The Relationship Between School Culture and Students' Academic Well‐Being Through the Mediating Role of the Satisfaction of the Basic Psychological Needs: A Correlational Study

ABSTRACT

Background and Aims

Since adolescents spend the majority of their daily time at school, understanding the impact of school culture on their experiences seems to be crucial, as it shapes their educational environment and well‐being. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the relationship between school culture and academic well‐being (AWB) through the mediating role of the satisfaction of the basic psychological needs (SBPN) in students.

Methods

It was a correlational study. The statistical population of the study included all high school students in Kermanshah, Iran in the academic year 2020–2021, among whom 522 students were selected using cluster sampling to be a research sample. The research tools included Academic Well‐Being, school culture and basic psychological needs questionnaires.

Results

The structural equations modeling was used in LISREL 8.8 software to analyze the data. The results of data analysis confirmed the appropriate fit of the overall model in sample of the study (X ²/df = 2.77, GFI = 0.92, IFI = 0.90, CFI = 0.99, RMSEA = 0.06). There was a significant relationship between students' relations and their AWB through SBPN, and also between educational opportunities and AWB through SBPN.

Conclusion

Based on the findings, interventions should focus on fostering a supportive school culture that enhances SBPN in students. This approach may improve students' academic well‐being and overall educational experiences.

1. Introduction

Academic well‐being (AWB) seems to be one of these variables, which has been proposed as a new construct in positive psychology by Hoy et al. [1]. AWB refers to the ability of students to face common challenges in the field of education and to manage everyday problems and difficulties in learning, such as a disappointing score [2] and consists of components of academic emphasis, trust and efficacy that have been studied in both personal and academic fields [3]. Thus, AWB is a positive belief and attitude in students that they are able to contribute to their academic achievement by emphasizing their learning, trusting teachers, and feeling interested in school [4]. Martin et al. [5] have shown in their research that the feeling of AWB can predict educational motivation and academic self‐efficacy. Similarly, Collie [6] emphasized the role of AWB in increasing the feeling of control in the students.

1.1. The Relationship Between School Culture and AWB

Various variables have been studied as predictors of AWB, among which we can refer to psychological capital [7], classroom management styles [8], development goals [9] and academic achievement [9]. Meanwhile, Skinner et al. [10] based on their research have designed a general motivational process model based on which the background texture (parents, teachers, peers, neighborhood and community) influences self (self‐perception systems) and ultimately leads to consequences such as social, cognitive, personal development, participation and choice and so on. Based on this model, we investigated variables that could play a role as background texture. Based on the research literature on this field of inquiry, it is possible that school culture can be a suitable variable for the role of background texture.

School culture is a set of customs, ethics, rules and regulations that govern a school [11] and is a system of norms, meanings and values that exist between the members of a school, including students, teachers and other employees [12]. Irvin et al. [11] acknowledged that a proper school culture can be effective in improving the educational conditions and learning of students, meaning that some cultures are positive and open, warm and humane, with an atmosphere of trust and support and cause academic progress [13]. In contrast, cultures that prevent problem‐solving and in which the teacher is the center of education can be considered as a negative culture that indicates the existence of a closed, cold, conscientious, authoritarian and rigid environment. How students perceive and feel about the culture that dominates the school can lead to adaptive or maladaptive behaviors, to the extent that some experts believe that ignoring students' culture means ignoring their existence, and consequently, will lead to boredom at school and a decrease in vitality and academic achievement [14]. Therefore, we can talk about the role of this construct in AWB. A positive school culture fosters an enriching educational environment where students are engaged with relevant real‐world issues. In such environments, students are provided with opportunities that enhance their sense of competence and self‐efficacy, leading to a continual perception of academic improvement. This positive school climate significantly contributes to students' overall well‐being. Empirical research has also demonstrated a substantive relationship between school culture and AWB [15, 16].

