Perceived Teacher Support and EFL Achievement: The Mediating Roles of Academic Enjoyment and Self-concept

Abstract

Perceived teacher support, the primary social support that students receive in classroom settings, is positively associated with students’ academic achievement. However, limited studies have explored whether academic enjoyment and self-concept mediated the relationship between perceived teacher support and academic achievement in the learning English as a foreign language (EFL) context in China. The aim of the present study was to investigate the chain-mediating role of academic enjoyment and self-concept in the association between perceived teacher support and EFL achievement. Survey data were gathered from a cross-sectional study of secondary EFL learners in Guangdong Province, China (N =517). Results demonstrated that perceived teacher support was positively correlated with EFL achievement. Moreover, academic self-concept and the chain mediating effects of academic enjoyment and behavioral engagement mediated the relationship between perceived teacher support and EFL achievement. Implications, limitations, and suggestions for future research are discussed.