Social-cognitive theorists suggest that cognitive-emotional factors play essential roles in academic outputs like academic engagement.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between social achievement goals and academic engagement by mediating role of academic and social positive emotions.

The method of present study was descriptive cross-sectional study based on correlational research. Using cluster multi-stage sampling method, this study included 566 undergraduate students (278 male and 288 female) in the first semester of 2018. The research instruments were Social Achievement Goals scale, Academic Hope scale, Admiration scale, and Academic Engagement inventory. Data were analyzed using correlation matrix and structural equation modeling.

Results of analyzing data showed that social development goal had a positive indirect effect (β = 0.41, P = 0.01) on academic engagement through academic hope and admiration. Also, social demonstration-approach goal had an indirect and negative effect (β = -0.08, P = 0.01) on academic engagement by the mediating role of admiration. Finally, the research model was able to explain 31% of the variance of academic engagement with two latent variables of social achievement goals and academic and social positive emotions.

In general, social achievement goals and positive emotions significantly explained the variance of academic engagement. The findings provide supportive evidence for how motivations and emotions can affect academic engagement.