The relationship between positive relationships and fear of loneliness on the academic engagement of Peruvian university students

Padilla-Guevara J.; Irene-Mendoza J.A.; Goycochea-Rodrigo L.K.; Palomino-Ccasa J.; Mayta-Llanos J.; Cjuno J. · Frontiers in Education (2026) · DOI: 10.3389/feduc.2026.1793974

Resumen

The objective of this study was to examine the association between positive relationships, fear of loneliness, and academic engagement among Peruvian university students. A quantitative, cross-sectional study was conducted with 695 participants (49.4% men and 50.6% women). The results indicated an adequate fit of the proposed model [χ2 (116) = 324, p < 0.001, CFI = 0.994, RMSEA = 0.051, SRMR = 0.043]. The findings showed that positive relationships were negatively associated with fear of loneliness (β = −0.14, p = 0.001) and positively associated with academic engagement (β = 0.51, p < 0.001). The mean comparison analysis revealed significant gender differences only in positive relationships [t (693) = −2.883, p = .004, d = 0.22], with women reporting higher levels than men, while no significant differences were observed in fear of loneliness or academic engagement. Overall, the results suggest that a higher level of academic engagement tends to be observed among university students who report stronger positive interpersonal relationships.

Instituciones: Universidad Peruana Unión