Interpersonal satisfaction and classroom silence in Chinese universities: the mediating role of social anxiety

Introduction Within Chinese universities, classroom silence, while culturally acceptable, may indicate underlying psychological distress that impedes academic engagement. Drawing upon social-cognitive theory, this study investigates whether social anxiety mediates the relationship between interpersonal satisfaction and students’ in-class silence. Methods A cross-sectional survey of 565 undergraduates from six Chinese universities examined interpersonal satisfaction, social anxiety, and three distinct behavioral indicators of silence (large-lecture, small-discussion, and laboratory contexts). Confirmatory factor analysis established convergent and discriminant validity; Cronbach’s α coefficients ranged from 0.86 to 0.91, demonstrating good internal consistency. A structural equation model (SEM) was employed to test the hypothesized mediation pathway while statistically controlling for gender, only-child status, hometown type, and personality traits. Results The measurement model exhibited satisfactory fit indices ( χ 2 / df = 2.34, CFI = 0.957, TLI = 0.948, RMSEA = 0.058, SRMR = 0.041). Within the structural model, interpersonal satisfaction demonstrated a significant negative prediction of social anxiety ( β = −0.42, p < 0.001) and a comparatively weaker direct negative effect on silence ( β = −0.18, p = 0.019). Social anxiety significantly and positively predicted silence ( β = 0.51, p < 0.001) and mediated complete association, accounting for 54.5% of the total effect between satisfaction and silence (bootstrapped β _indirect = −0.21, 95% CI [−0.27, −0.15]). The model explained 18% of the variance in social anxiety and 39% of the variance in classroom silence. Discussion Findings reveal a socio-emotional cascade: supportive relationships link to anxiety, which subsequently decreases the propensity for silence. The residual direct path indicates the presence of additional explanatory mechanisms. By delineating how relational climates associate with voice behavior, this study challenges essentialist attributions of Chinese students’ silence exclusively to Confucian deference norms. Due to cross-sectional design, causal inferences are tentative.