Social Support and General Self-efficacy among Chinese Higher Vocational Students: The Mediating Role of Engagement and the Moderating Role of Procrastination

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between social support and general self-efficacy among Chinese higher vocational students, exploring the mediating effects of engagement and the moderating effect of procrastination. This research employed a cross-sectional correlational design and a questionnaire survey to collect data. Total 417 higher vocational students from four Chinese vocational and technology colleges participated in this study. The findings demonstrated that social support was positively associated with general self-efficacy. Moreover, the relationship between social support and general self-efficacy was mediated by engagement, suggesting that social support positively influences students' engagement, which, in turn, enhances their general self-efficacy. In addition, procrastination has been shown to be a moderator that disrupts the process of translating students' mastery experience into their general self-efficacy. Based on these results, a moderated mediation model was built. The research expands the explanatory scope of self-efficacy theory and provides practical implications for educators and policymakers in Chinese vocational education.