Facilitators and Outcomes of Student Engagement in a College Setting

The authors examined intensely engaging (i.e., flow) experiences in the context of college coursework to gain a better understanding of their antecedents and outcomes. College students (N = 137) completed a Web-based survey that assessed (a) flow experiences; (b) academic work characteristics including role clarity, professor support for autonomy, and feedback; and (c) psychological and physical health. The authors found that flow completely mediated the relation between academic work characteristics and psychological well-being. They also found that flow had an indirect effect through psychological well-being on physical health. These findings suggest restructuring academic work to be clear and autonomous and giving ample feedback opportunities to facilitate intense student engagement and mental and physical wellness.