Research concerning the link between morality and education-related variables is scarce. Thus, the present study addressed this issue by focusing on the connection between moral disengagement and academic engagement and the moderating roles of educational anti-mattering and psychological distress. Our sample comprised 363 university students aged 18 to 29 (M = 20.86, SD = 1.57) from Bachelor’s and Master’s programs. Correlation analysis suggested that academic engagement was negatively associated with psychological distress and educational anti-mattering. Moderation analyses suggested that moral disengagement (...) predicted academic engagement only at high levels of psychological distress (i.e. depression, anxiety, and stress). Educational anti-mattering, however, did not significantly moderate the link between moral disengagement and academic engagement. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of the results in addressing students’ academic engagement. (shrink)

The present cross-sectional study examined some of the factors associated with psychological distress among students enrolled in Bachelor’s and Master’s programs. We investigated the roles of age, academic performance, creativity, cognitive flexibility, educational mattering, and anti-mattering and their roles when discussing participants’ psychological distress. Our sample comprised 337 students aged 19 to 29 from a Romanian public university, aged 19 to 29 (M = 20.86, SD = 1.55). Correlation analysis suggested that age, cognitive flexibility, educational mattering, and creativity were negatively (...) related to students’ psychological distress. Also, educational anti-mattering was positively linked to psychological distress. We did not find a significant link between students’ psychological distress and academic performance. Further regression analysis suggested that educational anti-mattering was the strongest predictor of students’ psychological distress. The practical implications of these findings are discussed concerning educational and psychological interventions that might contribute to decreased students’ psychological distress. (shrink)