Articles
DOI DOI: 10.52380/ijcer.2026.13.2.998

Perceived university support and students' motivation for higher education: the parallel mediating roles of leisure time management and academic reputation

Vildan Burulday1
  1. 1 Bingöl University, Solhan Vocational School of Health Services, Department of Child Development, Bingöl, Türkiye

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships among perceived university support, leisure time management, academic reputation perception, and students’ reasons for pursuing higher education within the framework of the Social Exchange Theory. In addition, the parallel mediating roles of leisure time management and academic reputation perception in the relationship between perceived university support and reasons for pursuing higher education were tested. The study was conducted using a quantitative research design, and the data were obtained from 406 students studying at Bingöl University. The data were collected through self-report scales with established validity and reliability and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results of the mediation analysis revealed that this relationship was fully mediated by leisure time management and academic reputation perception, indicating a full mediation structure in the model.

Overall, the findings suggest that university support influences students’ motivations not directly, but through behavioral and perceptual processes. By offering a process-oriented perspective within the context of higher education, this study contributes to the literature and provides practical implications.

How to Cite

Burulday, V. (2026). Perceived university support and students’ motivation for higher education: the parallel mediating roles of leisure time management and academic reputation. International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research, 13(2), 91–106. https://doi.org/10.52380/ijcer.2026.13.2.998
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