1.2. School Culture and AWB Through Satisfaction of Basic Psychological Needs

Although the above studies have shown the relationship between AWB and school culture, few studies have examined how school culture affects AWB and through which pathways. In fact, despite examining the background texture in the general motivational process model of Skinner et al. [10], fewer studies have examined the role of self‐perceptual systems as a mediator between background texture and psychological consequences. It seems that variables such as academic motivation and engagement can play a mediating role in the relationship between school culture and AWB, while some basic variables have been neglected, among which is satisfaction of basic psychological needs (SBPN). Basic psychological needs are at the heart of Ryan and Deci [17] theory of self‐determination, and include the energy needed for active engagement with the environment, healthy growth, and the development of individual skills [18]. There are inherently basic psychological needs in humans, including the need for autonomy (including having a sense of choice at the beginning of maintenance and regulation of activity), competence (need to be effective and interact with the environment), and relatedness (need for emotional bonds and intimate relationships) [18]. In Iran, Baluchi and Nastiezaie [16] figured out that school culture is related significantly to SBPN. Besides, SBPN found to be correlated to AWB [19]. Hashemi Nosrat Abad et al. [20] indicated that school culture is associated to academic performance through the mediating role of SBPN in students. Moreover, Mirzaei Fandokht et al. [21] indicated that school culture is associated to academic engagement through the mediating role of SBPN in students.

It is plausible that SBPN plays a critical role in mediating the relationship between school culture and AWB. Positive and supportive school cultures might satisfy these fundamental needs by fostering autonomy, competence, and relatedness. When a school culture appears to encourage student autonomy, provides opportunities for competence development, and supports meaningful relationships, it may enhance SBPN. This enhancement could, in turn, influence AWB by improving students' motivation and engagement. Thus, SBPN could potentially mediate the link between school culture and AWB, suggesting a mechanism through which a supportive educational environment might impact students' psychological and academic outcomes. Studies also indicate that optimal SBPN is effective in increasing psychological well‐being [22, 23] in Iran, life satisfaction and psychological well‐being [24, 25].

1.3. Rationale and Significance of the Relationship of Variables

In the context of educational systems, a persistent challenge is the widespread sense of disengagement and dissatisfaction among students regarding their academic experiences. Many students experience school as an obligation rather than a meaningful pursuit, leading to a lack of intrinsic motivation and a disconnection from the educational process [21]. This disengagement is often rooted in social and cultural environment of schools, which can either support or hinder students' academic and psychological well‐being. Addressing these issues requires a comprehensive understanding of how school culture influences students' sense of belonging, motivation, and overall well‐being. The current study aims to fill this gap by exploring the critical role that school culture plays in fostering or impeding students' AWB, particularly through the lens of SBPN. By identifying the underlying factors that contribute to a positive or negative school culture, this research seeks to offer actionable insights for creating more supportive and engaging educational environments that enhance students' academic and personal development. The review of research literature related to the mentioned variables revealed that school culture is related to students' AWB, with limited studies having examined the mediating variables in the relationship between these variables. Therefore, considering the general motivational process model of Skinner et al. [10], the research gap in this area goes back to the study of how these two variables are related to each other. Therefore, identifying the variables that are likely to play a mediating role in the relationship between these two variables is thought to be very necessary. By identifying these mediating variables, researchers and therapists working in this field of inquiry can gain a better understanding of how these variables interact with each other, and this opens a new window for future studies and designing appropriate professional interventions in this field. Besides, considering the importance of high school and the placement of students in adolescence and pre‐university and in the edge of entering the labor market [26], the importance of conducting research in this group is well shown.

1.4. Current Research

Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the relationship between school culture and AWB through the mediating role of the satisfaction of the basic psychological needs (SBPN) in students. The hypotheses of this study were (1): students' relations is related to their AWB through SBPN (2), educational opportunities are related to AWB through SBPN (3), student‐teacher relations are related to AWB through SBPN. The hypothetical model for the above‐mentioned relationships is presented in Figure 1.

Figure 1.

