The Influence of Engagement Motivation and Self-directed Learning on Subjective Well-Being in Adult Lifelong Learners in China: A Controlled Mediating Effect of Participation Time

The purpose of this study is to understand the influence of lifelong learning participation motivation on subjective well-being in middle-aged adult learners in Shanxi Province. In addition, we investigated the mediating effect of self-directed learning through the regulation of participation time between lifelong learning participation motivation and subjective well-being. The results of the study are as follows. First, the motivation of lifelong learning has a positive effect on self-directed learning and subjective well-being and self-directed learning has a positive effect on subjective well-being. Second, by analyzing the indirect effects of interaction, it is proved that self-directed learning plays a mediating role between life-long learning motivation and subjective well-being of adult learners in Shanxi Province. Third, the indirect effects of independent variables on dependent variables were analyzed. The results showed that M-1SD (1.377) to M(2.495), M+1SD (13.613) were significant in the relationship between lifelong learning motivation and subjective well-being. This is because with the change of lifelong learning participation motivation, the subjective well-being of Chinese adult lifelong learners changes and the higher the participation time, the lower the growth rate of lifelong learning participation motivation and self-directed learning. Through this study, we confirm the importance of factors and the necessary policy support for improving the subjective well-being of Chinese adult learners.