Entrepreneurship Training and Psychological Well-Being as Predictors of Women’s Psychological Empowerment in Indonesian SMEs

Riska Dwinda Elsyah

doi:10.63222/pijar.v3i1.42

Authors

Riska Dwinda Elsyah Ankara Haci Bayram Veli University, Ankara, Turkiye

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63222/pijar.v3i1.42

Keywords:

entrepreneurship training, Indonesia, Psychological well-being, SMEs, Women entrepreneurs, Women’s psychological empowerment

Abstract

Women-owned small and medium enterprises (SMEs) contribute to inclusive economic participation, yet women entrepreneurs often encounter capability constraints and psychological pressures that may limit their agency in managing and developing their businesses. This study examines whether entrepreneurship training and psychological well-being are associated with women’s psychological empowerment among SME owners in Indonesia. A cross-sectional online survey generated 204 responses, of which 200 usable responses were retained after eligibility and completeness screening. Entrepreneurship training was measured with nine items, psychological well-being with 21 items covering six eudaimonic dimensions, and psychological empowerment with 12 items covering meaning, competence, self-determination, and impact. Multiple linear regression was conducted using SPSS 25. Both predictors were positively and significantly associated with psychological empowerment. Entrepreneurship training had a positive coefficient (B = 0.270, β = 0.314, t = 3.754, p < .001), while psychological well-being showed the stronger standardized association (B = 0.264, β = 0.668, t = 7.989, p < .001). The overall regression model was significant, F (2, 197) = 34.738, p < .001. These findings suggest that empowerment initiatives for women entrepreneurs should combine practical business-capability development with support for autonomy, environmental mastery, purpose, and personal growth. Because the study is cross-sectional and uses purposive online sampling, the results indicate associations rather than causal effects and should not be interpreted as nationally representative.

References

M. Binder, “Entrepreneurial worries: Self-employment and potential loss of well-being,” Journal of Economic Psychology, vol. 105, p. 102773, 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.joep.2024.102773.

M. A. Huis, N. Hansen, S. Otten, and R. Lensink, “A Three-Dimensional Model of Women’s Empowerment: Implications in the Field of Microfinance and Future Directions,” Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 8, p. 1678, 2017, doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01678.

A. Y. Merung, I. R. Sofyan, N. A. Sudirman, and A. Sma, “Do Entrepreneurial Competence and Psychological Well-Being Affect Entrepreneurial Interest among Young Entrepreneurs?” Indonesian Journal of Business and Entrepreneurship Research, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 63–75, 2024, doi: 10.62794/ijober.v2i1.1445.

A. Darmawan, “Meningkatkan Peran Inkubator Bisnis Sebagai Katalis Penciptaan Wirausaha Di Asia Pasifik: Tinjauan Ekonomi Makro,” Equity: Jurnal Ekonomi, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 1–12, 2019, doi: 10.33019/equity.v7i1.24.

J. Greenberg and E. Mollick, “The ‘devil’ you don’t know: A test of the detriments and benefits of co-founding with strangers,” Journal of Business Venturing, vol. 41, no. 1, p. 106537, 2026, doi: 10.1016/j.jbusvent.2025.106537.

A. K. Hayya and A. Darmawan, “Pengaruh Ketimpangan Gender Dalam Bidang Ekonomi Pembangunan Di Indonesia: Kajian Teoritis Dan Empiris,” unpublished.

N. Kabeer, “Resources, agency, achievements: Reflections on the measurement of women's empowerment,” Development and Change, vol. 30, no. 3, pp. 435–464, 1999.

E. Olwanda et al., “Women’s autonomy and maternal health decision making in Kenya: Implications for service delivery reform—A qualitative study,” BMC Women’s Health, vol. 24, no. 1, p. 181, 2024, doi: 10.1186/s12905-024-02965-9.

M. Huang, J. Wang, and X. Su, “The Impact of Social Support on Entrepreneurial Well-being: The Role of Entrepreneurial Passion and Entrepreneurial Efficacy,” Sage Open, vol. 14, no. 4, p. 21582440241297232, 2024, doi: 10.1177/21582440241297232.

