How Teacher and Parental Support Foster Academic Performance in Chinese Higher Vocational Education: The Mediating Role of Learning Engagement

Abstract

Grounded in Self-Determination Theory, Social Support Theory, and Engagement Theory, this study examines how teacher support and parental support influence academic performance through learning engagement among higher vocational college students in China. A quantitative approach was employed, with data collected from 360 students in Shandong Province and analysed using SPSS and PROCESS macro. Parallel mediation analyses were conducted, controlling for key demographic variables. The results indicated that both teacher support (total effect: b = 3.436, 95% CI [2.085, 4.809]) and parental support (total effect: b = 3.051, 95% CI [1.661, 4.562]) significantly predicted students’ academic performance. Learning engagement served as a significant partial mediator, with an indirect effect of teacher support on academic performance of b = 0.910 (95% CI [0.419, 1.422]) and an indirect effect of parental support of b = 0.662 (95% CI [0.252, 1.221]). These findings indicate that, in higher vocational education, learning engagement plays a crucial role in transforming social support into academic outcomes. Furthermore, the dual role of school-based and family-based support in fostering learning engagement and academic performance provides both theoretical and practical guidance for educators and policymakers in vocational education contexts.