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Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development 2024, 8(7), 3640.
https://doi.org/10.24294/jipd.v8i7.3640
1
Article
Sustained promotion of Chinese college students’ employment: the impact of
social support and goal orientation on academic achievement
Baiyan Du, Yuege Lai, Yuzhe Qian, Jun Cheng*
College of Teacher Education, Quzhou University, Quzhou 324003, Zhejiang, China
* Corresponding author: Jun Cheng, 32025@qzc.edu.cn
Abstract: The issue of academic achievement among Chinese university students is
emerging due to difficulties in finding employment. This study investigates the
structural relationships between social support, goal orientation, and academic
achievement with the aim of enhancing students’ academic performance and
facilitating sustained employability. Data were collected from 202 college students in
South China, revealing that students’ levels of social support, goal orientation, and
academic achievement were all moderate. Lower-grade students, in comparison to
higher-grade students, exhibited lower levels of social support, goal orientation, and
academic achievement. Additionally, students from lower economic backgrounds
tended to lack social support. Among the factors of social support, goal orientation,
and academic achievement, there were positive correlations among these three
variables. Social support significantly and positively influenced goal orientation and
academic achievement. Specifically, the sub-factors of social support, school support,
and teacher support had differential effects, with school support enhancing academic
achievement and teacher support boosting goal orientation. Goal orientation also
significantly and positively impacted students’ academic achievement, with the sub-
factor of mastery goals having a stronger influence. Goal orientation partially
mediated the relationship between social support and academic achievement. This
study discusses limitations and provides insights for future research.
Keywords: student employability; social support; goal orientation; academic
achievement
1. Introduction
College students’ efforts and achievements in academic pursuits aimed at
successful employment can be referred to as academic achievement (Yeon, 2017). The
interpretation of academic achievement can be categorized into broad and narrow
definitions. The broad definition of academic achievement encompasses a student’s
personal abilities, academic performance, cognitive and psychological gains, as well
as learning outcomes in both intellectual and non-intellectual domains. The narrow
definition of academic achievement includes the completion of academic tasks,
obtaining relevant qualifications, and participation in various activities (Kim, 2023)
Academic achievement is also a major factor related to the successful employment of
college students. Research by Jung, Byoung (2020) indicates a positive correlation
between college students’ academic achievement and their employment readiness
behaviors (Jung, 2020). Lian (2018) suggests that improving the employment quality
CITATION
Du B, Lai Y, Qian Y, Cheng J.
(2024). Sustained promotion of
Chinese college students’
employment: the impact of social
support and goal orientation on
academic achievement. Journal of
Infrastructure, Policy and
Development. 8(7): 3640.
https://doi.org/10.24294/jipd.v8i7.3640
ARTICLE INFO
Received: 13 December 2023
Accepted: 1 March 2024
Available online: 18 July 2024
COPYRIGHT
Copyright © 2024 by author(s).
Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and
Development is published by EnPress
Publisher, LLC. This work is
licensed under the Creative
Commons Attribution (CC BY)
license.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/
by/4.0/
Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development 2024, 8(7), 3640.
2
of graduates should involve continuous attention to their academic performance and
the cultivation of their learning and practical abilities (Lian, 2018).
Following the outbreak of the pandemic, instances of college graduates facing
unemployment have become more common. In 2021, the national unemployment rate
among college graduates in China exceeded 20%, with approximately 1.8 million
college graduates in a state of unemployment (Xia et al., 2023). In 2022, the number
of Chinese college graduates exceeded 10 million, and the youth unemployment rate
rose to 18.4% (Wu and Zhao, 2022). Many companies have resorted to layoffs for
survival, reducing their workforce, and simultaneously placing more specific
academic achievement requirements on college graduates. Research by Peng and Yu
(2022) shows that some Chinese primary and secondary schools and companies now
require job applicants to have a master’s degree, excellent academic records, relevant
professional skills and qualifications, participation in occupation-related activities
during their time in school, and the ability to provide internship experience certificates
(Peng and Yu, 2022). This has led to some college graduates struggling to find suitable
employment opportunities (Menand, 2014; Paul and Shrivastava, 2015), creating a
trend in which employers are increasingly selective in hiring talent (Asuquo and Inaja,
2013).
Simultaneously, the ongoing issue of college graduates’ difficulties in finding
employment can also indicate an impact on their learning attitudes and behaviors. Peng
and Yu’s (2022) survey of 23 Chinese universities indicated that due to employment
issues and their perceived lack of abilities, 90.7% of students experienced stress and
anxiety during their academic lives, with 30% of college students starting to accept
mediocrity and only occasionally putting in effort in their studies (Peng and Yu, 2022).
Yoo and Shin’s (2013) survey of 427 college students from ten private universities in
South Korea revealed that employment concerns led to increased academic stress and
psychological fatigue among students. When students felt employment pressure,
academic pressure also increased, leading students to avoid confronting external crises
actively (Yoo and Shin, 2013). Kim (2019) argued that there is a significant positive
correlation between college students’ academic achievement and their employment
behavior. Low academic achievement in students can predict negative employment
attitudes and behaviors. These studies suggest that college students’ difficulties in
finding employment can directly or indirectly affect their academic achievements
(Kim, 2019).
Therefore, to enhance the academic achievement of college students, some
researchers have proposed that goal orientation is a continuous and effective path.
Goal orientation refers to how learners approach and engage in their activities,
intending to improve their abilities through clear and progressive goals, with the
expectation of achieving better learning outcomes than other learners (Zhang et al.,
2022). Soowon and Boungho (2017) argue that college students with goal-oriented
career choices exhibit continuous motivation for improvement and a stronger sense of
the value of their careers, leading to active improvements in academic achievement
(Soowon and Boungho, 2017). Alhadabi and Karpinski (2020), in their study involving
258 college students, found that goal orientation had a positive impact on academic
achievement. Furthermore, some research and reports suggest that employment issues
resulting from college students’ academic achievement may also be due to unclear
Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development 2024, 8(7), 3640.