The hypothetical model of the relationship between school culture and AWB through the mediating role of SBPN.

2. Method

2.1. Research Design and Participants

The method of the present study was correlational. The statistical population of the present study included all high school students (11th and 12th grades) in Kermanshah, Iran in the academic year 2020–2021, from whom 522 were selected as a research sample using cluster sampling. Regarding the adequacy of the sample size, it is worth noting that Stevens (1996, as cited in [27]) considered 15 items for each predictor variable in the multiple regression analysis with the usual method of the minimum squared standard, which is a good rule of thumb. Based on this, it can be stated that because SEM is completely related to multivariate regression in some respects, 15 cases for each variable measured in SEM is not irrational. Therefore, the sample size of the current study seems to be sufficient to implement SEM. The minimum required sample size for this study was also determined using G*Power software. To this end, first, the effect size (f ²) was calculated based on the coefficient of determination (R²) provided in a similar study by Hashemi Nosrat Abad et al. [20] In that study, the R² value was reported as 0.24. Using the formula $f^2=\frac{R^2}{{1-R}^2}$, represented by Cohen [28], the effect size was calculated to be approximately 0.32. Next, the α was set at 0.01 to ensure a stringent criterion for statistical significance, reducing the probability of Type I error. The power of the test (1−β) was set at 0.99. This high‐power level was chosen to minimize the likelihood of a Type II error, ensuring that the study would have a high chance of detecting an effect if one truly exists. The number of predictor variables was set at six, corresponding to the three components of school culture and the three components of SBPN included in the model. Finally, using these inputs in G*Power, the minimum required sample size was calculated to be 119 participants. This sample size ensures that the study has adequate power to detect the relationships between variables with the specified effect size and significance level.

To ensure greater accuracy and precision of the findings and account for potential reductions in sample size due to incomplete questionnaire responses, a sample of 522 individuals was selected. After excluding distorted and incomplete responses, the final sample size for structural equation modeling (SEM) was 494. Inclusion criteria were (1) willingness to participate in the study and (2) study in high school, and exclusion criteria included (1) the presence of a specific mental or physical illness and (2) the experience of mourning loved ones in the past 6 months. The age range of participants in this study was 16–18 years. Of the total sample of 522 individuals, 229 were boys (43.9%) and 293 were girls (56.1%), among whom 306 (58.6%) were 11th grade students and 216 (41.4%) were 12th grade students.

2.2. Measures

2.2.1. Academic Well‐Being Questionnaire (AWBQ)

This questionnaire is a 31‐item self‐report scale developed by Tuominen‐Soini et al. [29]. This questionnaire has four subscales which include school value, school burnout, satisfaction with educational choices and schoolwork engagement. For example, one of the items includes “In my opinion, the things I learn at school are interesting.” Responses to each item of this scale are rated on either a 5‐point or a 7‐point Likert scale. The maximum and minimum scores range from 31 to 209, respectively, with higher score indicating higher AWB in the student. Tuominen‐Soini et al. reported Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the four above‐mentioned subscales as 0.64, 0.77, 0.91, and 0.94, respectively. The scale has been translated and standardized in Iran by Moradi [30]. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the four mentioned subscales were 0.65, 0.75, 0.90 and 0.95 respectively [30]. In the present study, Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the four mentioned subscales were 0.896, 0.837, 0.820 and 0.858, respectively.

