Examining the Impact of Family Influence on Students’ Academic Emotions and Subsequent Effect on Self-Efficacy Outcomes at Higher Education

Abstract

Recent trends in social sciences research highlight issues of family influences and pressures affecting their ward’s academic decisions, interest and career path selections. The family influence in a negative way may take a troll towards their wards’ academic and mental well-being. Hence, the current study focused on examining the impact of family influence on Student’s Academic emotions, and Academic Self-esteem studying in higher education institutions. The study has a particular relevance in Pakistan’s context, where families dominate and exert influence as part of the cultural norm that impacts decisions regarding their wards education and life commitments. Study participants were students studying in Higher education institutions in Sargodha division, Punjab. A total of 300 students participated in the study. Hypotheses’ testing involved analyzing linier regression mode to study the impact, and t-Test to observe the effects of demographics on study variables. The study showed more of a negative family influence, prevalence of negative academic emotions and low academic self-efficacy among university students. Also, family influence significantly impacted students’ academic emotions and academic self-efficacy. The phenomenon was observed as a system wide issue effecting all students equally, regardless of the students’ gender, locality and school type. The study is a curtain raiser in Asian research context, where family influence is although very deep rooted in socio-cultural norms, but lesser acknowledged. The study acknowledges that academic success is shaped not only by cognitive abilities but also by psychosocial and emotional factors, highlighting the family impacts. Thus, dwelling into family dynamics, the study compels educational institutions to begin thinking in caring paradigms to enhance family engagement initiatives, emotional support programs, and interventions for burgeoning healthy happy academic emotions and boosting academic self-efficacy in students by developing support systems for creating a positive, nurturing environment for learners for their impactful presence in the society.