The Impact of Teachers’ Interpersonal Relatedness Style on First-Year Undergraduates’ Learning Engagement in Inorganic Chemistry Experiment Class: Mediating/Moderating the Role of Perceived Relatedness Need Satisfaction/Frustration

This study examined the relationship between teachers’ interpersonal relatedness style and first-year undergraduates’ engagement in an inorganic chemistry experiment class, focusing on the mediating/moderating role of perceived relatedness need satisfaction/frustration. The results demonstrated that supportive teachers’ interpersonal relatedness style significantly enhanced students’ learning engagement, with perceived relatedness need satisfaction serving as a mediator. Moreover, perceived relatedness need frustration significantly moderated the relationship between teachers’ interpersonal relatedness style and perceived relatedness need satisfaction: students experiencing higher levels of perceived need frustration were more responsive to supportive teacher behaviors, indicating a compensatory effect. These findings underscore the pivotal role of teachers’ interpersonal style in fostering first-year undergraduates’ motivation and engagement in highly challenging and collaborative chemistry experiment contexts.