The Influence of 21C College Student Competency on Academic Adjustment: Mediation Effect of Social Capital

The purpose of this study was to investigate the structural relations among 21st century college student competency (21CCSC), social capital, and academic adjustment perceived by college students. A total of 328 college students from D university in Korea participated in this study. The data were analyzed by using SPSS 25 and AMOS 22. Descriptive statistics, skewness and kurtosis of measured variables, correlations coefficient analysis, and test of model fitness utilizing structural equation model were executed. The results were as follows. First, there were positive correlations among measured variables, and test of normality assumptions were satisfied with examining skewness and kurtosis range criteria. Second, the results of model fitness test showed that the fitness indices χ2/df, TLI, CFI, and RMSEA were met the acceptable level of criteria. Third, the results of path analysis showed that there was a mediation effect of social capital between the path, 21CCSC → academic adjustment. Therefore, it is concluded that there were complete mediation role of social capital rather than partial function. Finally, the implications of the study were suggested in regarding the strategy and intervention program for enhancing the resources of social capital in order to improve 21st century college student competency and academic adjustment.