Perceived Teacher Support Profiles and Students’ Mathematics Engagement, Anxiety and Attitude: A Latent Profile Analysis

TL;DR

This study explores how different levels of perceived teacher support affect students' math engagement, anxiety, and attitude in Chinese high schools.

Contribution

The study identifies distinct profiles of perceived teacher support and their unique effects on students' math-related outcomes.

Findings

Three profiles of perceived teacher support (low, medium, high) were identified among Chinese high school students.

Higher perceived teacher support correlates with better math engagement and a more positive attitude toward math.

Mathematics attitude, but not anxiety, mediates the relationship between teacher support and math engagement.

Abstract

The importance of perceived teacher support in mathematics learning is well-documented, yet individual student differences have often been overlooked. This study examined Chinese high school students in a highly standardized educational system characterized by a uniform curriculum, competitive rankings, and high-stakes examinations. We adopted a person-centered approach and analyzed perceptions from a sample of 1314 students, identifying three profiles: low (5.78%), medium (44.29%), and high (49.93%) perceived levels of teacher support. Results showed that neither gender nor grade predicted profile membership; however, significant variations emerged in mathematics engagement, anxiety, and attitude. Further analysis revealed significant differences across these profiles in behavioral, cognitive, and emotional engagement, as well as in classroom anxiety, learning motivation, and learning strategy. Mediation analysis demonstrated that mathematics attitude indirectly linked perceived teacher support to mathematics engagement, whereas anxiety did not mediate this relationship. These findings underscore how individual differences in perceived teacher support influence mathematics engagement, anxiety, and attitude. Stronger support fosters a more positive attitude and greater engagement, providing empirical support for differentiated instruction.

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