The chain mediating roles of teacher−student relationships and perceived parental pressure between academic activities and self-efficacy in college students

While diverse academic activities are acknowledged to confer benefits on cognitive development of college students, their association with self-efficacy remains inconclusive in existing literature. This study investigates the relationship between academic activities and self-efficacy among Chinese undergraduates, with a focus on the mediating roles of teacher-student relationships and perceived parental pressure. Drawing on a sample of 1222 undergraduate students from a comprehensive university in China, we employed multiple linear regression to analyze the direct effects. Results showed that both academic activities and teacher-student relationships had positive effects on self-efficacy, while perceived parental pressure exerted a negative influence. The structural equation model and bootstrapped analyses (with 1000 resamples) revealed a sequential mediation pathway: Academic activities enhanced teacher-student relationships, which in turn reduced perceived parental pressure, ultimately improving self-efficacy. These findings underscore the cultural embeddedness of self-efficacy within the context of Chinese higher education. The study provides empirical evidence for educational policymakers to promote structured academic activities and foster supportive teacher-student relationships as effective strategies for enhancing undergraduates' self-efficacy, while addressing the potential detrimental effects of excessive parental pressure.