Entrepreneurship is crucial for economic development and youth employment. Understanding the psychological motivations behind entrepreneurial intentions is essential for policy development and creating a supportive environment. This study uses the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework to investigate the factors driving entrepreneurial intentions among Chinese college students. The TPB posits that attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control influence behavioral intentions. This research expands the TPB by examining the moderating role of student internship motivation (SIM). Internships provide valuable practical experience, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world application. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted internship programs globally, highlighting the need to understand their impact on entrepreneurial ambition. This study addresses a gap in the literature by investigating the moderating effect of SIM on the relationship between EA, SN, PBC, EE, ESE, and SEI. Previous research has shown that EA, SN, PBC, EE, and ESE are significantly related to SEI, but none have considered the moderating role of SIM. This research contributes to the entrepreneurship literature by providing a new model to examine this moderating effect and offers practical guidance for universities in implementing effective internship programs to maximize benefits for students.

The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), an extension of the Theory of Reasoned Action, serves as the theoretical foundation for this study. TPB posits that behavior is influenced by attitudes toward the behavior, subjective norms (social pressure), and perceived behavioral control (self-efficacy). Numerous studies have applied TPB to various behavioral contexts, including technology adoption, health behaviors, and consumer behavior. In the context of entrepreneurship, research using the TPB framework has explored the influence of various factors on entrepreneurial intentions (EI). For example, studies have examined the impact of values, perceived risks, entrepreneurial education, and psychological capital on EI. However, the literature lacks research on the moderating role of student internship motivation on the relationship between these factors and entrepreneurial intentions. This study builds upon this existing literature by explicitly incorporating SIM as a moderating variable.

This quantitative study employed a self-administered questionnaire to collect data from 478 Chinese college students. The questionnaire measured entrepreneurial attitudes (EA), subjective norms (SN), perceived behavioral control (PBC), entrepreneurial education (EE), entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE), student internship motivation (SIM), and student entrepreneurial intention (SEI). Each construct consisted of three items measured on a 5-point Likert scale. The questionnaire was translated into Chinese and back-translated to ensure accuracy. A pilot study with 100 students was conducted to assess the questionnaire's clarity and comprehensibility. Convenient sampling was used to recruit participants, and data were collected online through social media platforms WeChat and QQ. Data analysis was performed using SPSS-26, including descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, Pearson correlation, multiple linear regression, and moderation analysis using Hayes' PROCESS macro. Harman's single-factor test was conducted to assess common method bias, which was found to be insignificant. The sample size of 478 exceeded the minimum requirement calculated using a sample size calculator with 95% confidence level, 5% margin of error, and 50% population proportion. The demographic information of the participants (age, gender, education level, future plans) was also collected.

Descriptive statistics showed positive correlations between all variables. Reliability analysis confirmed the reliability and validity of the measurement scales. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that EA, SN, PBC, EE, and ESE all positively and significantly influenced SEI. Moderation analysis using Hayes' PROCESS macro, Model 1, revealed that SIM significantly and negatively moderated the relationship between EA, SN, PBC, and ESE, and SEI. However, SIM did not significantly moderate the relationship between EE and SEI. Simple slope analysis further illustrated this negative moderation, showing that the impact of EA, SN, PBC, and ESE on SEI was stronger at lower levels of SIM. The Johnson-Neyman technique identified the ranges of SIM values where the relationships between predictors and SEI were significant. Common method bias was tested and deemed insignificant.

The findings support the hypothesized positive relationships between EA, SN, PBC, EE, ESE, and SEI, aligning with previous research. The significant negative moderating role of SIM suggests that high internship motivation can weaken the influence of EA, SN, PBC, and ESE on entrepreneurial intentions. This unexpected finding might indicate that students highly motivated by internship opportunities might prioritize securing employment over starting their own ventures. Alternatively, students with high SIM may already have clear career paths and less need for entrepreneurship. The non-significant moderation effect of SIM on the EE-SEI relationship suggests that EE's impact on entrepreneurial intentions is independent of internship motivation. The results highlight the complexity of factors influencing entrepreneurial intentions and the need to consider contextual factors like internship experiences. The study contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence on the complex interplay between SIM and other determinants of entrepreneurial intentions.

This study contributes to the entrepreneurship literature by empirically examining the moderating role of student internship motivation on the relationship between several key factors and entrepreneurial intentions among Chinese college students. The findings highlight the importance of considering the context of internships when designing programs aimed at fostering entrepreneurial spirit. Future research could explore the impact of specific internship characteristics on entrepreneurial intentions, cultural nuances, and other potential moderating variables.

The study's reliance on self-reported data, convenience sampling, and focus on Chinese college students limits the generalizability of the findings. Future research should consider employing more diverse sampling techniques and exploring other relevant factors like family background, government policies, and cultural context to enhance the robustness and generalizability of the results.