Emotion theories in engineering education: a systematic review of theory use and an analytical rubric for evaluating theory integration

This study examines how emotion theories are used in engineering education research. Emotions significantly shape students’ learning experiences, engagement, and persistence in engineering programs, yet research on emotions in engineering education often lacks explicit theoretical grounding. The use of well-defined theoretical frameworks is essential for explaining why emotions arise, how they influence learning processes, and how empirical findings can be interpreted within broader scholarly discussions. A systematic review of 213 studies conducted in 2020 identified only eight papers that explicitly referenced established emotion theories, most commonly Control-Value Theory and Multi-Componential Theory. However, that review did not examine how these theories were integrated into research design, analysis, and interpretation. To address this gap, the present study conducts an independent systematic review of emotions in engineering education research published between 2021 and 2026, resulting in a dataset of 43 studies. An analytical rubric was developed to evaluate the use of theory across three dimensions: theoretical clarity, alignment with the research design, and consistency in interpretation. The analysis shows that the use of emotion-related theories in engineering education research has increased in recent years, but the depth of theoretical integration varies substantially across studies. While several studies demonstrate strong integration of theory with research design and interpretation, others engage with theory at moderate or limited levels, referencing frameworks without fully operationalising theoretical constructs or aligning them with methodological choices. These findings provide an updated picture of how emotion-related theories are currently used in engineering education research and show that growth in theory use has not been matched by consistent depth of implementation. The study also offers a practical framework for supporting stronger theoretical engagement in future research.