How perceived social support influences Chinese students’ intention to change majors: a chain mediation model with moderation

Students' intention to change majors decreases when they translate perceived social support into a mental flow experience of major learning and gain self-efficacy for major learning. When the two directly interact, a high level of perceived social support enhances students' intention to change majors. Students' major cognition moderates the relationship between perceived social support and mental flow. The main social support providers for students (government, school, family members) should consider focusing on whether support behaviours are translated into internal motivation for students' major learning, so as to ensure that students make rational major changes.