Perceived academic control, growth mindset, self-regulation, and life satisfaction in chinese students: A mixed methods study featuring interpretative phenomenological analysis

This study employed a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design to investigate the interplay among perceived academic control, growth mindset, self-regulation, and life satisfaction in Chinese university students. The quantitative phase involved 381 students from various universities in Mainland China who completed surveys measuring these constructs. Structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed that perceived academic control and growth mindset were significant direct predictors of life satisfaction. Both constructs also positively predicted self-regulation, which, in turn, directly predicted life satisfaction. Self-regulation significantly mediated the relationships between perceived academic control and life satisfaction, and between growth mindset and life satisfaction. The qualitative phase involved initial semi-structured interviews with 30 students, from which a subsample of eight was selected for an in-depth Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The IPA focused on understanding the students' lived experiences and meaning-making processes. Qualitative findings illuminated the complex and often paradoxical ways students experienced academic control (navigating personal agency amidst external expectations), the cognitive and emotional labor involved in sustaining a growth mindset within a competitive, result-oriented culture, and the challenges of maintaining adaptive self-regulation to achieve balance. Integrating these findings, the study underscores the critical role of self-regulation and highlights how personal beliefs are experienced and negotiated within specific cultural and academic contexts. The nuanced insights gained offer practical implications for designing interventions to enhance student well-being and academic success in Chinese higher education.