The Modeling Role of Emotional Processing in the Relationship between Theories of Mind with Academic Performance in Bilingual Students

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the mediating role of emotional processing in the relationship between mind theory and academic performance in bilingual students.Methodology: This was a cross-sectional correlational study. The study population was the bilingual female students in the ninth grade of Bandar Torkaman County in the academic years of 2019-20 with number of 1200 people. The research sample was 280 people who were selected by multi-stage cluster sampling method. Data were collected with using the theory of mind scale (Steerneman, 1994), academic performance questionnaire (Pham & Taylor, 1999) and emotional processing scale (Baker & et al, 2010) and were analyzed by Pearson correlation coefficient and structural equation modeling methods in SPSS-18 and AMOS-23 software.Findings: The findings showed that the mode of mediating role of emotional processing in the relationship between theories of mind with academic performance in bilingual students had a good fit. Also, theory of mind on emotional processing and academic performance of bilingual students and emotional processing on their academic performance had a direct and significant effect (P<0.05). In addition, theory of mind with the mediating role of emotional processing had an indirect and significant effect on the academic performance of bilingual students (P<0.05).Conclusion: According to the direct and indirect relationships of the present study, planning to improve the academic performance of bilingual students is essential by promoting theory of mind and emotional processing