A Structural Equation Model of Psychological Capital, Academic Engagement, and Persistence Among Undergraduates in Nigerian Federal Universities

Psychological capital, comprising hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism, has been proposed as a positive resource variable capable of predicting academic outcomes in higher education, yet its structural relationships with engagement and persistence in Nigerian university contexts remain untested. This study developed and tested a structural equation model of psychological capital, academic engagement, and persistence among undergraduates in Nigerian federal universities. A large-scale cross-sectional survey was conducted with 1,200 undergraduates selected through proportionate stratified sampling from six federal universities across all six geopolitical zones. The Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ-24), the Student Engagement Instrument (SEI), and the Academic Persistence Scale were administered. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling using AMOS 26 were employed. Findings supported the hypothesised model, with psychological capital demonstrating direct positive effects on both academic engagement and persistence. Academic engagement partially mediated the psychological capital-persistence relationship, explaining 41 percent of the total indirect effect. Hope was the strongest individual PsyCap dimension in predicting persistence. The model demonstrated adequate fit indices and cross-group validity across geopolitical zones, with minor variance in path coefficients. This study offers an original structural model contributing to the positive psychology of higher education in Nigeria. Recommendations included PsyCap development training as a national university counselling strategy. Keywords: psychological capital, academic engagement, persistence, undergraduates, structural equation modelling.