Social Support and Students’ Interest in Chemistry: Unpacking the Roles of Chemistry Self-Efficacy and Learning Strategies

Students’ interest in chemistry is a crucial factor that promotes engagement, persistence, and achievement in science learning. However, little is known about how environmental factors (perceived social support from teachers, parents, and peers) and personal factors (chemistry self-efficacy and learning strategies) jointly shape students’ interest in chemistry. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the relationships among these variables and students’ interest in chemistry. A total of 1,694 Chinese high school students participated in a questionnaire survey. Structural equation modeling (SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) were employed to explore both linear and configurational relationships among the variables. The SEM results indicated that perceived social support from teachers, parents, and peers directly and positively influenced students’ interest in chemistry, while chemistry self-efficacy and learning strategies served as mediators in this relationship. The multigroup analysis further revealed that chemistry self-efficacy negatively moderated the path from teacher support to interest in chemistry, suggesting that students with higher self-efficacy rely less on external support when facing challenges. The fsQCA results identified five sufficient configurations, leading to high levels of interest in chemistry. Notably, the two configurations with the highest coverage both included the core conditions of high chemistry self-efficacy and high levels of learning strategy use. Taken together, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of how external support and internal factors interact to enhance students’ interest in chemistry, highlighting key implications for chemistry teaching practices and future research.