Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40672859›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in psychology2025

Fostering academic engagement through soft skills and positive emotions: a sustainable development perspective on university education.

Xiaoling Wang, Xiang Deng, Wan Marzuki Wan Jaafar, Rose Manisah Sulong, Zaida Nor Binti Zainudin, Wan Norhayati Wan Othman

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in psychology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Xiaoling WangFaculty of Educational Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia.
Xiang DengFaculty of Educational Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia.
Wan Marzuki Wan JaafarFaculty of Educational Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia.
Rose Manisah SulongFaculty of Educational Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia.
Zaida Nor Binti ZainudinFaculty of Educational Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia.
Wan Norhayati Wan OthmanFaculty of Educational Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: Soft skills, including curiosity, initiative, perseverance, social awareness, adaptability, and leadership, are increasingly recognized as essential for fostering positive emotions and academic engagement in higher education. However, the pathways linking these skills to academic engagement remain underexplored, especially within the Chinese university context. Methods: This study investigated the relationships among soft skills, positive emotions, and academic engagement among 335 undergraduate students (197 females, 58.8%) from four universities in China, across faculties of Education, Literature, and Management. Standardized questionnaires assessing soft skills, positive emotions, and academic engagement dimensions (absorption, dedication, and vigor) were administered. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26 and AMOS 24. Reliability was confirmed through Cronbach's alpha (≥0.70), and construct validity was evaluated via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results: CFA indicated an acceptable to excellent fit for both individual scales and the overall measurement model (χ Discussion: These findings underscore the importance of developing soft skills and fostering positive emotional experiences to enhance academic engagement. Aligning with sustainable development-oriented educational reforms, the results suggest that comprehensive educational approaches promoting soft skills and emotional well-being can effectively support holistic student growth and sustainable academic success.

Indexed as

academic engagementeducationpositive emotionssoft skillsundergraduate students

Identifiers

PMID40672859
PMCPMC12263678

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.