Impact of academic psychological capital on academic achievement among university undergraduates: Roles of flow and self‐handicapping behavior.

The present research explored the mediating roles of flow and self‐handicapping behaviors in the relationship between academic psychological capital (PsyCap) and academic achievement in a purposive sample of university undergraduates (N = 300). Components of academic PsyCap were measured with the Perceived Self‐efficacy subscale of the Student Approaches to Learning Scale, the Life Orientation Test – Academics, the Academic Hope Scale, and the Academic Resilience Scale. Flow and self‐handicapping behaviors were measured with the Flow Short Scale and the Self‐handicapping Scale Revised, respectively. Students' cumulative grade point averages (CGPAs) in the previous semester were taken as an index of their academic achievement. The measurement model of the study revealed a good fit to the data and the structural model indicated the positive direct effects of academic PsyCap and flow and the negative effect of self‐handicapping behaviors on academic achievement. Both flow and self‐handicapping behaviors demonstrated a parallel mediation between academic PsyCap and CGPA such that academic PsyCap decreased self‐handicapping behaviors, which in turn resulted in improved CGPA; on the other hand, academic PsyCap enhanced the flow experience, which led to improved academic achievement. Implications of the study and recommendations for future research are reflected upon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]