The Impact of Adult Learners’ Motivations for Lifelong Education on Life Satisfaction: the Mediating Effect of GRIT

This study aimed to analyze the impact of motivations for participating in lifelong education on life satisfaction among adult learners enrolled in university programs and to examine the mediating effect of GRIT. For this purpose, data from 207 adult learners aged 25 and older, including graduates, enrolled in universities in Jeju were used for the final analysis, employing methods such as descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis, and mediation analysis. The results showed that, firstly, adult learners’ motivations for lifelong education have a statistically significant positive effect on life satisfaction. It was found that higher levels of motivation among adult learners are associated with increased levels of life satisfaction. Secondly, GRIT was found to fully mediate the relationship between motivations for lifelong education and life satisfaction. The motivations for lifelong education did not have a significant direct effect on life satisfaction, but they had a meaningful indirect impact through GRIT. Lastly, all sub-factors of GRIT—effort-perseverance, passion-joy, and passion-meaning—were found to enhance life satisfaction. Based on these results, recommendations were proposed at the higher education level to enhance life satisfaction among adult learners participating in lifelong education.