Mediating Role of Cognitive Flexibility on Relation of Academic Optimism, with Academic Vitality, Among High School Girl Students of Zanjan

Introduction: The aim of this research is to study the mediating rule of cognitive flexibility in the relationship of academic optimism and academic vitality. Methods: For this purpose the descriptive correlation method has been used. The research population includes 4834 female second-grade secondary high school students of Zanjan in the academic year of 2018 and using the relative multi-stage cluster method, sample size was determined to be 400. In order to collect data, Dehghanizadeh and Husainichary’s academic vitality questionnaire (2012), Tschannen-Moran’s academic optimism questionnaire (2013) and Dennis and Vander wal’s cognitive flexibility questionnaire (2010) were used. Data analysis and structural equation analysis were performed using Pearson correlation, and Lisrel and SPSS 18 softwares, respectively. Results: The research findings indicate that the model is fitted and the research hypotheses, except for one case, are confirmed. The suggested model shows that academic optimism has an indirect (by mediation of cognitive flexibility) positive and meaningful relationship with academic vitality (p<0.01). Correlation analysis showed that there is a positive and meaningful relationship between academic optimism and academic vitality (p<0.05), while according to the model, such a result was not observed. The model also showed that there is a meaningful and positive relationship between academic optimism and cognitive flexibility, as well as between cognitive flexibility and academic vitality (p<0.05). Conclusion: The findings highlight the role of academic optimism on cognitive flexibility, for arriving to academic vitality. The findings of the study were discussed regarding to theoretical and empirical evidence and suggestions have been made for this purpose.