3
goals or excessively high expectations (Alhadabi and Karpinski,2020). For instance,
the viewpoint of Pierard, Baca, and Schultz (2020) suggests that students who lack a
clear vision of the specific career they want after graduation or who have unrealistic
career aspirations beyond their actual capabilities may become disappointed and
subsequently lose motivation to pursue their target jobs (Pierard et al., 2022). A survey
by Xueli (2022) in Hohhot, China, showed that only 9% of students had a clear idea
of the career they wanted to pursue after graduation and had made efforts towards it,
while 41% of college students did not have a specific career in mind for the future
(Xueli, 2022). Chong’s (2014) survey of 475 college students in Hunan, China,
revealed that students generally had high employment expectations, with most
prioritizing employment benefits over their chosen majors when making career
decisions (Normal University). These studies demonstrate the importance of goal
orientation to some extent in improving academic achievement.
Previous research also suggests that social support is an effective avenue for
improving the academic achievement of college students. Social support refers to the
resources individuals obtain from others through social relationships, including
practical or emotional assistance received from others in their daily lives. Social
support is activated based on an individual’s subjective perception and is evaluated
based on the quality of social relationships (Chong, 2014). The direct effect of social
support is to enhance college students’ intrinsic motivation, leading them to achieve
positive outcomes (Erzen and Ozabaci, 2023). For example, Shweta (2020) suggests
that if students feel anxious and in crisis about their employment prospects and receive
external assistance from sources such as the government or educational institutions,
they will experience happiness and develop a sense of enthusiasm for learning
(Rathakrishnan et al., 2022). Research by Song et al. (2023) indicates a positive
correlation between social support and academic achievement; higher social support
levels correspond to higher academic achievement (Shweta, 2020). Salam et al. (2020)
found that social support has a direct positive effect on college students with low
academic achievement and also buffers against aggressive behavior (Song et al., 2023).
On the other hand, social support also contributes to the continuous improvement
of students’ goal orientation. Ho’s (2013) study showed that social support
significantly influences goal orientation. When college students perceive external
support, it enhances their self-control, goal orientation, and decision-making abilities
in their careers (Salami et al., 2020). In a study of 739 college students in Taiwan,
conducted by Yi, Shu et al. (2019), it was found that support from schools, teachers,
and peers plays different roles in students’ hope development (Ho, 2013). Teacher
support predicts students’ goal orientation, while peer support effectively predicts
students’ logical and subjective thinking. Liu et al. (2022) suggest that students who
receive support in their academic pursuits gain the knowledge to improve their
academic performance through self-efficacy (Yi and Shu et al., 2019).
Therefore, to transform college students from being pessimistic and stagnant in
their academic achievements to a more positive outlook, both social support and goal
orientation are essential. In other words, if students can clearly identify their strengths
and potential career paths during their time at school, they can better understand the
alignment between their chosen careers and their abilities. This clarity enables students
to proactively prepare for their desired careers, effectively enhancing their academic
Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development 2024, 8(7), 3640.
4
achievements. Conversely, if a college student’s academic performance is subpar, it
indicates a lack of goal setting for their future development and insufficient social
support during their academic journey. Ultimately, this may lead to challenges in
finding ideal jobs upon graduation and relying on further education to temporarily
alleviate employment pressures. There is also a lack of research on how to improve
employment through college students’ academic achievements. The influence
pathways between social support, goal orientation, and academic achievement remain
unclear. It is necessary to analyze the impact of social support and goal orientation on
college students’ academic achievement and verify the mediating effect of goal
orientation on the relationship between social support and academic achievement. This
research can provide theoretical foundations and insights for universities and career
guidance for college students. Therefore, this study poses the following research
questions:
Research Question 1: What is the current status of social support, goal orientation,
and academic achievement among college students?
Research Question 2: How do social support and goal orientation influence
academic achievement?
Research Question 3: Does social support influence academic achievement
through goal orientation?
2. Literature review
2.1. Social support
Social support refers to the resources individuals obtain from their social
relationships, which have a positive impact on their social adaptation. Cobb (1976)
defines social support as an individual’s perception of receiving care and recognition
from others (Liu et al., 2022). Dong and Simon (2010) define social support as the
assistance and encouragement individuals receive from others through interpersonal
relationships, which is a necessary factor for obtaining emotional comfort (Cobb,
1976). Gina et al. (2020) suggest that social support implies positive resources that can
be obtained from the people, resources, and environment surrounding an individual.
Since humans are social beings, they grow socially through interactions with others,
such as receiving care, recognition, support, understanding, and help from individuals
in their social circle. This is what is referred to as social support. In this study, social
support refers to the resources that individuals continuously obtain through their social
relationships with friends, teachers, and the school, and the positive impact of these
resources on their social adaptation (Dong and Simon, 2010).
For college students, the primary sources of social support are friends, teachers,
and the school (Gina et al., 2020). Friendships represent a type of social relationship
distinct from family and teacher-student relationships. These relationships are
characterized by interdependence, equality, and relative comfort (Qi, 2023). Support
from friends primarily involves sharing mutual information and can serve as both
emotional and instrumental support (Shon, 2022). Bokszczanin et al. (2023) found that
college students find it relatively easy to satisfy their emotional needs and engage in
social behavior with their peers, which contributes to their emotional well-being
(Sukkamart et al., 2023). Additionally, college students primarily gain knowledge,
Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development 2024, 8(7), 3640.
5
experience, and information from multiple teachers during their time at school. This
growth and development are based on learning. The support they receive from teachers,
which includes instrumental, evaluative, and informational support, is referred to as
teacher support (Shon, 2022). School support mainly involves the support students
receive from the school’s activities and platforms, which provide information and
opportunities (Bokszczanin et al., 2023). In this study, social support refers to the
resources that college students obtain through their social relationships with friends,
teachers, and the school.
