The relationship between mastery-approach goals and perseverance in senior high school students: The chain mediating role of self-esteem and positive rumination

Previous research has indicated an indirect link between Mastery-approach (MAP) goals and perseverance; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This cross-sectional study, involving 758 senior high school students (369 males; mean age = 17.02 ± 0.82 years), aimed to assess the relationships among MAP goals, self-esteem, positive rumination, and perseverance. A serial mediation analysis was conducted using the PROCESS macro in SPSS. Significant positive correlations were identified between MAP goals, perseverance, self-esteem, and positive rumination within the sample of senior high school students. Both self-esteem and positive rumination were found to partially mediate the relationship between MAP goals and perseverance. Additionally, self-esteem and positive rumination exhibited a chain mediating effect between MAP goals and perseverance. These findings suggest that self-esteem and positive rumination serve as significant mediators influencing the relationship between MAP goals and perseverance. This study enhances our understanding of the positive psychological mechanisms that foster perseverance among high school students, thus contributing to and refining the motivational framework model of adolescence and the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. Furthermore, it establishes a foundation for the development of targeted educational interventions. By promoting students' mastery goals, self-esteem, and positive rumination, their perseverance can be significantly enhanced.