The structural relationship among professors’ support, major satisfaction, learning engagement, and academic persistence in Korean adult learners

The purpose of this study was to identify the structural relationship between professors’ support (PS), major satisfaction (MS), learning engagement (LE), and academic persistence intention (API) among adult learners. The survey instruments used were those developed in previous studies with confirmed validity and reliability, and 293 questionnaires were analyzed. The data analysis included frequency analysis, reliability analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, discriminant validity analysis, and structural equation modelling using SPSS and AMOS. The results of this study are as follows. Professors’ support had a significant positive impact on both MS and LE, but it did not have a direct effect on API. However, significant indirect effects were observed, as PS influenced API through MS, through LE, and through both MS and LE. These results provide insights that could help in developing strategies for educational development. The study also discusses its implications and limitations and offers suggestions for future studies.