Background: The higher education system in Iran confronts escalating challenges concerning student mental health and the dominance of inhibitory academic lifestyles, such as learned helplessness and burnout. Prevailing empowerment models, predominantly of Western and industrial origin, have proven insufficient in providing a comprehensive explanation or sustainable solutions due to their misalignment with the cultural and educational context of Iranian universities. Consequently, developing an indigenous model to facilitate the transition from pathological to growth-oriented approaches is essential.



Aim: The present research aimed to phenomenologically analyze experts' perspectives to identify fundamental components and propose a comprehensive conceptual framework for "student psychological empowerment" within the context of Iranian higher education.



Methods: This study was conducted using a qualitative approach and "thematic analysis." The statistical population comprised expert professionals and faculty members in the fields of psychology and counseling from public universities in Tehran. Five participants were selected through purposive sampling until theoretical saturation was achieved. Data were collected via in-depth semi-structured interviews. The obtained data were coded using Braun & Clarke's (2006) six-step method, and trustworthiness was confirmed based on Lincoln & Guba's (1985) four criteria: credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability.



Findings: Data analysis yielded 190 initial codes, 13 basic themes, and 2 organizing themes. The first organizing theme, "Cognitive Competencies," encompasses cognitive appraisal, coping strategies, causal attributions, resilience, self-efficacy, hope, and mindset. The second organizing theme, "Socio-Emotional Competencies," includes social goal setting, hardiness, emotion regulation, conflict management, self/other compassion, and meaning-making. Ultimately, the thematic network was conceptualized under the overarching construct of "Indigenous Psychological Capital," which extends beyond Luthans' classic model by emphasizing relational components.



Conclusion: Results indicated that psychological empowerment is not a unidimensional process but the outcome of a synergy between "belief system re-engineering" and "social relations architecture." The extracted model demonstrates that each identified component (e.g., compassion and effort-based attributions) functions as a specific antidote to maladaptive academic behaviors. Counseling centers can utilize this framework to design effective interventions aimed at promoting academic buoyancy.