2.2.2. School Culture Questionnaire

This student‐specific questionnaire was designed and developed by Higgins‐D'Alessandro and Sadh [31]. In a study by Qalavandi et al. [32] in Iran, the questionnaire was reduced to 18 questions and three components of students' relations, student‐teacher relations and educational opportunities. For example, one of the items includes “Teachers and school authorities give students the opportunity to express their opinions regarding school rules and policies.” The scoring of this questionnaire is based on a 5‐point Likert scale (from strongly disagree: 1 to strongly agree: 5). The minimum and maximum total scores of this questionnaire are 18 and 90, respectively, with lower scores indicating less desirable school culture school culture and higher scores indicating more desirable school culture. To examine the validity of their instrument, Higgins‐D'Alessandro and Sadh used exploratory factor analysis, the results of which supported their four‐component scale, with a total extracted variance of 51.5%, considered a desirable value. The reliability of this scale in Iran was assessed by Qalavandi et al. [32] using Cronbach's alpha method, with coefficients of 0.79 for the component of student relations, 0.78 for student‐teacher relations and 0.86 for educational opportunities. In the current study, Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the three components of student relations, student‐teacher relations and educational opportunities were 0.832, 0.892 and 0.935, respectively.

2.2.3. Basic Psychological Needs Scale (BNSG‐S)

This questionnaire, developed by La Guardia et al. [33], consists of 21 items and includes three subscales of autonomy, competence and relatedness. For example, one of the items includes “In my daily life, I don't have much opportunity to decide for myself how to do things.” Responses are rated on a 7‐point Likert scale (1: not true at all to 7: very true). The minimum possible score is 21 and the maximum is 147. The higher the score on this scale, the higher the level of need satisfaction. La Guardia et al. [33] reported Cronbach's alpha coefficients of BNSG‐S for the subscales of autonomy, competence and relatedness in the general population as 0.85, 0.81 and 0.83, respectively. Gagné [34] found Cronbach's alpha coefficients of BNSG‐S for the subscales of autonomy, competence and relatedness in the general population to be 0.89, 0.87 and 0.92, respectively. In the student population, these coefficients were reported as 0.89, 0.87 and 0.91, respectively [34]. Additionally, Besharat [35] reported test‐retest reliability for the mentioned subscales as 0.73, 0.77 and 0.68, respectively. In the current study, Cronbach's alpha coefficients of the mentioned subscales was obtained to be 0.778, 0.669 and 0.717, respectively.

2.3. Procedure

The proposal for a study has been thoroughly reviewed and approved by both the Research Deputy of Razi University and the General Department of Education. Ethical considerations within the research are carefully examined during this review process. Approval of a research proposal within this department signifies adherence to ethical principles in the conduct of the study. In the next step, the necessary permits from the education districts III of Kermanshah were obtained. The sampling process began with the random selection of one educational district from three districts in Kermanshah. A comprehensive list of male and female schools within the selected district was then compiled. Each school on these lists was assigned a sequential code. Subsequently, using a random number generator, five female and five male schools were randomly chosen from this list. In each of these 10 schools, classes from the 11th and 12th‐grades were selected as the sample. Due to the closure of schools during the COVID‐19 pandemic, school authorities were requested to distribute the survey links through the online educational platform used by the schools, known as “Shad” in Iran. Consequently, students from these schools were provided with 20 min during one of their online class sessions to complete the surveys. It is worth mentioning that although upper secondary education in Iran includes three grads of 10th–12th, only 11th and 12th‐grade students were included in this study, as 10th graders, newly transitioned to upper secondary education, had limited exposure to the school culture due to the online learning conditions imposed by the COVID‐19 pandemic. This ensured that the sample consisted of students who were well‐acquainted with their school environment, because 11th and 12th‐grade students had spent at least 1 year in their current school and had more time to adapt to and understand the school culture.

