Not Just More Money: How Financial Behavior Converts Self-Efficacy and Side Incomes into Well-Being
Abstract
This study aims to examine how financial self-efficacy (FSE) and multiple income sources (MIS) shape financial well-being (FWB) of university lecturers by clarifying the behavioral mechanism that converts confidence and diversified earnings into sustained outcomes. A quantitative explanatory design was implemented using a hybrid survey administered face-to-face and through Google Forms to lecturers at Indonesian public universities. Measurement and structural relationships were assessed with Structural Equation Modeling using Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS), alongside reliability/validity checks and mediation testing. Financial self-efficacy consistently predicted more disciplined financial behavior (FB). Multiple income sources had a positive but comparatively smaller influence. Consequently, financial behavior strongly explained financial well-being, mediating the effects of both self-efficacy and multiple income sources. Robustness checks showed minimal common method bias and satisfactory predictive relevance for the model. This study advanced a mechanism-focused account of lecturers’ financial well-being by integrating social cognitive, portfolio diversification, and capability perspectives, positioning financial behavior as the micro-foundation that orchestrated agency and resources. The results informed higher-education policy by showing how allowances and income diversification become more effective when paired with interventions strengthening financial confidence and fostering disciplined financial practices.
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