Family functioning and learning engagement of junior high school students in rural China: the mediating effect of academic self-efficacy

Abstract

This study examined academic self-efficacy as a mediator in the relationship between family functioning and learning engagement by constructing a structural equation model. The participants were 817 students from public junior high schools in rural China. The data were collected by measuring family functioning, academic self-efficacy, and learning engagement using self-report assessments. The results indicated that family functioning was positively associated with learning engagement; academic self-efficacy significantly mediated the correlation between family functioning and learning engagement. In addition, the mediating effect of academic self-efficacy varied across dimensions of family functioning. These findings contribute to understanding the internal relationship between family functioning and learning engagement, and have implications for improving the learning engagement of disadvantaged students in rural areas.

Keywords:

• Family functioning
• learning engagement
• academic self-efficacy
• rural China

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the local education department, teachers, and students who participated in the research for their support.

Author contributions

Wenhui Qi and Yuyou Qin conceived and designed the research. Wenhui Qi carried out the investigation and Yuyou Qin supervised the research implementation. Wenhui Qi analysed the data and wrote the draft manuscript. Yuyou Qin, Guoyuan Sang, and Ning Wang reviewed and revised the draft manuscript. Wenhui Qi, Yuyou Qin, and Guoyuan Sang replied to the comments of editors and reviewers and Ning Wang provided advice in reply to the letter. All authors were involved in the discussion of the manuscript and approved the final submission.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by the International Joint Research Project of Huiyan International College, Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University (ICER202001).