Teacher Support and Intrinsic Motivation: The Mediating Roles of Enjoyment, Anxiety, and Self-efficacy

Background This study explores the impact of teacher emotional support on Chinese college students’ intrinsic motivation to learn English. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT), it examines how emotional support affects motivation through three psychological variables: enjoyment, anxiety, and self-efficacy. Objectives The study aimed to determine whether enjoyment, anxiety, and self-efficacy mediate the relationship between teacher emotional support and intrinsic motivation, and whether these mediators operate independently or sequentially. Methods A total of 1,464 students from six public universities in mainland China completed self-report questionnaires. Data were analyzed using both ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and structural equation modeling (SEM) to test five hypothesized mediation pathways. Results The results showed that enjoyment and anxiety independently mediated the relationship between teacher emotional support and intrinsic motivation. Self-efficacy alone was not a significant mediator. However, sequential pathways from enjoyment or anxiety to self-efficacy significantly predicted intrinsic motivation. Findings were consistent across OLS and SEM methods. Conclusion Teacher emotional support enhances students’ motivation to learn English by promoting enjoyment and reducing anxiety. These emotional responses, in turn, strengthen students' self-efficacy and motivation. The findings offer insights for improving English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction in emotionally supportive ways.