Ecological supports and reading experiences in rural XiZang: associations with primary students' social-emotional competencies

Introduction This study examined the associations between ecological support factors and social-emotional competencies (SEC) among 463 rural XiZang primary school students (Grades 4–6). Methods Using a cross-sectional survey design, regression analyses, cluster analysis, and bootstrap-based mediation analyses were conducted to explore how ecological supports, reading experiences, and perceived instructional practices related to students' SEC. Results Teacher Support showed the strongest and most consistent associations with SEC dimensions ( B = 0.15–0.34, p < 0.05), while grade-stratified analyses revealed that sixth graders exhibited a distinct pattern in which Class Management and Family Support, rather than Teacher Support, were significantly associated with SEC. Students who reported prior experience with emotion-themed picture books showed significantly higher SEC scores across multiple dimensions. Cluster analysis identified three student profiles differing in levels of ecological support and SEC, with significant associations observed between profile membership and family economic status, parental marital status, and reading experience. Cross-sectional mediation analyses indicated that students' perceptions of teacher-led reading activities (Character Emotion Analysis and Emotion Regulation Instruction) showed significant indirect associations with the Teacher Support–SEC relationship, whereas perceptions of formal curricular courses (Moral and Legal Education, Psychological Health Education) did not. Discussion These findings suggest that teacher-led reading practices may represent a salient correlate of social-emotional development in resource-constrained educational settings, though future longitudinal and experimental research is needed to establish causal relationships and evaluate intervention effectiveness.