A moderated multilevel multiple mediation model of the effect of class teacher communication style on adolescents' school adjustment: the roles of basic psychological needs and psychological suzhi

A communication style characterized by both communion and agency was more conducive to adolescents' school adjustment. Both basic psychological needs and psychological <i>suzhi</i> mediated the relationship between teacher communication style and school adjustment, with a serial mediation pathway also observed, albeit with differences across need types and analytical levels. Higher levels of psychological <i>suzhi</i> reduced adolescents' dependence on the satisfaction of competence needs, indicating a potential resource substitution effect.