The mechanisms underlying the influence of perceived pressure on doctoral students’ learning engagement: a serial mediation of social support and academic self-efficacy

Purpose This study aims to examine how perceived pressure influences doctoral students’ learning engagement, specifically analyzing the serial mediating roles of social support and academic self-efficacy. Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted with a sample of 432 Chinese doctoral students, utilizing the Perceived Pressure Scale, the Social Support Scale, the General Academic Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Classroom Engagement Scale. Results Perceived pressure was positively associated with doctoral students’ learning engagement via social support ( β = 0.065, 95% CI [0.036, 0.100]), and also through academic self-efficacy ( β = 0.075, 95% CI [0.068, 0.173]). Additionally, a significant serial mediation pathway was identified—perceived pressure → social support → academic self-efficacy → learning engagement ( β = 0.015, 95% CI [0.010, 0.041]). Social support and academic self-efficacy served as serial mediators in the relationship between perceived pressure and learning engagement. Discussion Perceived pressure among doctoral students shows a positive direct association and multiple indirect associations with learning engagement. From a Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) perspective, these findings suggest that perceived pressure may function as a challenge demand when adequate resources are available, and that social support and academic self-efficacy jointly facilitate engagement through a sequential resource pathway. While focusing on doctoral students’ learning engagement, higher education institutions should emphasize the development of robust social support systems and the enhancement of academic self-efficacy to assist doctoral students in transforming stress into a sustained driving force for academic development.