Social support also enhances college students’ goal orientation and academic
achievement. Hyejin (2022) found that social support has a positive impact on goal
orientation among university students. When students gain the motivation from social
support, they can effectively plan their learning goals and engage in productive
learning behaviors (Adams et al., 2023). Furthermore, support from teachers, schools,
and friends can enhance goal orientation among college students. Dweck (1986)
argued that positive resources from friends, such as help, interest, and information, in
the social relationships established by learners can aid in goal setting (Hyejin, 2022).
Kristopher and Maya (2019) concluded that goal orientation in college students is a
predictor of self-regulated learning and requires ongoing adjustment with the support
of parents and teachers (Dweck, 1986). The research by Elliot and McGregor (2001)
found a positive static relationship between school support and the variable of
proficient goals in goal orientation (Kristopher and Maya, 2019). These studies
suggest that social support motivates college students to set and work towards their
goals.
Zeng (2021) conducted a survey of college students in Hangzhou, China, and
found a significant positive correlation between social support and academic
achievement, indicating that students with higher levels of social support also achieve
higher academic performance (Elliot and McGregor, 2001). Qi (2023) argued that
social support directly predicts students’ academic performance, meaning that higher
levels of support from others lead to better learning outcomes (Zeng, 2021). A study
by Pi and Xu (2014) showed that when college students receive support from their
teachers, they are more likely to invest in their academic efforts to improve their grades
(Pi and Xu, 2014). Marley and Wilcox (2022) analyzed their research and found that
peer social support had a significantly positive predictive effect on academic
motivation and academic achievement, suggesting that positive friendships on college
campuses can facilitate learning outcomes (Marley and Wilcox, 2022). The results of
Fernando et al. (2023) indicated that school support predicted improved learning
outcomes and increased satisfaction with learning among college students (Fernando
et al., 2023).
In this study, social support refers to the positive behaviors that college students
obtain through their social relationships with friends, teachers, and the school, such as
information, emotions, tools, opportunities, etc. These behaviors have a positive
impact on students’ goal orientation and academic achievement, facilitating their
effective accumulation of academic achievements.
Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development 2024, 8(7), 3640.
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2.2. Goal orientation
A goal is an individual’s goal to achieve the current task, and it is also a sense of
efficacy to enhance and demonstrate results (Ames and Archer, 1988). Personal
orientation in goal refers to how learners approach and grasp the intention of their
learning activities, and take different approaches, interventions and reactions during
the execution of tasks (Kampylafka et al., 2023). Usually, individuals will pursue
different goals due to situational differences in needs, and the characteristics of their
goals also affect the selection, success, and decision of events (Sajedifard and
Sajedifard, 2022). Different from general motivation, which emphasizes that
individuals are either strong or insufficient towards a certain goal, it emphasizes the
interpretation of behavioral results from multiple perspectives such as reason, purpose
and context (Miller, 2022). Especially in the area of initiative towards tasks, it is
possible to understand what motivational tendencies a person has in pursuing,
experiencing, and understanding achievements (Soltani, 2022; Kim, 2020).
At present, most studies divide the individual’s goal orientation into two
dimensions: skilled goal orientation and executive goal orientation. Individuals with
executive goal orientation are mainly concerned about the conditional proof of
meeting goals. It can be believed that college students with a high tendency to
implement goals are more eager to get better evaluation and recognition compared
with others than their own proficiency in learning (Peipei, 2021). Proficiency goal
refers to the individual’s commitment to proficiency and ability development, and pays
attention to the process itself. Therefore, students with a high proficiency goal
tendency carry out learning tasks with an active and challenging attitude in order to
understand, continuously explore, acquire and grow a certain learning goal (Jesus et
al., 2020). It can be confirmed that compared with the implementation of goal
orientation, proficient goal orientation will give students more value in academic tasks
and enable students to demonstrate efforts and continuous execution (Jesus et al., 2020;
Alamri, 2023). Because some researchers have verified the effectiveness of proficient
goal-directed on students’ learning and the positive effect on strategies (Rivers, 2021;
Liu et al., 2022) also verified that implementing goals would cause students’ negative
emotional problems in learning (Kong et al., 2023). Between the two factors of
executive goal orientation and skilled goal orientation under goal orientation, goal
orientation plays an important role in explaining the influence of environmental factors
on psychological factors (Ruoxuan et al., 2021). For example, in the study of Lee and
Kim (2016), individuals under high external learning pressure will increase their
executive orientation towards goals and thus reduce students’ academic satisfaction,
while students under moderate pressure will promote the challenge of proficiency in
learning goals and make them take the initiative to overcome difficulties to adapt to
the academic environment. Chen and Mok (2023) also regard goal orientation as a
developmental process to explain the influence of parents’ parenting style on students’
academic adaptation, that is, the educational style of parents’ participation improves
students’ academic adaptation process, which is partly improved through proficient
goal orientation.
Therefore, students’ academic development should not only focus on improving
external conditions and resources, but also actively pay attention to whether students
Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development 2024, 8(7), 3640.
7
form favorable goal orientation to ensure the positive influence on the subsequent
behavioral results. Although different college students are exposed to different
environments, they have different ways of thinking about their learning goals, activity
participation motives and employment efforts. However, we can still see from the
previous research that goal orientation is an important factor affecting students’
learning, and it involves that college students need to successfully transform their
academic achievements into successful employment after implementing or proficient
employment goals.
2.3. Academic achievement
Academic achievement is the result of learners’ efforts in achieving learning
outcomes (Alamri, 2023). Hyejin’s (2022) research suggests that academic
achievement is not only a matter of individual students but also a comprehensive
consideration of teachers and schools. Outstanding academic achievement represents
a school’s enrollment rate and the high teaching level of teachers, making it a primary
consideration for students when choosing schools and teachers (Adams et al., 2023).