Due to the COVID‐19 pandemic in Iran at the time of this study, it was not feasible to conduct the study using paper‐based questionnaires. Therefore, the questionnaires were initially created online using an Iranian platform called “www.Porsall.com.” In this process, questions and their response options were entered into the platform, which then generated the questionnaires as an online list. Three questionnaires for this study were uploaded to the mentioned website, which provided a link. Participants could access this link to first provide informed consent to participate in the study. During this step, they were given informed consent to participate in the research and were assured of confidentiality and privacy Following this, they answered screening questions regarding inclusion and exclusion criteria to determine their eligibility. If they were eligible to take part in the study, they were then able to complete the demographic questions and respond to the items in the three questionnaires of the study. Participants were asked to answer all questions carefully and to avoid leaving any questions unanswered if possible. Finally, after removing the distorted questionnaires, the results were analyzed. Out of the 522 students who completed the questionnaires, 494 were included in the statistical analysis. A total of 28 questionnaires were excluded from the analysis. The reasons for exclusion were as follows: some questionnaires had a high number of unanswered questions, with some students leaving one or two entire sections blank. Additionally, questionnaires completed too quickly, specifically in less than 5 min, were removed from the analysis. Lastly, responses that showed a pattern of selecting the same option across most questions within one or two questionnaires were also excluded. The response rate for the study was approximately 94.6%. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used in SPSS‐20, and to determine the fit of the hypothesized model of the study, SEM was used in Lisrel 8.8.

3. Results

To examine the normality of the research variable distribution the skewness and kurtosis of the distribution of scores were used, the results of which showed that the distribution of scores of all variables is normal (range of distribution between +1 and −1). The Durbin‐Watson test was used to check the independence of the errors, which showed no correlation between the errors (D.W. = 2.152, range between 1.5 and 2.5 is acceptable). Variance inflation factors (VIF) and tolerance factors were used to evaluate the multiple alignment between the predictor variables. The results showed that there is no alignment between the variables (VIF amplitude was less than 5 and tolerance was higher than 0.1). Tolerance and VIF values for each of the following variables were as follows: SC = T: 0744 VIF: 1.292; SR = T.539 VIF: 1.857; STR = T: 0.605 VIF: 1.654; EO = T: 0.616 VIF: 1.625; SBPN = T.744 VIF: 1.292: BNA = T: 0.468 VIF: 2.138 & BNR = T: 0.388 VIF: 2.575). The multivariate normality of the data was assessed using Mahalanobis distances. None of the participants were excluded from the study based on this method. Another assumption is the establishment of a linear relationship between independent and dependent variables, examined by Pearson's correlation, the results of which are reported in Table 1.

Table 1.

The mean, standard deviation, skewness, kurtosis and correlation between the variables.

variable	M	SD	skewness	kurtosis	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
SC	37.24	11.42	0.209	−0.291	—
SR	13.88	5.82	0.239	−0.578	0.84**	—
STR	12.43	5	0.304	−0.205	0.91**	0.68**	—
EO	18.78	6.96	0.223	−0.469	0.92**	0.63**	0.76**	—
SBPN	45.1	14.74	0.098	−0.513	0.47**	0.43**	0.41**	0.43**	—
BNA	11.04	3.52	0.146	−0.178	0.39**	0.34**	0.34**	0.37**	0.85**	—
BNC	11.6	3.9	0.094	−0.653	0.31**	0.25**	0.28**	0.31**	0.80**	0.61**	—
BNR	14.58	5.34	0.434	−0.194	0.45**	0.44**	0.38**	0.39**	0.83**	0.53**	0.46**	—
EWB	82.1	25.05	0.424	−0.388	0.71**	0.51**	0.63**	0.72**	0.47**	0.42**	0.34**	0.39**	—
SV	20.36	9.39	0.606	−0.232	0.67**	0.48**	0.60**	0.68**	0.38**	0.32**	0.27**	0.34**	0.88**	—
SB	24.1	8.7	0.333	−0.560	0.55**	0.42**	0.49**	0.54**	0.46**	0.41**	0.37**	0.37**	0.82**	0.58**	—
SEC	10.12	3.69	0.242	−0.771	0.62**	0.46**	0.54**	0.64**	0.47**	0.44**	0.40**	0.34**	0.83**	0.64**	0.67**	—
SWE	27.52	7.75	0.389	−0.194	0.56**	0.40**	0.50**	0.57**	0.30**	0.30**	0.18**	0.26**	0.84**	0.68**	0.51**	0.67**

Abbreviations: BNA, basic need of autonomy; BNC, basic need of competence; BNR, basic need of relatedness; EO, educational opportunities; EWB, educational well‐being; SB, school burnout; SBPN, satisfaction of the basic psychological needs; SC, school culture; SEC, satisfaction with educational choices; SR, students’ relations; STR, student‐teacher relations; SV, school value; SWE, school work engagement.

