The Mediating Role of Learned Helplessness in the Relationship between Gender Discrimination and Academic Motivation School Female in Disadvantaged Areas

Sharifi, Zahra; Behjati  Ardakani, Fatemeh; Rezapour Mirsaleh, Yaser; Mansuri, Sirus

doi:10.22059/japr.2026.403317.645369

The Mediating Role of Learned Helplessness in the Relationship between Gender Discrimination and Academic Motivation School Female in Disadvantaged Areas

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Zahra Sharifi ¹

Fatemeh Behjati Ardakani ²

Yaser Rezapour Mirsaleh ¹

Sirus Mansuri ³

¹ Department of Counseling, Humanities and Social Sciences Faculty, Ardakan University, Ardakan, Iran.

² Assistant Professor, Department of Counseling, Humanities and Social Sciences Faculty, Ardakan University, Ardakan, Iran.

³ Department of Education, Faculty of Humanity, Arak University, Arak, Iran.

10.22059/japr.2026.403317.645369

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the mediating role of learned helplessness in the relationship between gender discrimination and academic motivation among female students in deprived areas of Bahmai County, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province. The correlation investigation conducted in this study employs. The secondary school students of Bahmai County, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province in the academic year 2024-2025 comprised the statistical population in study. The sample size of 200 pupils was determined using the available sampling method. Motivation Questionnaire of the Harter's )HEM (,Gender Discriminatory Events Questionnaire Klonoff and Landrine') SSE (and the Learned Helplessness Questionnaire by Quinless and Nelson’s) (LHS( were utilized as data collection instruments. Statistical analysis of data was performed using SPSS 26 and Amos 24 software. The results of the structural equation modeling indicated that gender discrimination has a direct positive effect on learned helplessness. Furthermore, gender discrimination exerts a direct positive influence on motivation, whereas learned helplessness has a direct negative effect on academic motivation. Consequently, gender discrimination can predict students’ academic motivation indirectly through the mediating role of learned helplessness. Therefore, establishing an equitable environment and altering dysfunctional beliefs contribute to the weakening of learned helplessness, thereby enhancing academic motivation and enthusiasm.

Keywords

Academic Motivation

Disadvantaged Areas

Gender Discrimination

Learned Helplessness