Effects of social support and school connectedness on the developmental trajectory of self-efficacy in adolescents and its subgroup effects
10.16835/j.cnki.1000-9817.2025196
- VernacularTitle:社会支持与学校联结对青少年 自我效能感发展轨迹的影响及群组效应分析
- Author:
YAN Chuqi, WANG Aolun, ZHANG Tiancheng, ZHANG Fulan, LUO Xiangyu
1
Author Information
1. College of Sports Science, Jishou University, Jishou 416000, Hunan Province, China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Social support;
School connections;
Ego;
Mental health;
Regression analysis;
Adolescent
- From:
Chinese Journal of School Health
2025;46(7):999-1004
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To explore the influence of social support and school connectedness on the developmental trajectory of self efficacy in adolescents and analyze its subgroup effects, so as to provide a basis for enhancing adolescents self-efficacy.
Methods:Using a cluster random sampling method, 930 first year middle school students from four schools in Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture, Hunan Province, were selected for three longitudinal surveys in October 2023 (T1), April 2024 (T2), and October 2024 (T3). The General Self-efficacy Scale (GSES), Social Support Scale (SSS), and School Connectedness Scale (SCS) were administered. Latent growth mixture modeling (LGMM) was used to identify different developmental trajectories of self-efficacy in early adolescence. Multivariate Logistic regression was employed to examine the associations of self-efficacy trajectories with social support and school connectedness in adolescents.
Results:The developmental trajectory of self-efficacy in adolescents was classified into three categories:category 1 was low efficacy-rapid growth group (53 students, 6.6%), category 2 was moderate efficacy-stable growth group (793 students, 84.1%), and category 3 was high efficacy-rapid decline group (84 students, 9.3%). Using the low efficacy- rapid growth group as the reference, students with higher social support were more likely to belong to the moderate efficacy- stable growth group ( OR=1.06, 95%CI =1.03-1.08) and the high efficacy-rapid decline group ( OR=1.06, 95%CI = 1.03 -1.09), students with higher school connectedness were more likely to belong to the high efficacy-rapid decline group ( OR= 1.10 , 95%CI =1.03-1.18) (all P <0.05). Subgroup analysis revealed significant effects for boarding status (low efficacy-rapid growth group at T1, t =2.10; high efficacy-rapid decline group in social support, t =-2.15) and only child status (moderate efficacy-stable growth group at T2, t =2.05) (all P <0.05).
Conclusions:The developmental trajectory of self-efficacy in adolescents exhibits group heterogeneity, with boarding status and only child status showing subgroup effects. Enhancing social support and school connectedness can help improve self-efficacy in adolescents.
