Sentido de Propósito y Rendimiento Académico en Estudiantes Universitarios: Revisión Sistemática: Sense of Purpose and Academic Performance in University Students: A Systematic Review

Cinthya Succety Patiño Rojas

doi:10.29394/Scientific.issn.2542-2987.2025.10.E5.2.47-64

Authors

Cinthya Succety Patiño Rojas Universidad César Vallejo, UCV https://orcid.org/0009-0000-8707-3891

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29394/Scientific.issn.2542-2987.2025.10.E5.2.47-64

Keywords:

academic achievement, educational psychology, higher education, motivation

Abstract

Sense of purpose constitutes a relevant psychological construct for understanding student performance; however, empirical evidence in Latin American contexts remains scarce. This systematic review aimed to systematize and analyze findings from quantitative research on the impact of sense of purpose on academic performance among university students. The PRISMA methodology (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) was employed with a quantitative approach, inductive method, and non-experimental documentary design. The search was conducted across five databases (ProQuest, Scopus, ERIC, ScienceDirect, and SciELO) between June and July 2025, identifying 167 articles, of which 9 met the inclusion criteria. Studies originated from Malaysia, the United States, the Netherlands, South Africa, Thailand, Pakistan, and Peru. Results revealed a positive correlation between sense of purpose and academic performance, manifested in higher grades, greater persistence, and lower dropout rates. Mediating variables such as study engagement and moderating variables such as time management were identified. It is concluded that sense of purpose represents a significant predictor of university academic performance, highlighting the need to develop contextualized research in Ecuador.

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Author Biography

Cinthya Succety Patiño Rojas, Universidad César Vallejo, UCV

Nacida en Guayaquil, Ecuador, el 25 de julio del año 1981. Soy Ingeniera en Estadística Informática por la Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL); y Magíster en Sistemas de Información Geográfica por la Universidad de Salzburgo (PLUS), Austria; actualmente discente del Doctorado en Educación en la Universidad César Vallejo (UCV), Perú; mi trayectoria combina docencia universitaria en la Universidad Agraria del Ecuador (UAE); cuento con experiencia en Gestión Pública como jefa de la Unidad de Estadísticas Sociales y de Salud en el Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC); y la coordinación de admisiones en el Hospital Abel Gilbert Pontón; también como fundadora y CEO de LIDERAR; integro mi experiencia académica y profesional con el liderazgo de proyectos sociales; además de formación en coaching y metodologías de innovación educativa.

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Sense of Purpose and Academic Performance in University Students: A Systematic Review