Xinqiao et al. (2019) define academic achievement as the degree to which college
students have completed learning tasks during their educational process, and it serves
as a predictive factor for learning efficiency (Xinqiao et al., 2019).
On the other hand, Ismael, Gabriela, and Gisela (2020) state that students’
academic achievement is an indicator related to career readiness and the mastery of
necessary knowledge and skills for employment (Ismael et al., 2020). Jung and
Byoung (2020) argue that academic achievement encompasses not only academic
performance but also the concepts of students’ career adaptation and employment
success (Jung and Byoung, 2020). Peipei (2021) proposes that the factors contributing
to academic achievement include three aspects: external factors such as the school’s
cultural background and teachers’ teaching outcomes, factors related to learning itself
such as learning self-regulation and learning goals, and factors related to learning
outcomes such as grades, certificates, and qualifications (Peipei, 2021). Salami,
Lawson, and Metzger (2020) suggest that students with consistently good academic
achievement are more likely to transition smoothly into work positions, experience
happiness and a sense of respect in their jobs. Conversely, poor grades may indicate
that students face obstacles in their studies and struggle to apply their abilities to
overcome learning difficulties (Song et al., 2023). Therefore, in this study, academic
achievement refers to the outcomes related to students’ learning and employment
knowledge during their time at university, which are crucial for their ability to make
career decisions.
3. Research methods
3.1. Research model
This study employed a questionnaire survey format to investigate university
students. After providing an explanation of the research subjects, the study included a
voluntary participation of 202 students from South China in Table 1 and Figure 1.
Among these participants, 102 were male, and 100 were female. Furthermore, 41
Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development 2024, 8(7), 3640.
8
students were in their first year, 58 in the second year, 61 in the third year, and 42 in
the fourth year of their studies. In terms of family economic status, 65 students came
from high-income families, 70 from middle-income families, and 67 from low-income
families. Additionally, in terms of parental educational qualifications, 64 students had
at least one parent with a postgraduate degree, 67 had at least one parent with a college
or undergraduate degree, and 71 had parents with educational qualifications below
college level.
Table 1. Basic characteristics of the study participants.
Component
Number of people
Ratio
Gender
Male
102
50.5%
Female
100
49.5%
Grade
1
41
20.3%
2
58
28.7%
3
61
30.2%
4
42
20.8%
Family finances
High (monthly income above 50,000 RMB)
65
32.1%
Medium (monthly income: 10,000–50,000 RMB)
70
34.7%
Low (monthly income less than 10,000 RMB)
67
33.2%
Educational
background of parents
High (at least one parent has a graduate degree)
64
31.7%
Secondary (at least one parent has a college degree or bachelor
degree)
67
33.2%
Low (both parents have a college degree or below)
71
35.1%
Total
202
100%
Figure 1. Distribution of research subjects.
Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development 2024, 8(7), 3640.
9
3.2. Construction of research instruments
Table 2 summarize the reliability and composition of the research instruments
used in this study, all of which employed a Likert 5-point scoring system. The social
support scale was adapted from the questionnaire used in Qi’s (2023) study (Gina et
al., 2023), consisting of 12 questions. These questions were categorized into three
dimensions, support from school (questions 1–4), support from friends (questions 5–
8), and support from teachers (questions 9–12). The overall Cronbach’s α coefficient
for this scale was 0.830. The instrument for measuring goal orientation was adapted
from Kim’s (2020) research (Kim,2020), comprising 10 questions. These questions
were categorized into two dimensions, performance goals (questions 1–5) and mastery
goals (questions 6–10). The overall Cronbach’s α reliability coefficient for this scale
was 0.907. Finally, the instrument for assessing academic achievement was adapted
from Park’s (2023) research (Park, 2023), consisting of 4 questions. The overall
Cronbach’s α coefficient for this scale was 0.852.
Table 2. Composition of social support, goal orientation, and academic achievement.
Variable
Total number of questions
Cronbach’s α
Social Support
12
0.830
Goal Orientation
10
0.907
Academic Achievement
4
0.852
Scoring method: 1 point for a complete disagreement, 2 points for a relative disagreement, 3 points for a
medium level, 4 points for a relative agreement, and 5 points for a complete agreement.
3.3. Measurement
In this study, Table 3 summarizes the reliability and composition of social
support, goal orientation and academic achievement, all of which use the Likert 5-
degree scoring method, and social support uses the questionnaire in the Qi (2023) study.
There are 12 questions in total, which are divided into three dimensions, school
support, friend support and teacher support. The school support ranges from 1–4.
Examples of questions include ‘The school can help me when I am confused about the
future’ and ‘the school supports me in setting up my own future plan’. Cronbach’s α
is 0.811. Friends’ support was questions 5–8, such as ‘My friends are eager to help me
when I am in trouble’, ‘I have friends who share my career ideas and experiences’, etc.
Cronbach ‘α was 0.716. Teacher support is for questions 9–12, examples of which
include ‘My teacher will help me plan for the future’, ‘I can talk to my teacher about
my employment’, etc. In this study, questions on each dimension of social support
were scored on a Likert 5 scale, from 1 (‘totally inconsistent’) to 5 (‘completely
consistent’). The higher the score, the higher the degree of social support perceived by
students. Cronbach ‘α coefficient of social support population was 0.830.
Goal-directed tools using detection tools in Kim’s (2020) study. A total of 10
questions are divided into two dimensions, executive goal and proficiency goal. For
executive goal 1–5, questions include ‘My goal is to enter an ideal career’, ‘I will work
harder for students with better grades than me’, etc. Cronbach ‘α is 0.896. Proficiency
goal questions 6–10, including ‘I want to learn a lot about the topic of employment’,
‘I am very familiar with the career I will enter in the future’, etc. Cronbach ‘α is 0.904.
Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development 2024, 8(7), 3640.
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Each dimension of executive goal and proficient goal orientation is similarly scored
by Likert 5 degrees. The higher the score, the higher the level of goal orientation. The
Cronbach ‘α coefficient of the whole population is 0.907.
Academic achievement was measured using the tools in Park’s (2023) study.
There are 4 questions in total, including ‘I am good at organizing what I have learned’,
‘I often complete tasks within the prescribed time’, etc. The overall Cronbach ‘α
coefficient is 0.852. Each item is scored on a Likert 5 scale (1 point for complete
nonconformity, 2 points for nonconformity, 3 points for general conformity, 4 points
for relative conformity, and 5 points for complete conformity). The higher the score,
the higher the level of academic achievement.
Table 3. Composition of social support, goal orientation, and academic achievement.
Variable
Total number of questions
Cronbach α
Social Support
12
0.830
School support
1–4
0.811
Friend support
5–8
0.716
teacher support
9–12
0.807
Goal Orientation
10
0.907
Executive objective
1–5
0.896
Proficiency target
6–10
0.904
Academic Achievement
4
0.852
Notes: Scoring method: 1 point for a complete disagreement, 2 points for a relative disagreement, 3
points for a medium level, 4 points for a relative agreement, and 5 points for a complete agreement.
3.4. Research program
This research establishes social support as the independent variable, with goal
orientation and academic achievement as dependent variables. Gender, grade, family
economic status, and parental educational background are selected as control variables
within the demographic and sociological factors of the university students surveyed. The
model for this research is thus formulated, as depicted in Figure 2.
Figure 2. Research model.
3.5. Research procedure
First, to verify the reliability of the measurement tools, a reliability analysis was
conducted on the measurement instruments. Second, descriptive statistics and
differential analysis were performed on demographic variables with regard to social
support, goal orientation, and academic achievement variables. Third, to validate the
Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development 2024, 8(7), 3640.
11
research questions, a correlation test and regression analysis were conducted to
confirm the relationships between variables. Fourth, to examine the mediating effects
of variables, multiple regression analysis was conducted. All of the above steps were
carried out using SPSS 25.0 software.
4. Research results
4.1. Participants
To gain an understanding of the overall characteristics of the research subjects in
terms of the social support, goal orientation, and academic achievement variables in
this study, descriptive statistical analysis was conducted. The results are presented in
Table 4 and Figure 3. The average score for social support was 3.38. The average
score for goal orientation was 2.98. The average score for academic achievement was
also 2.98.
Table 4. Overall levels of the research subjects.
Variable
Average value
Standard deviation
Maximum
Minimum
Social support
3.38
0.50
5
2
Goal orientation
2.98
0.81
5
1
Academic achievement
2.98
0.91
5
1
Figure 3. Trends in social support, goal orientation, and academic achievement levels of study participants.
4.2. Differential analysis
Observations of differences between gender and the measured factors were
analyzed using independent sample t-tests, as shown in Table 5. Gender differences in
social support (t = −0.213, p = 0.832), goal orientation (t = 0.916, p = 0.361), and
academic achievement (t = 0.023, p = 0.982) were all statistically insignificant (p >
0.05). Therefore, gender did not emerge as a significant influencing factor for
academic stress, resilience, and academic achievement.
Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development 2024, 8(7), 3640.
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Table 5. Differential situations of research subjects.
Demographic
variables
Category t (or F)
value p value
Social Support
Goal Orientation
Academic Achievement
Gender
Male
M ± SD
3.37 ± 0.52
3.03 ± 0.76
2.98 ± 0.89
Female
M ± SD
3.39 ± 0.47
2.93 ± 0.85
2.98 ± 0.92
t
−0.213
0.916
0.023
p
0.832
0.361
0.982
Grade
1
M ± SD
2.61 ± 0.32
2.16 ± 0.59
2.21 ± 0.87
2
M ± SD
3.25 ± 0.15
2.91 ± 0.76
2.78 ± 0.80
3
M ± SD
3.63 ± 0.09
3.20 ± 0.73
3.12 ± 0.71
4
M ± SD
3.94 ± 0.17
3.54 ± 0.45
3.78 ± 0.57
F
M ± SD
406.485***
33.208***
32.395***
p
≤ 0.001
≤ 0.001
≤ 0.001
Family finances
High
M ± SD
3.46 ± 0.49
2.90 ± 0.90
3.02 ± 0.94
Medium
M ± SD
3.45 ± 0.41
2.98 ± 0.66
2.95 ± 0.84
Low
M ± SD
3.23 ± 0.55
3.05 ± 0.87
2.96 ± 0.95
F
4.862**
0.548
0.127
P
0.009
0.579
0.881
Educational
background of
parents
High
M ± SD
3.38 ± 0.51
2.95 ± 0.80
3.10 ± 0.75
Secondary
M ± SD
3.38 ± 0.48
2.98 ± 0.80
2.87 ± 0.99
Low
M ± SD
3.38 ± 0.51
3.00 ± 0.84
2.96 ± 0.95
F
0.005
0.056
1.014
p
0.995
0.946
0.365
**p ≤ 0.01, ***p ≤ 0.001, N = 202.
Differential analyses between grade level, family economic status, and parental
education were conducted using ANOVA factorial variance analysis. There were
statistically significant differences in social support (F = 406.485, p < 0.001), goal
orientation (F = 33.208, p < 0.001), and academic achievement (F = 32.395, p < 0.001)
among different grade levels, as shown in Figure 4. Social support scores for each
grade level were as follows, Senior (M = 3.94), Junior (M = 3.63), Sophomore (M =
3.25), Freshman (M = 2.61); goal orientation, Senior (M = 3.54), Junior (M = 3.20),
Sophomore (M = 2.91), Freshman (M = 2.16); academic achievement, Senior (M =
Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development 2024, 8(7), 3640.
