Effects of Teacher–student Interaction on Junior Students’ Learning Satisfaction: A Moderated Mediation Model

Background In the context of junior high education, the mechanisms underlying the relationship between teacher–student interaction and learning satisfaction remain incompletely understood. This study aimed to explore whether emotional contagion serves as a mediator in this relationship and whether academic achievement acts as a moderator. Methods In Study 1, a total of 938 middle school students (447 females, 12.65 ± 0.66 years old) were surveyed via the Teacher Interaction Questionnaire, Emotional Contagion Questionnaire, and Learning Satisfaction Scale. Study 2 involved 664 middle school students (351 females, 12.68 ± 0.67 years old) who were surveyed with the same questionnaires as those used in Study 1, and their academic achievement data were collected for analysis. Results The key findings of this study were as follows: (1) Positive emotional contagion mediated the relationship between positive teacher–student interaction and learning satisfaction, whereas negative emotional contagion did not mediate the link between negative teacher–student interaction and learning satisfaction. (2) Study 2 replicated the mediating role of positive emotional contagion and further revealed that academic achievement moderated the effect of positive teacher‒student interaction on positive emotional contagion. Conclusion The present research verifies and extends the association between teacher‒student interaction and learning satisfaction to emotional contagion and academic achievement and has substantive theoretical and practical implications for teacher education research.