Enhancing students’ cognitive engagement in Ghanaian higher education: insights into the role of teacher support and student personality traits

Cognitive engagement is a critical yet underexplored driver of academic success within resource-constrained higher education. Grounded in Self-Determination and Social Cognitive Theories, this study investigates how teacher support and student personality traits predict cognitive engagement among Ghanaian higher education students. Utilising cross-sectional data from 288 students at Jasikan College of Education, collected via validated scales including the Higher Education Student Engagement Scale (HESES) and the Big Five Inventory (BFI), we employed hierarchical and Lewbel instrumental variable regressions to address endogeneity. Results demonstrate that teacher support and specific personality traits are potent predictors of students’ cognitive engagement. In particular, conscientiousness and openness to experience significantly enhanced cognitive engagement, whereas neuroticism exerted a substantial negative effect. These findings underscore the necessity of autonomy-supportive teaching practices and targeted mental health interventions. This study provides robust, methodologically advanced evidence for policymakers and educators aiming to cultivate psychologically engaged learners in Ghana and similar contexts.