The Relationship Between Family Support and e-Learning Engagement in College Students: The Mediating Role of e-Learning Normative Consciousness and Behaviors and Self-Efficacy

• Main Authors: Hong Gao, Yangli Ou, Zhiyuan Zhang, Menghui Ni, Xinlian Zhou, Li Liao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2021-02-01
• Series: Frontiers in Psychology
• Subjects: e-learning engagement; family support; e-learning normative consciousness and behaviors; self-efficacy; college students
• Online Access: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.573779/full

Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, colleges and universities have implemented network teaching. E-learning engagement is the most important concern of educators and parents because this will directly affect student academic performance. Hence, this study focuses on students’ perceived family support and their e-learning engagement and analyzes the effects of e-learning normative consciousness and behaviors and self-efficacy on the relationship between family support and e-learning engagement in college students. Prior to this study, the relationship between these variables was unknown. Four structural equation models revealed the multiple mediating roles of e-learning normative consciousness and behaviors and self-efficacy in the relationship between family support and e-learning engagement. A total of 1,317 college students (mean age=19.51; 52.2% freshman) voluntarily participated in our study. The results showed that e-learning normative consciousness and behaviors and self-efficacy played significant and mediating roles between students’ perceived family support and e-learning engagement. Specifically, these two individual variables fully mediated the relationship between students’ perceived family support and e-learning engagement. The multiple mediation model showed that family members can increase family support of their children by creating a household environment conducive to learning, displaying positive emotions, demonstrating the capability to assist their children, advocating the significance of learning normative consciousness and behaviors, and encouraging dedicated and efficient learning. The findings complement and extend the understanding of factors influencing student e-learning engagement.