The Influence of Academic Stress on College Students' Learning Motivation: The Mediating Role of Academic Environment Satisfaction and the Moderating Role of Learning Adaptability

Abstract The relationships between academic stress, learning motivation, academic environment satisfaction, and learning adaptability were examined in a group of undergraduate students in Jiangsu Province, China. The survey was completed by 1666 students, with 1607 students whose questionnaire was complete and valid. College students' learning motivation was positively correlated with their academic stress (r = 0.218, P < 0.01), academic environment satisfaction (r = 0.028, P < 0.01), and learning adaptability (r = 0.108, P < 0.01). Academic environment satisfaction mediated the relationship between academic stress and learning motivation. Learning adaptability moderated the first half of the path of "academic stress → academic environment satisfaction → learning motivation". In particular, academic stress was a stronger predictor of academic environment satisfaction in the low level of learning adaptability. Thus, in order to enhance learning motivation, we can achieve students' satisfaction by changing the academic environment. In addition, adjusting learning adaptability is also an important way to improve learning motivation through academic environment satisfaction.