E. Gardiner, J. Adams, J. Debrulle, and J. Maes, “Exploring the impact of entrepreneurship on physical and psychological health in the context of active ageing: A systematic review,” Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, pp. 1–21, 2024, doi: 10.1080/08985626.2024.2394877.

C. Wang, N. Mundorf, and A. Salzarulo-McGuigan, “Psychological Well-Being Sustainable during Entrepreneurial Process—The Moderating Role of Entrepreneurial Creativity,” Sustainability, vol. 13, no. 19, p. 10732, 2021, doi: 10.3390/su131910732.

B. Setiawan, A. Darmawan, and M. Marselina, “Identify The Effect Of Trade Openness, Government Spending And Labor Force on Economic Growth IN ASEAN Countries,” Equity: Jurnal Ekonomi, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 46–55, 2023, doi: 10.33019/equity.v11i1.113.

N. Shir, B. N. Nikolaev, and J. Wincent, “Entrepreneurship and well-being: The role of psychological autonomy, competence, and relatedness,” Journal of Business Venturing, vol. 34, no. 5, p. 105875, 2019, doi: 10.1016/j.jbusvent.2018.05.002.

J. Been, E. Suari-Andreu, and D. Wisselo, “Gender differences in the added (home) worker effect,” Economics Letters, vol. 244, p. 111998, 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.econlet.2024.111998.

I. Chatterjee, D. A. Shepherd, and J. Wincent, “Women’s entrepreneurship and well-being at the base of the pyramid,” Journal of Business Venturing, vol. 37, no. 4, p. 106222, 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.jbusvent.2022.106222.

C. Trudel-Fitzgerald, P. James, E. S. Kim, E. S. Zevon, F. Grodstein, and L. D. Kubzansky, “Prospective associations of happiness and optimism with lifestyle over up to two decades,” Preventive Medicine, vol. 126, p. 105754, 2019, doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2019.105754.

I. Aliska, S. Knudsen, Z. Mehdi, and S. Anson, “Inclusivity through co-creation: Insights for practitioners to engage vulnerable populations in risk communication development,” International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, vol. 118, p. 105214, 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2025.105214.

C. D. Ryff, “Psychological well-being revisited: Advances in the science and practice of eudaimonia,” Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, vol. 83, no. 1, pp. 10–28, 2014.

S. Theresia, S. O. Sihombing, and F. Antonio, “From Effectuation to Empowerment: Unveiling the Impact of Women Entrepreneurs on Small and Medium Enterprises’ Performance—Evidence from Indonesia,” Administrative Sciences, vol. 15, no. 6, p. 198, 2025, doi: 10.3390/admsci15060198.

H. O. Falola, A. O. Osibanjo, and S. I. Ojo, “Effectiveness of training and development on employee’s performance and organisation competitiveness in the Nigerian banking industry,” Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov, vol. 7, no. 56, pp. 161–170, 2014.

G. M. Spreitzer, “Psychological empowerment in the workplace: Dimensions, measurement, and validation,” Academy of Management Journal, vol. 38, no. 5, pp. 1442–1465, 1995.

M. Abreu, O. Oner, A. Brouwer, and E. van Leeuwen, “Well-being effects of self-employment: A spatial inquiry,” Journal of Business Venturing, vol. 34, no. 4, pp. 589–607, 2019, doi: 10.1016/j.jbusvent.2018.11.001.

D. Wach, U. Stephan, E. Weinberger, and J. Wegge, “Entrepreneurs’ stressors and well-being: A recovery perspective and diary study,” Journal of Business Venturing, vol. 36, no. 5, p. 106016, 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.jbusvent.2020.106016.

C. D. Ryff, “Entrepreneurship and eudaimonic well-being: Five venues for new science,” Journal of Business Venturing, vol. 34, no. 4, pp. 646–663, 2019, doi: 10.1016/j.jbusvent.2018.09.003.