Academic Engagement as a Mediator Between the Sense of School Belonging and Academic Achievement

Given the increase in enrollment of Iranian females in secondary educational settings and the diverse experience of women in education in Iran examining the contributing factors that relate to academic outcomes for female students is essential. Yet while the importance of school belonging has been established, the potential mediating role of academic engagement has yet to be explored in an Iranian context. The present study aims to examine the mediating role of academic engagement in the relationship between school belonging and academic achievement. among female high school students in Iran. A sample of 241 female high school students (<i>M</i> age = 16.18, <i>SD</i> = 0.74) from a single school in Qazvin, Iran, participated in the study. Participants completed online questionnaires to assess their sense of school belonging and academic engagement. Academic achievement was measured by calculating the cumulative grade point averages based on transcripts of the participants for the academic year 2021-2022. Structural equation modeling indicated that both school belonging (β = 0.418, <i>p</i> < .01) and academic engagement (β = 0.241, <i>p</i> < .01) significantly and positively predicted academic achievement among high school students. Bootstrapping analysis revealed that academic engagement partially mediates the relationship between school belonging and academic achievement. These results emphasize the importance of promoting a sense of belonging and cultivating academic engagement to improve academic outcomes for female high school students in Iran.