^* p < 0.05

^** p < 0.01.

Results presented in Table 1 indicate that AWB has a significant relationship with school culture, basic needs and their subscales (p < 0.01). SEM was used to test the relationships between research variables (Figure 2).

Figure 2.

The output model of the relationship between school culture and AWB through the mediating role of SBPN (SEC = satisfaction with educational choices).

First, to determine the overall fit of the model, the fit index was considered. The model fit indices are presented in Table 2. For the X ²/df fit index, values smaller than three are appropriate, and the closer it is to zero, the better the model will fit. For the GFI and IFI, CFI indices, a value close to 0.90 and above is considered as an acceptable goodness of fit, indicating that the model is good. Regarding the RMSEA index, values close to 0.05 or less indicate a good fit of the model and a value of 0.08 or less indicates a reasonable error of approximation; a value higher than 0.10 indicates the need to reject the model [36]. The fit indices presented in Table 3 indicate the good fit of the model.

Table 2.

Fit indices for the developed model.

Model fit indices	X 2	df	X 2/df	GFI	IFI	CFI	RMSEA
Obtained values	425.23	153	2.77	0.92	0.90	0.99	0.06

Table 3.

Coefficients of the model of the relationship between SC and EWB through BNs.

Direct path	Regression coefficient	statistic‐ t
SR → SBPN	0.39	4.73**
STR → EWB	0.21	2.63**
EO → SBPN	0.17	2.33**
EO → EWB	0.45	6.04**
SBPN → EWB	0.24	5.75**

Abbreviations: EO, educational opportunities; EWB, educational well‐being; SBPN, satisfaction of the basic psychological needs; SR, students' relations; STR, student‐teacher relations.

^** p < 0.01.

Then, all the effects related to all different paths in the SEM were investigated, the results of which are presented in Table 3.

Analysis of data from the relationships of variables through the regression coefficients shown in Table 4 indicates that all effects are significant (p < 0.01). As the relationships between SR and EWB, as well as STR and SBPN were not significant in the initial model, they were omitted from the model in order to gain the best fit for the model in the sample of the study. Sobel's test was also applied to investigate the mediating role of SBPN in the relationship between SR and EWB and the relationship between EO and EWB, the results of which are reported in Table 4.

Table 4.

Results of investigating the mediating role of SBPN in the relationship between SC and EWB.

variables	p	Sobel's test (z)
SR → SBPN → EWB	p < 0.001	7.88
EO → SBPN → EWB	p < 0.001	7.86

Abbreviations: EO, educational opportunities; EWB, educational well‐being; SBPN, satisfaction of the basic psychological needs; SR, students' relations.

The results of Sobel's test in Table 4 show that SBPN plays a significant mediating role in the relationship between SR (Z = 7.88, p < 0.001) and EO (Z = 7.86, p < 0.001) with EWB.

4. Discussion

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between school culture and students' AWB through the mediating role of the SBPN. The findings indicate significant relationships between EWB with school culture and SBPN, and their subscales. SEM confirmed that the model had a good fit. Furthermore, the SBPN was found to mediate the relationship between students' relations and educational opportunities with EWB.

