Examining the links underlying learning disposition among future professionals in Southern Peru: the roles of teachers' effectiveness, purpose in life, perceived social support, and spiritual experience

Huanca-Cutipa M.; Apaza-Cáceres J.A.; Fernández-Mallma I.; Villar-Guevara M. · Frontiers in Education (2026) · DOI: 10.3389/feduc.2026.1893959

Resumen

Introduction – In the contemporary context of higher education, training professionals capable of facing academic challenges and those of the future job market requires not only the development of cognitive skills, but also emotional, social, and spiritual resources that foster more integral and sustainable learning processes. In this context, the objective of this study was to evaluate whether teachers’ effectiveness, purpose in life, perceived social support, and spiritual experience are associated with learning disposition. Method – An explanatory study was conducted on a sample of 600 university students from southern Peru. Participation was evenly distributed between women and men, with ages ranging from 18 to 45 years (M = 21.8; SD = 3.3). The data were analyzed using PLS-SEM, and the internal consistency coefficients showed adequate values, confirming the internal robustness of each construct in the model. Results – The hypotheses were confirmed, showing that teachers' effectiveness, purpose in life, and perceived social support are associated with learning disposition. Furthermore, it was validated that spiritual experience is associated with learning disposition, teachers' effectiveness, purpose in life, and perceived social support. In addition, empirical evidence was found demonstrating that purpose in life is associated with teachers' effectiveness, and that perceived social support is associated with purpose in life. Discussion – The model presented suggests a reevaluation of existing models, especially those aimed at improving the management of higher education in Peru. Its main contribution lies in proposing and empirically validating an integrated model that conceives of learning disposition as the result of the convergence not only of academic factors, but also of existential (purpose in life), psychosocial (social support), spiritual (spiritual experience), and professional (teachers' effectiveness) dimensions. By transcending fragmented explanatory approaches, this research provides a broader conceptual framework for understanding learning disposition in higher education. It contributes novel evidence from a Latin American context to the international literature.

Instituciones: Universidad Autónoma del Perú; Universidad Peruana Unión