13
3.78), Junior (M = 3.12), Sophomore (M = 2.78), Freshman (M = 2.21). It can be
observed that higher-grade students scored significantly higher in all three variables
compared to lower-grade students.
Regarding family economic status, academic achievement (F = 0.127, p = 0.881)
and goal orientation (F = 0.548, p= 0.579) showed no statistically significant
differences, but social support (F = 4.862, p = 0.009) exhibited significant differences,
as depicted in Figure 5. The categories for family economic status were High (M =
3.46), Medium (M = 3.45), and Low (M = 3.23). Thus, university students from higher
family economic backgrounds scored higher in social support compared to those from
medium and low family economic backgrounds.
Furthermore, parental education exhibited no statistically significant differences
in social support (F = 0.005, p= 0.995), goal orientation (F = 0.056, p= 0.946), or
academic achievement (F = 1.014, p = 0.365), indicating no significant influence.
Figure 4. Trends in social support levels for students of different family economic
backgrounds.
Figure 5. Trends in social support, goal orientation, and academic achievement
levels by grade.
Pearson’s product-moment correlation is used as a preliminary step to test the
correlation between variables. As can be seen in Table 6, the results of correlation test
show that, School support, Friend support, Teacher support, Execution goals,
Competence goals and Academic achievement all show significant positive (+)
correlation.
Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development 2024, 8(7), 3640.
14
Table 6. Correlation analysis results.
Variable
Social support
Goal orientation
Academic
achievement
School
support
Friend
support
Teacher
support
Execution
goals
Competence
goals
Social support
School support
1
-
-
-
-
-
Friend support
0.699**
1
-
-
-
-
Teacher support
0.826**
0.378**
1
-
-
-
Goal orientation
Execution goals
0.543**
0.206**
0.359**
1
-
-
Competence goals
0.482**
0.325**
0.332**
0.524**
1
-
Academic achievement
0.602**
0.485**
0.447**
0.391**
0.546**
1
**p ≤ 0.01.
4.3. Regression results for social support, goal orientation, and academic
achievement
To better observe the impact among dimensions, this study included the sub-
variables of social support and goal orientation in the regression analysis. Table 7
summarizes the regression results for the three variables, social support, goal
orientation, and academic achievement. The analysis of the independent variable,
social support, on academic achievement shows an overall explanatory power of
36.3%, with a β coefficient of 0.602. The explanatory power of the sub-variables of
social support on academic achievement is 37.0%, with statistical results indicating
support from school at 0.321, support from friends at 0.258, and support from teachers
at 0.223.
Table 7. Regression analysis of independent variables on dependent variables.
The dependent
variable
The independent
variable
B
S.E
β
R²
F
p
Academic
Achievement
Social Support
1.098
0.103
0.602
0.363
113.727***
≤ 0.001
School Support
0.446
0.086
0.321
0.370
38.502***
≤ 0.001
Friend Support
0.441
0.107
0.258
Teacher Support
0.261
0.076
0.223
Goal Orientation
0.603
0.067
0.539
0.290
81.773***
≤ 0.001
Execution Goals
0.144
0.069
0.144
0.314
45.478***
≤ 0.001
Competence Goals
0.451
0.066
0.471
Goal Orientation
Social Support
0.955
0.093
0.586
0.344
104.694***
≤ 0.001
School Support
0.073
0.076
0.059
0.395
43.017***
≤ 0.001
Friend Support
0.261
0.094
0.171
Teacher Support
0.538
0.066
0.512
***p ≤ 0.001.
The analysis of the independent variable, goal orientation, on academic
achievement shows an overall explanatory power of 29.0%, with a β coefficient of
0.539. The explanatory power of the sub-variables of goal orientation on academic
achievement is 31.4%, with statistical results indicating an effect of 0.144 for
execution goals and 0.471 for mastery goals.
Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development 2024, 8(7), 3640.
15
On the other hand, the regression of the independent variable, social support, on
goal orientation shows an overall explanatory power of 34.4%, with a β coefficient of
0.586. The explanatory power of the sub-variables of social support on goal orientation
is 39.5%, with statistical results indicating an effect of 0.059 for support from school,
0.171 for support from friends, and 0.512 for support from teachers, all statistically
significant.
4.4. Results of goal orientation mediation analysis
To verify the mediating effect of goal orientation between social support and
academic achievement, a hierarchical regression analysis was conducted, as shown in
Table 8 and Figure 6. In the second stage, the β value between social support and
academic achievement was 0.602, predicting with 36.3% explanatory power. In the
third stage, when both social support and goal orientation were predictors of academic
achievement, the β value was 0.436. Although the effect of social support decreased
compared to the second stage, both social support and goal orientation significantly
predicted academic achievement, confirming that goal orientation partially mediates
the relationship.
Table 8. Mediation analysis.
Stage
The dependent
variable
The independent
variable
B
S.E
β
R²
F
p
1
Goal Orientation
Social Support
0.955
0.093
0.586
0.344
104.694***
≤ 0.001
2
Academic
Achievement
Social Support
1.098
0.103
0.602
0.363
113.727***
≤ 0.001
3
Academic
Achievement
Social Support
0.795
0.122
0.436
0.415
70.611***
≤ 0.001
Goal Orientation
0.317
0.075
0.283
***p ≤ 0.001.
Figure 6. The mediating effect of goal orientation on the relationship between social
support and academic achievement.
4.5. Validation of research hypotheses
In the hypothesis of this study, “H1, Social support has a positive (+) impact on
academic achievement”, “H2, Social support has a positive (+) impact on goal
orientation”, “H3, Goal orientation has a positive (+) impact on academic
achievement”, “H4, Goal orientation mediates the relationship between social support
and academic achievement”. The results were verified in the study, as shown in Table
9.
Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development 2024, 8(7), 3640.
