Teacher support, peer support, and art creativity: the mediating roles of learning interest and self-efficacy

Based on Creativity Component Theory, this study constructs and tests a dual-path multiple mediation model to explain how two external environmental factors-teacher support and peer support-respectively linked with the creativity of art-major undergraduates through learning interest and self-efficacy.

This study adopted an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. The quantitative phase involved 1,220 undergraduate students majoring in the arts, whereas the qualitative phase consisted of semi-structured interviews with teachers (N = 12) and students (N = 12). (1) In the quantitative phase, a questionnaire was administered to 1,220 art-major undergraduates from three comprehensive universities in China, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to examine the hypothesized direct and mediating effects; and (2) In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with teachers (N = 12) and students (N = 12), and the data were analyzed using grounded theory through open coding, axial coding, and selective coding, so as to identify the specific manifestations of supportive behaviors and corresponding psychological patterns.

(1) Both teacher support and peer support show significantly positively associated with art creativity; (2) learning interest and self-efficacy serve as partial mediators between teacher/peer support and art creativity; (3) all four mediating paths have significant effects, forming a dual parallel-pathway structure; and (4) the qualitative phase elucidated the "structured empowerment-contextualized care" dual-wing model of teacher support, as well as the "cognitive collision-emotional resonance" effect of peer support, thereby providing a contextual interpretation for the quantitative patterns.

This study supported a dual-path multiple mediation model based on Creativity Component Theory, showing that external support from environment has a direct associative effect on art creativity, and also produces indirect effects by linking interest and enhancing self-efficacy. In addition, the qualitative analysis supplemented the understanding of how social support exerts associative patterns in art education. Given that this study adopted a cross-sectional design, all findings should be interpreted as associative rather than causal inferences.