Social support, self-efficacy, hope and school satisfaction among Chinese students in Hong Kong

Abstract

This research aimed to explore school satisfaction in Hong Kong Chinese students and to delineate the relationships among school-related support from parents, teachers, and peers. To this end, three sequential studies were designed. Study One aimed to develop and validate a short version of the Children and Adolescent Social Support Scale (S-CASSS) translated into Chinese. This instrument permits examination of the multidimensional aspects of social support perceived by students and is a reliable measure for use in Study Two. In Study One, 582 students from Primary 4 to Form 3 completed the Chinese version of the S-CASSS. The validity of the scale was established through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Results showed that the S-CASSS was found to be adaptable for use in this population, and all of its dimensions were positively intercorrelated. Study Two aimed to develop a path model to illustrate the direct and indirect effects of parental support, teacher support, and classmate support on self-efficacy, hope, and school satisfaction. A sample of 1671 students from Primary 4 to Form 3 from six different schools completed a questionnaire. The results showed that teacher support and classmate support had a direct effect on school satisfaction, whereas parent support demonstrated an indirect effect only. Hope acted a partial mediator among teacher support, classmate support, parent support and school satisfaction. Multi-group analyses revealed more commonalities than differences between boys and girls and between primary and secondary students. Based on the results from Study Two, Study Three included individual interviews conducted with 21 students who had reported being highly engaged in their school lives and who were considered by their teachers to have a high level of ability. The aim was to collect qualitative data to determine which factors facilitated their school satisfaction. From the qualitative data collected, six influences on school satisfaction emerged―two that were classified as personal influences (goal-directed thoughts and motivation; and self-discipline and self-regulation) and four themes that reflected environmental influences (positive teacher-student relationships; classmates who care about learning; parental involvement in students’ learning; and opportunities to develop talent). Baker’s developmental-ecological framework (2003) and Huebner’s cognitive mediation model (2001) served as the conceptual framework, and the quantitative and qualitative findings provide an understanding of school satisfaction in the Chinese community and the cultural aspects of social support. The implications of these findings for further research and educational practice are discussed.