Different boredom types relate differently to engagement and performance

What the study found: Academic boredom was negatively linked with students’ self-regulation, critical thinking, and self-efficacy, and it was also negatively associated with academic engagement and performance.
Why the authors say this matters: The authors conclude that different types of academic boredom should be addressed separately in higher education, and they suggest that promoting self-regulation, critical thinking, and self-efficacy may help reduce boredom and support academic success.
What the researchers tested: The study examined trait-, class-, and study-related boredom in 250 undergraduate psychology students. Students completed self-report measures of academic boredom, critical thinking, self-regulation, academic engagement, and academic performance, and the researchers used path analysis.
What worked and what didn't: Overall academic boredom was negatively correlated with self-regulation, critical thinking, and self-efficacy. Class-related boredom was negatively associated with engagement but not with performance, while study-related boredom was negatively associated with both engagement and performance.
What to keep in mind: The available summary does not describe detailed limitations. The study sample was limited to 250 undergraduate psychology students, and the findings are based on self-report measures.

Key points

• Academic boredom was negatively linked with self-regulation, critical thinking, and self-efficacy.
• Academic boredom was negatively associated with both engagement and performance overall.
• Class-related boredom was linked to lower engagement but not to performance.
• Study-related boredom was linked to lower engagement and lower performance.
• The study used self-report measures and path analysis with 250 undergraduate psychology students.