Abstract:
Organizational scholars have empirically outlined the significance of support features and psychological capital on individual outcomes. In the present study, we attempted to address the dearth of research on Ph.D. students’ engagement via empirically testing the crucial role of supervisor support and psychological capital. A total of 125 Ph.D. students of 11 different nationalities were recruited from a public university in Malaysia. The application of structural equation modeling to test the mediated model revealed that research supervisor’s support positively enhanced Ph.D. students’ academic psychological capital. Accordingly, the study also found a positive relationship between academic psychological capital and Ph.D. students’ engagement. Notably, the study reported academic psychological capital positively mediated the relationship between supervisor support and Ph.D. students’ engagement. The study has addressed the research gap with critical findings pertaining to how students’ psychological capital can be of prominent significance for Ph.D. students’ well-being. Contributions and implications of the study are outlined with reference to how supervisor support can foster Ph.D. students’ academic psychological capital and thereupon their engagement.
Machine summary:
students’ engagement via empirically testing the crucial role of supervisor support and psychological capital.
Notably, the study reported academic psychological capital positively mediated the relationship between supervisor support and Ph. D.
Supervisor Support and Academic Psychological Capital Psychological capital in the engagement literatures is often denoted as “personal resources which refer to positive evaluations relating to a person’s view of its potential and ability to responsively manage and impact on their environment” (Hobfoll et al.
Xanthopoulou, Bakker, Demerouti and Schaufeli (2007) proposed that resources and support factors like supervisor support can enhance individual psychological capital like self-efficacy and resilience.
Xanthopoulou, Bakker, Demerouti and Schaufeli (2009), in their empirical study, found a full mediation of psychological capitals factors between job resources including supervisor support and employee engagement in the Greek fast food company.
Remarkably, Llorens, Schaufeli, Bakker and Salanova (2007), in their longitudinal study found that psychological capital like self-efficacy mediated between task resources and engagement.
Students’ academic psychological capital will mediate the relationship between supervisor support and Ph. D.
In connection to Hypothesis 3, the study has found significant mediation of academic psychological capital in the supervisor support and Ph. D.
students receiving healthy supervisor support can showcase more engagement which is due to the presence and result of academic psychological capital.
The study also has made a considerable enhancement through offering empirical confirmation on the mediating potential of psychological capital in the relationship between social support resources like supervisor and engagement.