The Relationship between Human Agency and Optimism with Students' Psychological Well-Being

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 MSC in Psychology, Department of Psychology, Tehran West Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Tehran West Branch, Tehran, Islamic Azad University, Iran.

10.22098/jpc.2025.16541.1286

Abstract

Aim: The main goal of this study was to explore how human agency and optimism are related to the psychological well-being of students.



Method: This study utilized a descriptive correlational method to conduct the research. The target population for the study included all high school students in the 3rd district of Karaj Education during the second semester of the 2022-2023 academic year. A sample size of 150 individuals was chosen using the Krejci and Morgan (1970) table through cluster random sampling. Information for the study was gathered through questionnaires on human agency developed by Woody, Palito, and Barnier (2013), optimism by Scheier and Carver (1985), and psychological well-being by Riff (2002). The data was analyzed using linear multivariate regression tests along with simultaneous and correlation methods. The analysis was conducted using SPSS software, specifically version 23.



Results: The analysis of research data revealed a significant negative correlation between human agency, involuntary effort, and psychological well-being (P< 0.01). Additionally, there was a significant positive correlation between optimism and psychological well-being (P< 0.01). The analysis of the research data revealed that 35% of the variations in psychological well-being can be attributed to human agency and optimism, with a statistically significant result (P < 0.01 and F (147.2) =41.19).



Conclusion: The research findings indicate that agency is crucial for the personal development and adjustment of individuals to their surroundings. Human agency greatly influences the actions and situations in life, helping people to manage their endeavors in reaching their objectives and aspirations.

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