4.1. How Are Students' Relations Related to Their AWB Through SBPN?

The first hypothesis of this study that students’ relations is related to their AWB through SBPN was confirmed. Although no study has examined this pathway, the findings of this study are consistent with that of previous studies [15, 16], for example, [22, 23, 24, 25, 37, 38]. which have examined the constituent relationships of this pathway. Explaining these findings, it can be said that, a school culture that supports students' relations by responding to their needs, goals, interests and preferences, forms a positive sense of self (autonomy, competence and relatedness). By providing the opportunity to choose in learning activities such as how to do homework and choosing educational topics, as well as listening to the ideas and beliefs of other students and accepting their criticisms and creating an opportunity to think about the important things in life, feedback, values, and concerns, such a culture causes the students to participate in learning activities, which, in turn, leads to better academic performance and promotion of AWB in the students. In general, AWB reflects the role of well‐being factors in relation to school culture and context [29] and emphasizes the role of students' active relationships and their competence in creating a vibrant and positive academic environment. Therefore, in creating and promoting AWB, it is important to pay attention to students' relations in school, and their social environment and competences.

4.2. How Are Students' Educational Opportunities Related to Their AWB Through SBPN?

The second hypothesis of this study that educational opportunities are related to AWB through SBPN, was confirmed. Although no study has examined this pathway, the findings of this study are consistent with that of previous studies [15, 16], for example, [22, 23, 24, 25, 37, 38, 39]. which have examined the constituent relationships of this pathway. Explaining these findings, it can be said that educational opportunities arising from the school culture operate within a broad network of social influences. In these mutual interactions, individuals act as both agents and objects. Some people find out based on their experiences and abilities that their needs affect their desires and feelings about the environment and others. Another aspect involves environmental effects, where supportive and independent behaviors can satisfy students' basic psychological needs. Thus, the presence of appropriate educational opportunities for students, namely attention to all students with any skill level and teachers' emphasis on continuous effort, can satisfy the feeling of autonomy, perceived competence and effective communication with the teacher and other students in the school. Certainly, such an educational environment with the highest psychological standards has the greatest role in promoting psychological well‐being of students. In this regard, Fallahi et al. [40] showed that school organizational culture, educational opportunities and normative expectations as well as self‐regulation have a positive significant relationship with positive academic emotions such as achievement motivation. Therefore, the existence of appropriate educational opportunities in the school environment creates a context that affects a range of different emotions and in fact has a significant role in creating different types of emotions [41]. Educational opportunities that emphasize problem‐solving and are a source of motivation and encouragement for the student to strive as much as possible, lead to a higher level of academic skills, appropriate behaviors and a positive perception of academic abilities, which have a greater impact than structural features on students' academic achievement and improvement of learning outcomes [14].

5. Conclusion

Therefore, in general, it can be inferred that SBPN plays a mediating role in the relationship between school culture and AWB. In explaining these results, it can be said that according to the self‐determination theory of Deci & Ryan [42], social and cultural context affects the level of SBPN and, consequently, satisfaction and psychological well‐being. Thus, a school culture that emphasizes acceptance, self‐confidence, self‐efficacy, and strengthening students' individual abilities, automatically satisfies the psychological needs mentioned above. This causes students to have positive and hopeful feelings about the school and the educational context that governs it, the least result or consequence of which can be an increase in AWB.

Summarizing the final results based on the general motivation process model [10], it can be said that the background context (parents, teachers, peers, neighborhood, and community) influences the self (self‐perception system), which ultimately has consequences such as social, cognitive, personal development, and participation. Based on the research literature in this field of inquiry, school culture can be an appropriate variable for the role of background context. This can be interpreted as SBPN by parents, teachers, peers, and the student himself/herself increases the ability to contain challenging factors in academic matters. These resources increase students' positive attitudes toward their academic activities by creating active learning environments in which students interact with their parents, peers, and teachers, and by providing multiple opportunities to assist them with their homework and encourage them to study and continue their education. As a result, when students evaluate the learning environment as positive and appropriate, they show a greater desire and tendency to participate in academic activities and learning [43]. For example, in the structural model examined in the current study, there is a context (school culture) that affects self‐perception (SBPN), which in turn affects AWB (outcome). Thus, teachers and parents, as two important sources of SBPN, can support students by providing a participatory and open atmosphere both at home and in the classroom. They can increase interaction with students and express ideas and thoughts, as well as provide access to richer and more diverse learning resources. These conditions foster inner motivation in students. When students' inner motivation, interests, and experiences are supported, and they are encouraged to persevere in their homework, this leads to the development of successful students with a strong sense of AWB.

