Psychological Drivers of Teachers’ Sustainable Behaviour and  Inclusion in Higher Education

Anurag Singh; Ujjwal  Das; Shri Krishna  Pandey; Tara Prasad  Upadhyayaya; Yogita  Aggarwal; Ubair UI  Bashir

doi:10.21844/16202118201

Anurag Singh Assistant Professor, BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus, Dubai (UAE)
Ujjwal Das Associate Professor, University of Digital Economics and Agrotechnologies (UDEA), Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Shri Krishna Pandey Symbiosis International University, Dubai (UAE) & Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune, India
Tara Prasad Upadhyayaya Professor, Tribhuvan University, Nepal
Yogita Aggarwal Assistant Professor, School of Business, UPES, Dehradun, India
Ubair UI Bashir Research Scholar, BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus, Dubai (UAE)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21844/16202118201

Keywords: Inclusive Education, Teacher Attitudes, Sustainable Behaviour, Spirituality, Teacher Concerns, Higher Education (India), Sustainaible Development Goals (SDG’s)

Abstract

This study examines how teachers’ attitudes, concerns, and spirituality relate to sustainable behaviours and intentions to foster inclusive education (IE) in Indian higher education, drawing on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). We conducted a two-wave survey of 237 teachers from multiple institutions using closed-ended measures. Variance-based modeling (PLS-SEM) tested direct and mediated relationships, and fsQCA identified configurational pathways sufficient for high IE intention. PLS-SEM shows that attitudes and spirituality are positively associated with IE intention and that sustainable behaviours operate as a pivotal mediator, translating psychological factors (attitudes, concerns, spirituality) into stronger intentions to adopt IE practices. fsQCA reveals multiple equifinal combinations, including configurations where high attitudes and spirituality, with present sustainable behaviours, are sufficient for elevated IE intention, highlighting complementarities not visible in net-effect models. By integrating TPB with a focus on sustainable behaviours as a behavioural mediator and combining PLS-SEM with fsQCA, the study advances a comprehensive account of how psychological antecedents translate into intentions for inclusive practice in higher education in India.