Towards a spiral model of the efficacy beliefs in the study of burnout and engagement

In this study the Downward and Upward Spiral Model of efficacy beliefs is tested in two samples of Spanish (N=203) and Belgian (N=150) university students respectively. Results from Structural Equations Modeling showed empirical support for the Downward Spiral Model of burnout, which is considered as a crisis of efficacy , and for the Upward Spiral Model of engagement, which as a boost of efficacy . Results also show empirical support to the mediating role that efficacy beliefs play in the relationship between past success and burnout/engagement on the one hand, and self-efficacy beliefs about academic success on the other hand. Moreover, using multigroup analysis it was shown that the research model was invariant of across both samples.