Satisfaction from a broad perspective: the joint contribution of factors to satisfaction with studies among undergraduate students

There is extensive research-based evidence that academic satisfaction is a central factor in students’ degree of investment, ability to apply study material, probability of dropping out of studies, academic achievements, and more. Several models include factors that underly academic satisfaction and correlations have been found between numerous factors and such satisfaction. However, the joint contribution of these factors to student satisfaction has not been investigated. This article examined the joint contribution of self-efficacy, achievements, threshold grade for success, and evaluation of lecturers among 408 undergraduate studies of social sciences in Israel. At the beginning of the semester, students’ expectations regarding their grades, level of self-efficacy, conscientiousness, and evaluation of lecturers were examined; at the end of the semester, their grades and satisfaction were examined. In addition to the relationships between the variables, mediation was also found, indicating interactions among them.