The study's central research question explores the relationship between teacher social support, student emotions (positive and negative), and student learning engagement. It further investigates whether cultural factors influence this relationship in U.S. and Chinese college classrooms. The increasing global concern about college student mental health underscores the importance of understanding how supportive teaching practices can alleviate academic stress and boost motivation. The study is grounded in Emotional Response Theory (ERT), which posits a link between teacher communication, student affective responses, and learning behaviors. While prior research examined specific instructional behaviors, this study focuses on the comprehensive impact of teachers' supportive behaviors, acknowledging the crucial role of teacher-student interaction both inside and outside the classroom. The study's significance lies in its cross-cultural comparison, addressing the need to understand how cultural contexts shape the dynamics of teacher support and student emotional responses in learning environments.

The literature review examines existing research on student emotions in learning, focusing on Emotional Response Theory (ERT). ERT highlights the influence of teacher verbal and nonverbal behaviors on student emotional responses and subsequent learning behaviors, categorizing emotions into pleasure-displeasure, dominance-submissiveness, and arousal-non-arousal dimensions. Studies show links between specific instructional behaviors (e.g., humor, clarity, immediacy) and student emotional responses. However, previous research mainly focuses on in-class teacher behaviors and lacks exploration of out-of-class interactions. The review also addresses the concept of teacher social support, encompassing emotional, informational, esteem, and network support. Research indicates that teacher social support is crucial in shaping student learning experiences and positive teacher-student relationships, impacting student academic emotions and behaviors. Finally, the review explores the influence of culture (U.S. vs. Chinese) on teacher-student dynamics and classroom emotions, acknowledging differences in pedagogical approaches and power dynamics. This necessitates a cross-cultural examination of how teacher support and student emotions intertwine within different cultural contexts.

The study employed a quantitative methodology with a cross-cultural design comparing U.S. and Chinese college students. A total of 362 students participated (164 U.S., 198 China). Data were collected using paper-based surveys (U.S.) and online surveys (China). The surveys included measures of teacher social support (adapted Social Support Scale), student emotions (Positive and Negative Affect Scale – PANAS), and learning engagement (Student Engagement Scale). The surveys were translated and back-translated for the Chinese sample. Participants were asked to reflect on their feelings and experiences in a recently attended class. Pearson correlations assessed the relationships between variables. Independent t-tests compared U.S. and Chinese student responses. To test the mediating role of student emotions and the moderating role of culture on the relationship between teacher support and student engagement, the researchers utilized PROCESS macro for SPSS, employing various models (Models 4, 7, 14, and 58) for mediation and moderated mediation analyses.

The results revealed a significant positive relationship between teacher social support and student positive emotions, and a significant negative relationship between teacher support and student negative emotions. Student positive emotions were positively related to learning engagement, while negative emotions were negatively related to engagement. Importantly, only positive emotions, not negative emotions, significantly mediated the relationship between teacher social support and student engagement. Cross-cultural comparisons showed that U.S. students received significantly more network support from their teachers than Chinese students. Chinese students reported significantly more negative emotions in class than U.S. students, while U.S. students reported slightly higher positive emotions. Moderated mediation analyses indicated that the mediating effect of student emotions on the teacher support-student engagement relationship was consistent across both cultures. The absence of significant interaction effects indicated that the combined sample was appropriate for analysis.

The findings support and extend Emotional Response Theory by demonstrating the mediating role of student positive emotions in the relationship between teacher social support and learning engagement. Teacher support, encompassing various forms of assistance and interaction, significantly influences student emotional experiences and their engagement in learning. The consistency of this mediating effect across cultures suggests a universal element in the influence of teacher support on student learning. The observed cultural differences in perceived network support and reported emotions highlight the importance of considering cultural contexts when implementing teaching strategies aimed at fostering positive emotions and improving learning engagement. The higher levels of negative emotions among Chinese students may reflect cultural norms emphasizing teacher authority and potentially more structured and less interactive classroom environments. The study suggests the need for culturally sensitive approaches to enhancing student engagement and wellbeing.

This study contributes to a better understanding of the link between teacher social support, student emotions, and learning engagement. The mediating role of positive emotions is a key finding, suggesting that fostering positive emotional responses through supportive teaching practices can significantly impact student engagement. The cross-cultural aspect of the study offers insights into how cultural contexts shape these relationships, suggesting the need for tailored interventions. Future research could explore the longitudinal aspects of these relationships, examine specific instructional methods that enhance social support, and investigate the individual differences in responses to teacher support.

The study's limitations include the use of different data collection methods (paper-based vs. online surveys) across the two samples, a potential gender imbalance in the Chinese sample, and the correlational nature of the study, which prevents causal inferences. Future studies should address these limitations by using consistent methods, ensuring representative samples, and employing experimental designs to establish causality.