5.1. Implications of the Current Study

The results of this study highlight critical implications for enhancing students' AWB through a supportive school culture and SBPN. The findings suggest that fostering a positive school culture, which prioritizes meaningful student‐teacher relationships and provides ample educational opportunities, is essential for promoting AWB. Schools that create an environment where students feel autonomous, competent, and connected are likely to see improvements in academic performance and overall well‐being. Practically, educational stakeholders, including school administrators and policymakers, should focus on developing and implementing programs that support these aspects of school culture. Initiatives could include professional development for teachers on creating supportive and responsive classroom environments, strategies for involving students in decision‐making processes, and programs that promote active engagement in learning. Such measures can enhance students' sense of belonging and competence, which are crucial for their motivation and academic success. Theoretically, these findings contribute to the understanding of how school culture and SBPN interact to influence AWB. They support the application of self‐determination theory in educational settings by demonstrating that a school culture that meets students' psychological needs can significantly impact their academic outcomes. Future research should further investigate these relationships using longitudinal designs to establish causality and explore additional mediators and moderators that may influence the dynamics between school culture, SBPN, and AWB. For future studies, exploring the impact of specific cultural practices and educational opportunities on SBPN in diverse educational contexts could provide deeper insights. Additionally, qualitative approaches such as interviews or focus groups could reveal nuanced perspectives on how students experience and perceive their school environment, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the factors that enhance or hinder AWB. By addressing these areas, future research can offer more targeted interventions and support strategies to optimize students' educational experiences and outcomes.

5.2. Limitations of the Present Study

One of the limitations of this study is the use of self‐assessment questionnaires for collecting information. Although these questionnaires provide useful information, they can sometimes reduce the validity of the results. Additionally, although SEM was used in this study, the nature of the obtained relationships is correlational rather than causal. Due to the cross‐sectional nature of the study and the statistical methods used, it is not appropriate to infer causality from these findings.

5.3. Suggestions for Future Studies

Due to the limitations mentioned in the present study, future studies could benefit from including a more diverse sample by incorporating students from different regions or educational settings. This would enhance the generalizability of the findings across different cultural or socioeconomic backgrounds. Implementing a longitudinal design would allow researchers to observe changes in academic well‐being and school culture over time, providing insights into causal relationships and the long‐term effects of these variables. Future research could employ a mixed‐methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative data. This would offer a more comprehensive understanding of the underlying factors influencing academic well‐being and school culture. Incorporating additional control variables, such as parental involvement or socio‐economic status, could help in isolating the specific effects of school culture and psychological needs on academic well‐being. Given the online nature of the study, future research could explore the use of advanced technological tools or platforms that might improve the accuracy and reliability of data collection, especially in large‐scale studies conducted during pandemics or other similar situations.

Author Contributions

Khodamorad Momeni: conception, the acquisition, design of the work. Erfan Fattahi Bozhani: design of the work, analysis, interpretation of data, draft the work and revise it. Asieh Moradi: design of the work, draft the work and revise it. All Authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Ethics Statement

It should be noted that all the methods were carried out based on the relevant instructions and regulations. Also, before the people reached the stage of completing the questionnaire, we presented them with the objectives of the research and provided the necessary explanations regarding the absence of identity information in the questionnaires, the privacy of the participants and the confidentiality of their personal information. and finally obtained their informed consent to participate in the study. This article is extracted from the master's thesis and has received the code of ethics from Razi University Ethics Committee.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Transparency Statement

The lead author Khodamorad Momeni affirms that this manuscript is an honest, accurate, and transparent account of the study being reported; that no important aspects of the study have been omitted; and that any discrepancies from the study as planned (and, if relevant, registered) have been explained.

Data Availability Statement

The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within supplementary materials.