; SRMR = .028	.75–.99
Complete six-factor model:	RMSEA = 0.39 (90%CI: .036-.042);  CFI = .97; TLI = .98; SRMR = .042	.68–.99

Table 2. Pearson r, means, and standard deviations for the study variables (Manifest index scores; n = 1085).

	1.	2.	3.	4.	5.	M	SD	Scoring range
1. Emotional regulation	–					3.90	1.31	1–6
2. Relationship skills	0.28					4.68	1.12	1–6
3. Planning of schoolwork	0.36	0.24				3.71	1.44	1–6
4. Emotional well-being	0.44	0.35	0.34			3.55	0.85	1–5
5. Emotional engagement	0.29	0.21	0.37	0.37		3.35	1.34	1–6
6. Behavioral engagement	0.32	0.25	0.38	0.36	0.59	4.39	1.11	1–6

Figure 2. Results of analysis of the structural model (n = 1085).

Note: **p < .01.

Table 3. Total, indirect, and direct effects (associations) from the structural latent variable path analysis (n = 1085).

	Total		Indirect		Direct
	Emotional Engagement	Behavioral Engagement	Emotional Engagement	Behavioral Engagement	Emotional Engagement	Behavioral Engagement
Independent variables
Emotional regulation	.12**	.12**	.12**	.12**	–	–
Relationship skills	.07**	.07**	.07**	.07**	–	–
Planning schoolwork	.28**	.26**	.05**	.05**	.28**	.26**
Intermediate variable
Emotional Well-being	.32**	.30**			.32**	.30**

Note: **p < .01.

Table A1. Measurement models for latent variables.

	Factor loadings
Behavioral Engagement
I am working hard to do well at school	.67
I work as effectively/as well as I can	.82
I pay attention during class. *	.72
I listen carefully. *	.80
RMSEA  = .00; 90% CI (.000-.068), SRMR = .001, CFI = 1.0, TLI = 1.0
Emotional Engagement
I like doing schoolwork.	.90
I think it’s fun working on the subjects. *	.96
The subjects we study at school interest me.	.90
I find schoolwork pleasurable. *	.93
RMSEA = .08; 90% CI: (.038-.138), SRMR = .006, CFI = .99, TLI = .98
Emotional Well-being (see Tennant et al. (2007) or Ringdal et al. (2018) for wording of items)
Item 1 in WEMWBS.	.67
Item 2 in WEMWBS.	.82
Item 5 in WEMWBS.	.72
Item 8 in WEMWBS. *	.80
Item 10 in WEMWBS. *	.79
Item 14 in WEMWBS.	.74
RMSEA  = .069; 90% CI (.052-.089), SRMR = .023; CFI = .98; TLI = .96
Emotional Regulation
When I want to feel happier, I think about something else. *	.61
When I want to feel less bad [e.g., sad, angry, or worried], I think about something else. *	.67
When I am worried about something, I think about it in a way that helps me feel better.	.78
When I want to feel better in relation to something, I change the way I think about it.	.89
I can control my feelings about things by changing the way I think	.80
RMSEA = .023; 90% CI: (.00-.056), SRMR = .08, CFI = .99, TLI = .99
Relationship Skills
I get to know others easily.	.79
I get in touch with others quickly.	.84
I know how to make contact with others.	.86
I capture the interest of others in a positive way.	.75
I easily find something to talk to others about.	.76
RMSEA = .034; 90% CI: (.000-.064), SRMR = .012, CFI = .99, TLI = .98
Planning of Schoolwork
I make a plan for action.	.76
I try to come up with a strategy about what to do.	.82
I think about how I might best handle the problem.	.82
I think hard about what steps to take.	.87
I have done what must be done step by step.	.77
RMSEA = .034; 90% CI: (.008-.060), SRMR = .011, CFI = .96, TLI = .92

* Items (observed variables) for which residuals were correlated.

Tennant, R., Hiller, L., Fishwick, R., Platt, S., Joseph, S., Weich, S., Parkinson, J., Secker, J., & Stewart-Brown, S. (2007). The Warwick-Edinburgh mental well-being scale (WEMWBS): development and UK validation. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 5(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7525-5-63

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Ringdal, R., Bradley Eilertsen, M. E., Bjørnsen, H. N., Espnes, G. A., & Moksnes, U. K. (2018). Validation of two versions of the Warwick-Edinburgh mental well-being scale among Norwegian adolescents. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 46(7), 718–725. https://doi.org/10.1177/1403494817735391

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