A multi-system psychological capital model for higher education academics

Meta-ethnographic research

Bibliographic Data

ID22167312
AuthorsAnda Wang (Universiti Putra Malaysia), Muhammad Asyraf Che Amat (Universiti Putra Malaysia)
Year2026
Volume11
Publication date2026-02-09
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFrontiers in Education (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2504-284X • E-ISSN: 2504-284X
PublisherFrontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3389/feduc.2026.1753121
OpenAlexW7128426349
LanguageEN
References cited82

Introduction Academics in higher education face immense, systemic stressors that challenge their well-being. Current research on Psychological Capital (PsyCap) often treats it as a static, individual trait, overlooking the profound influence of the academic environment. Methods This study addresses this gap by conducting a meta-ethnography of 19 qualitative and mixed-methods studies (2020–2024) from diverse international contexts. It explores how academic PsyCap (hope, efficacy, optimism, resilience) is developed and eroded, utilizing the Multi-System Resilience Model (MSMR) and the Process-Person-Context-Time (PPCT) framework. Results The analysis reveals that PsyCap is not a static trait but a dynamic ecological process. While resources such as mastery experience and collegial support (microsystem) build PsyCap, it is actively depleted by institutional pressures, often manifesting as 'cruel optimism.' This creates a paradox in which individuals are forced to be ‘resilient by themselves' against systemic failures. Discussion Interventions must therefore shift from individual coping to systemic, institutional reform

Higher education · Human capital · Psychological resilience · Social capital · Stressor · Trait · Grit, Self-Efficacy, and Motivation · Optimism, Hope, and Well-being · Resilience and Mental Health

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access