The Mediating Role of Self-efficacy and Hopelessness in the Relationship between Family Emotional Climate and Boredom in Female Adolescents

This study was carried out to investigate the mediating role of self-efficacy and hopelessness in the relationship between family emotional climate and adolescents’ boredom. This research had a descriptive, correlational design. The statistical population of the study was comprised of all female junior high school students in Tehran (District 11) in 2019-2020 school year from among whom 280 students were selected using random multi-stage cluster sampling method. The research instruments included General Self-Efficacy Scale (Sherer et al., 1982), Hopelessness Scale for Children (Kazdin et al., 1986), Family Emotional Climate Questionnaire (Nodargah Fard, 1994), and Multidimensional State Boredom Scale (Fahlman et al., 2013). The obtained data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient, and path analysis. The results indicated that family emotional climate had a significant, positive effect on self-efficacy, whereas it exerted a significant, negative effect on hopelessness and boredom. Also, self-efficacy had a significant, negative effect on boredom, whereas hopelessness exerted a non-significant effect on boredom. Furthermore, the results showed that self-efficacy played a mediating role in the link between family emotional climate and boredom, while hopelessness did not mediate the association between family emotional climate and boredom. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that self-efficacy is an important factor affecting adolescents’ boredom. Hence, enhancing self-efficacy is a proper way to help adolescents deal with everyday life problems and combat boredom.