Factors influencing the institutional commitment of Argentine students in the first year of military training

This study examines the factors influencing institutional commitment among first-year Argentine military cadets, focusing on perceived stress as a mediating variable that eliminates the positive effects of self-efficacy, social support, and emotional intelligence. A cross-sectional, correlational design was employed, with data collected from 391 cadets through online surveys. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was utilized to analyse the relationships among the variables. The results indicate that while self-efficacy, social support, and emotional intelligence initially have positive effects on institutional commitment, perceived stress mediates these relationships by eliminating these positive effects. These findings highlight the critical role of stress as a mediator that can nullify the positive influences of self-efficacy, social support, and emotional intelligence on cadets' commitment to their institution. The study underscores the importance of developing interventions aimed at reducing stress levels among military cadets. Implementing programs that focus on resilience training, stress management, and emotional skills is essential to enhance institutional commitment and improve performance and retention rates within military educational settings.