The Mediating Effect of Grit on the Relationship between Sense of Belonging to the Department and Major Satisfaction among University Students Majoring in Food Service

This study examined the relationships among departmental sense of belonging, grit, and major satisfaction among university students majoring in food service, with particular attention to the mediating effect of grit. Data were collected through an Google survey using a convenience sampling method from food service major students in Seoul, Gyeonggi, Daejeon, Gwangju, and Busan between September 19 and 29, 2025. Of the 315 questionnaires collected, 311 valid responses were used for the final analysis. The data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0 for descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, reliability analysis, and correlation analysis, and hypotheses were tested using PROCESS macro v4.2 (Model 4) with a bootstrap procedure. The results indicated that departmental sense of belonging had significant positive effects on grit and major satisfaction, and grit also had a significant positive effect on major satisfaction. Furthermore, grit partially mediated the relationship between departmental sense of belonging and major satisfaction. These findings suggest that departmental sense of belonging enhances major satisfaction not only directly but also indirectly by strengthening grit, which reflects students’ perseverance and passion for long-term goals. The study provides meaningful implications for developing educational and student support strategies aimed at improving academic engagement and major satisfaction among food service major students.