Influence of Anxiety and Learning Motivation on Course Satisfaction among Chinese Junior Middle School Students

The anxiety in education is becoming increasingly prominent, yet specific research on the relationship between anxiety, motivation, and course satisfaction is limited. Given the critical roles these three factors play in student learning, the researchers employed a quantitative research method using a sample of 429 middle school students from Chongqing, China, and analyzed the data using SPSS, Mplus, and R. The study aims to explore the impact of anxiety on course satisfaction and the mediating role of motivation in this relationship, with a focus on the mediating effects of various dimensions of learning motivation, such as learning interest and learning goals. The results show that anxiety has a significant negative direct effect on course satisfaction (r = -0.223, p < 0.001), and it also has a complex indirect effect through learning motivation. Specifically, learning interest plays the most crucial mediating role (r = 0.500, p < 0.001), with higher levels of anxiety reducing students' learning interest, thereby lowering course satisfaction. In contrast, moderate anxiety can stimulate learning interest and enhance the clarity of learning goals, thus improving course satisfaction. Therefore, teachers should create a relaxed learning environment, reduce academic pressure, employ diverse teaching methods, help students clarify learning plans, guide them through phased tasks, assist in goal management, and timely address students' anxiety. This will help improve goal clarity and learning interest, enhancing students' course satisfaction and overall learning experience. This study fills a gap in existing literature, provides strategic guidance for educators to improve students' learning experiences, offers insights for student self-reflection, and contributes to the improvement of teaching ecology and the sustainable development of students' learning and psychological well-being.