Mediating role of academic grit and subjective vitality in the relationship between school belongingness and school satisfaction among middle school students who migrated after an earthquake

Abstract

On February 6, 2023, two catastrophic earthquakes hit Turkey on the same day, which was called the biggest disaster of the last century. Following this disaster, some students living in 10 provinces affected by the earthquakes decided to leave their hometowns and continue their education in different cities. In recent years, the concepts of school belonging and school satisfaction have gained prominence in the relevant literature. However, little is known about the mechanisms that mediate the relationship between school satisfaction and school belonging. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the mediating effects of academic grit and subjective vitality on the relationship between students' school belonging and school satisfaction. The study participants consisted of middle school students who moved to another city after the earthquakes and started attending different schools in those cities. A total of 550 students participated in the study, consisting of 312 girls and 238 boys. The age of the participating students ranged from 10 to 15 years (M=12.43, SD=1.07). In the current study, the data collection instruments included a personal information form developed by the researcher, the School Belongingness Scale, the Comprehensive School Satisfaction Scale for Children, the Academic Grit Scale, and the Subjective Vitality Scale. The results of the study indicate that academic grit and subjective vitality play a significant mediating role in the relationship between school belonging and school satisfaction. In addition, all path coefficients in the current study are significantly positive. Based on the results of the study, some suggestions are offered to increase school satisfaction among middle school students.