The Relationship Between Social Support And Academic Self-handicapping Among High School Students: The Chain Mediation Effect Of Core Self-evaluation And Academic Buoyanc

Academic self-handicapping refers to the behavior or thinking style that impedes students’ performance in the face of learning tasks due to emotions such as doubt,worry,or fear about their abilities or values.The high school stage is a critical period for students’ cognitive abilities,emotional and social development,and a turning point in their lives as they prepare to enter university or join society.As a negative thinking style,academic self-handicapping may lead to poor academic performance,reduced self-efficacy,and emotional problems such as anxiety and depression in high school students.To prevent academic self-handicapping and help high school students achieve academic and psychological well-being,it is necessary to further clarify the influencing factors and mechanisms of academic self-handicapping in high school students.According to the buffering model of social support,social support can mitigate the negative effects of stress and challenges on individuals.Therefore,this study aims to explore the impact of social support on academic self-handicapping in high school students.In addition,based on the Self-Worth Theory and the Appraisal Coping Theory.,this study intends to examine the mediating role of core self-evaluation and academic buoyancy in the relationship between social support and academic self-handicapping.Revealing the influencing factors and mechanisms of academic self-handicapping can provide empirical support for intervention research to prevent academic self-handicapping in high school students and promote personalized interventions and practical teaching development.This study used convenience sampling to distribute questionnaires to 675 participants from two high schools in Guangzhou,Guangdong Province.Among them,there were 273 male and 402 female students,with an average age of 15.98 years(SD=0.70)and an age range of 15-17 years.The Social Support Scale,Core Self-Evaluation Scale,Academic Buoyancy Scale,and Academic Self-Handicapping Scale were used to measure the four variables of social support,core self-evaluation,academic buoyancy,and academic self-handicapping.The results of the study are as follows:(1)There were differences in social support among grade level,age,family structure,and parents’ education level.Social support was significantly higher among 10th graders than 11th graders,and among 15-year-olds than 16-year-olds.Social support was significantly higher in intact families than in single-parent families.There were differences in core self-evaluation based on gender,grade level,and father’s education level.Female students had significantly higher scores than male students,and 11th graders had significantly higher scores than 10th graders.There were differences in academic buoyancy based on gender and family structure.Female students had significantly higher scores than male students,and students from intact families had significantly higher scores than those from single-parent families.There were differences in academic self-handicapping based on gender and whether or not the student was an only child.Male students had significantly higher scores than female students,and only children had significantly higher scores than those who were not only children.(2)Social support was positively correlated with core self-evaluation and academic buoyancy.Core self-evaluation was positively correlated with academic buoyancy.Academic self-handicapping was negatively correlated with social support,core self-evaluation,and academic buoyancy.(3)Core self-evaluation played a mediating role in the relationship between social support and academic self-handicapping.(4)Academic buoyancy played a mediating role in the relationship between social support and academic self-handicapping.(5)Core self-evaluation and academic buoyancy played a serial mediating role in the relationship between social support and academic self-handicapping.The present study has yielded some meaningful findings by exploring the influencing factors and mechanisms of high school students’ academic Self-handicapping.Firstly,social support was found to be an effective predictive factor in reducing high school students’ academic Self-handicapping.Secondly,the present study found that core self-evaluation and academic buoyancy play important mediating roles in the relationship between social support and academic Self-handicapping in high school students.These research findings can provide reference for future intervention programs aimed at preventing acadernic Self-handicapping in high school students.