16
Table 9. Validation of research hypotheses.
No.
Hypothesis content
Verification
status
H1
Social support has a positive (+) impact on academic achievement.
Confirmed
H2
Social support has a positive (+) impact on goal orientation.
Confirmed
H3
Goal orientation has a positive (+) impact on academic achievement.
Confirmed
H4
Goal orientation mediates the relationship between social support and
academic achievement.
Confirmed
4.6. Results of goal-oriented mediation analysis
In order to verify the mediating effect of goal orientation on social support and
academic achievement, a stepped-regression analysis was conducted, as shown in
Table 8. The beta value of social support and academic achievement at stage 2, 0.602
was predicted with 36.3% explanatory power, and the results at this stage were directly
visible with a direct effect size of 0.602. In the third stage, when social support and
goal orientation predicted academic achievement at the same time, the beta value was
0.436, and the effect of social support was lower than that of social support and goal
orientation in the second stage, but both social support and goal orientation predicted
academic achievement significantly, which confirmed that goal orientation had a
partial mediating effect. The mediating effect size of goal orientation was further
calculated (β = 0.586 × 0.283). As shown in Table 10 the mediating effect size of goal
orientation was 0.166. By combining the direct effect (β = 0.602) and indirect effect
(β = 0.166), the total effect size was 0.768. Finally, according to the calculation results
of the proportion of effects, it can be seen that the effect produced by the intermediary
path of goal orientation accounted for 21.6% of the total influence of social support
on academic achievement.
Table 10. Mediating effect size and proportion.
Effect
Size
Proportion
total effect
0.768
100%
mesomeric effect
0.166
21.6%
direct effect
0.602
78.4%
4.7. Verification results of the research hypothesis
The verification of the research hypothesis is shown in Table 11 . Through the
regression analysis results of social support, goal orientation and academic
achievement, it is concluded that ‘H1, social support has a positive (+) influence on
academic achievement’, ‘H2, social support has a positive (+) influence on goal
orientation’ and ‘H3, goal orientation has a positive (+) influence on academic
achievement’ are verified. In the results of the mediation analysis of goal orientation,
‘H4, goal orientation has a mediating effect between social support and academic
achievement’ was verified.
Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development 2024, 8(7), 3640.
17
Table 11. Test of research hypothesis.
No
Hypothetical content
Verification situation
H1
Social support has a positive (+) effect on academic achievement
pass
H2
Social support has positive (+) influence on goal orientation
pass
H3
Goal orientation has positive (+) influence on academic achievement
pass
H4
Goal orientation plays a mediating role between social support and academic achievement
pass
5. Discussion, conclusion and limitations
5.1. Discussion
This study conducted research on 202 college students to explore the conditions
of social support, goal orientation, and academic achievement among college students,
as well as the relationships and mediation effects between these variables. The
discussion of the research findings is as follows,
First, regarding the validation of research question 1, ‘What are the conditions of
social support, goal orientation, and academic achievement among college students?’
In the descriptive statistical analysis and differential analysis, college students showed
overall moderate levels of social support, goal orientation, and academic achievement.
Further analysis indicated that gender and parents’ educational background did not
significantly influence social support, goal orientation, or academic achievement. This
result is consistent with the findings of Ho (2013) (Salami et al., 2020). However,
grade level and family economic status emerged as factors affecting social support,
goal orientation, and academic achievement. Higher-grade college students exhibited
significantly higher levels of social support, goal orientation, and academic
achievement compared to lower-grade students. This could be attributed to the fact
that higher-grade college students have typically adapted fully to the academic and
lifestyle rhythms of college. Additionally, the sustained pressure of post-graduation
survival motivates them to manage their time and energy more effectively, actively
seek opportunities for self-improvement, and access more resources for planning their
future (Ismael et al., 2020; Vakkai et al., 2020). Furthermore, the differential results
also showed that college students from higher family economic backgrounds had
higher levels of social support. This suggests that college students from higher family
economic backgrounds may have access to more financial support and, consequently,
more opportunities for education, training, and self-development (Zhao et al., 2023;
Zetian et al., 2022).
Second, in response to research question 2, ‘How do social support and goal
orientation influence academic achievement?’ In the correlation analysis, various
factors of social support, goal orientation, and academic achievement exhibited
positive correlations with each other. Furthermore, from the regression analysis results,
it was observed that social support had a positive impact on academic achievement,
with school support having the highest influence, followed by friend support and
teacher support. This result is consistent with the findings of some previous studies
(Elliot and McGregor, 2001; Zeng, 2021; Pi and Xu, 2014; Marley and Wilcox, 2022;
Fernando et al., 2023). School support is comprehensive in nature, as it not only
Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development 2024, 8(7), 3640.
18
provides ongoing academic support but also offers opportunities, platforms, and
courses related to internships (Bokszczanin et al., 2023). Friend support mainly comes
from communication, sharing, and interactive learning outcomes (Shon, 2022).
Teacher support, on the other hand, is more focused on assisting students in resolving
difficulties related to job skills, career-relevant knowledge, and skills (Ho, 2013). It is
also possible that teacher and friend support factors have highlighted the positive
effects of school support in the supportive environment of the school.
Academic achievement is also positively influenced by social support, with the
results showing that mastery goals have the highest impact on academic achievement,
followed by performance goals. This result is consistent with the findings of some
previous studies (Peipei, 2021), (Jesus et al., 2020). According to the views of Kim
(2020) and Angie et al. (2021), individuals with mastery goals enjoy the process of
understanding and exploring a particular goal, tend to have a mindset inclined toward
self-challenge, and are more likely to immerse themselves in the process, leading to
better learning outcomes. Therefore, familiarity with employment knowledge and the
continued accumulation of practical experience related to mastery goals may immerse
college students in the process, thereby promoting their academic achievements (Kim,
2020; Angie et al., 2021). Regarding the influence of social support on goal orientation,
the results show a positive impact, with teacher support having the highest influence,
followed by friend support and school support. This research result also has
similarities with the findings of some researchers. It is because of the continuous
external resources and assistance that college students gradually establish the right
goal orientation, clarifying their own plans and pursuits. Among these, the support and
assistance provided by teachers come from an experiential perspective, providing
continuous and specific objective information feedback and advice to help students
understand their goal orientation (Pi & Xu, 2014).
