Teacher transformational leadership and international student academic satisfaction: Examining the sequential mediation of student self-efficacy and engagement

Grounded in Social Cognitive Theory and student engagement framework, this study examines how teacher transformational leadership influences international student academic satisfaction in China. Analyzing data from 399 international undergraduates using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling, findings reveal that teacher transformational leadership does not directly predict academic satisfaction. Instead, student self-efficacy and engagement fully mediate this relationship. Crucially, the study empirically validates a sequential mediation pathway, showing how teacher influence first builds student self-efficacy, which then drives active learning involvement, ultimately leading to satisfaction. This research significantly contributes by clarifying the precise psychological and behavioral mechanisms through which transformational teachers foster international student success in cross-cultural higher education. Practically, it emphasizes the importance of teacher training in transformational and culturally responsive pedagogies to enhance international students' self-efficacy, engagement, and academic satisfaction.