Influences of teacher and peer support on academic motivation of adolescents from divorced families: mediating effect of academic resilience

Abstract Parental divorce is known to negatively affect adolescents’ academic motivation. However, limited research has examined whether social support from teachers and peers can buffer these effects, leaving a gap in understanding the associations between external support systems and academic motivation among adolescents from divorced families. This study examines the direct effects of teacher and peer support on the academic motivation of Chinese adolescents from divorced families. It also investigates the mediating role of academic resilience in these relationships. A quantitative correlational research design was employed to achieve the research objectives, with a sample comprising 390 adolescents from divorced families in Guangdong Province, China. Data were collected using the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS), the Adolescent Social Support Scale (ASSS), and the Academic Resilience Scale (ARS_MCV). The results of PLS-SEM indicated that both teacher support ( β = 0.13, t = 2.10, p < 0.05) and peer support (β = 0.21, t = 3.33, p < 0.05) have significant direct effects on adolescents’ academic motivation, with peer support exerting a greater influence. Academic resilience significantly mediated the relationship between teacher support ( β = 0.03, t = 3.48, p < 0.05) and peer support ( β = 0.03, t = 3.25, p < 0.05) and academic motivation. These findings highlight the critical roles of social support and academic resilience in promoting the academic motivation of adolescents who are facing the challenge of parental divorce. The study concludes with policy implications for supporting this vulnerable group of adolescents.