Finally, to address research question 3, ‘Does social support influence academic
achievement through goal orientation?’ The analysis of the mediation effect based on
goal orientation in the relationship between social support and academic achievement
shows that both social support and goal orientation significantly positively predict
academic achievement. When social support and goal orientation are combined, the
effect on academic achievement remains significant. This result suggests that students
with higher levels of social support tend to have better academic achievements,
possibly because students with clear goals or strong intentions are more proactive and
willing to challenge themselves and accumulate learning outcomes. Therefore, goal
orientation has a partial mediating effect in the relationship between social support and
academic achievement.
5.2. Conclusion
Based on the analysis of the results, we can conclude that school support within
the category of social support can be a major positive factor in improving students’
academic achievement. Teacher support is a key positive factor in enhancing students’
goal orientation. Within the goal orientation category, mastery goals are crucial for
increasing academic achievement. In other words, schools can directly optimize
students’ academic achievement, while teacher support can help students clarify and
Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development 2024, 8(7), 3640.
19
master their learning goals, thereby improving academic achievement. Academic
achievement also requires students to master their learning goals to achieve the best
efficiency. Overall, social support partially enhances academic achievement through
goal orientation. Therefore, both school and teacher support are essential key factors.
Considering the differences in the demographic characteristics of the study
participants, lower-grade students and those from lower economic backgrounds lacked
social support. Additionally, lower-grade students had relatively lower levels of goal
orientation and academic achievement. Therefore, in order to avoid employment
difficulties, continuous support from schools and teachers during the early stages of
college can help students clarify their future goals and plans, and students will actively
seek opportunities to improve their academic achievements. This is particularly
important for college students from lower-income families, who require more attention
and support from schools and teachers.
Schools can provide early and sustained assistance to lower-grade students,
including courses, lectures, and activities related to career choices and the knowledge
required for employment. These courses, lectures, and activities need to match the
entry requirements for employment. Similar approaches have been proposed in other
studies. For example, arranging relevant arts courses and activities for elementary
education majors can improve their employment prospects and familiarity with the
profession, helping them acquire the necessary skills for employment (Ji, 2021).
Similarly, music majors may need more stage experience and honor certificates to
enhance their resumes and increase their employment rates. Schools can offer more
arts competitions and other cultural activities to help them achieve these goals (Zeng,
2021).
Teachers can actively guide students to set their career goals early, help students
understand the entry requirements for employment in advance, and base their
knowledge transfer on future employment fields. Students can effectively plan their
learning goals continuously to improve their academic performance and prepare for
their careers. As mentioned in Liu’s (2010) study, if teachers familiarize themselves
with the careers that interest their students and link course content to the requirements
of students’ desired careers, it can increase students’ interest in the course, improve
their academic performance, and indirectly enhance their familiarity with potential
careers (Qi, 2021).
For students with less favorable economic backgrounds, they can request
assistance from schools and teachers in career planning. For example, they can seek
help in narrowing down their career choices and devising talent development plans
that align with the requirements of prospective employers. The goal is to have a clearer
understanding of their future employment goals, avoid immediate unemployment after
graduation, and make efforts to improve their academic achievement. However, it is
important to note that students with lower grades and lower economic backgrounds
particularly need support and guidance from schools or teachers to master and become
familiar with their goals in order to enhance their academic achievement.
5.3. Limitations
This study has several limitations that should be considered:
Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development 2024, 8(7), 3640.
20
(1) Small Sample Size: the study sample consisted of only 202 college students,
which may not be representative of the entire population of college students. A larger
and more diverse sample would enhance the generalizability of the findings.
(2) Self-Reporting Bias: the data in this study were collected through self-
reporting questionnaires, which may be subject to social desirability bias. Participants
may have provided answers that they believed were more socially acceptable, which
could potentially affect the accuracy of the data.
(3) Limited Factors Examined: this study focused on the effects of social support
and goal orientation on academic achievement. While these factors were found to be
significant, other variables such as career decision-making and self-efficacy may also
play important roles in academic achievement. Future research could explore a broader
range of factors that may influence academic achievement.
(4) Cross-Sectional Design: this study employed a cross-sectional design, which
limits the ability to establish causal relationships. Longitudinal studies could provide
more insights into the dynamic relationships between social support, goal orientation,
and academic achievement over time.
(5) Generalizability: the findings of this study may be specific to the cultural and
educational context in which it was conducted. Therefore, caution should be exercised
when applying these results to different cultural or educational settings.
In future research, increasing the sample size, reducing sampling bias, exploring
additional factors, employing longitudinal designs, and considering cultural context
could contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the relationships between
social support, goal orientation, and academic achievement among college students.
Additionally, qualitative methods such as interviews could provide valuable insights
into the experiences and perceptions of students regarding these factors.
Author contributions: Conceptualization, BD and YL; methodology, BD and YL;
software, BD; validation, YQ and JC; formal analysis, BD; investigation, YL;
resources, YL and JC; data curation, BD; writing—original draft preparation, BD and
YL; writing—review and editing, JC; visualization, BD and YQ; supervision, YQ;
project administration, BD; funding acquisition, BD. All authors have read and agreed
to the published version of the manuscript.
Funding: This project is the result of Zhejiang Provincial Education Science planning
project “Research on the Path of University Students’ Academic Achievement
Improvement from the perspective of Employment Priority” (2023SCG148).
Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
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