The Mediating Role of Self-Management in Psychological Empowerment and Academic Frustration Among College Students

Abstract

The current higher education landscape is characterized by intense academic competition and widespread internalization, leaving college students lacking effective psychological coping strategies to manage academic pressures. This study, focusing on college students in Jiangsu Province, China, aims to explore the impact of psychological empowerment on academic frustration among college students, as well as the mediating role of self-management. In early February 2024, researchers employed convenience sampling to survey 286 valid Chinese university student participants using the Psychological Empowerment Scale, Self-Management Scale, and Academic Frustration Questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and correlation analyses were conducted using SPSS software, while the PROCESS plugin analyzed mediating effects. Results revealed that psychological empowerment was significantly negatively correlated with academic frustration among college students, significantly positively correlated with self-management, and self-management was significantly negatively correlated with academic frustration. Self-management exhibited a significant mediating effect in the relationship between psychological empowerment and academic frustration. Conclusions indicate that psychological empowerment exerts a significant negative influence on academic frustration among college students, exerts a significant positive influence on self-management, and self-management exerts a significant negative influence on academic frustration. Self-management partially mediates the effect of psychological empowerment on academic frustration. Therefore, educators should enhance psychological empowerment among college students, improve self-management levels, and reduce academic frustration.   

 Received: 04 December  2025 / Accepted: 20 June  2026 / Published: July  2026