Improving University Students’ Academic Development Satisfaction Through Interpersonal Relationship: Social Support as a Mediator

Student satisfaction is a crucial indicator reflecting the sustainable development of both students and universities. While a substantial body of research exists on student satisfaction, the degree to which university students are content with their academic development has not been fully explored. Aiming to promote students’ academic development and sustainability of learning journey, this study examined the interplay among academic development satisfaction, interpersonal relationships, and social support. Utilizing a stratified cluster sampling technique, 846 valid answers were collected from a leading public research university in China. Descriptive analysis, Pearson’s correlation analysis, structural equation modeling analysis and bias-corrected percentile bootstrap method were conducted using SPSS 26.0. and AMOS 21.0. The findings indicate a significant positive correlation among academic development satisfaction, interpersonal relationships, and social support. Social support serves as a partial mediator between academic development satisfaction and interpersonal relationships, accounting for 12.96% of the total effect. These findings suggest that a nurturing interpersonal environment and robust social support, can enhance university students’ academic satisfaction, thereby fostering the sustainable development of both students and institutions.