An empirical study on the intentions and behaviors of non-art majors in continuously selecting esthetic education courses: integration of ECM and TPB

To explore non-art majors' intentions and behaviors of non-art majors concerning their ongoing enrollment in esthetic education courses, we constructed a theoretical framework integrating ECM and TPB for empirical analysis. The study surveyed undergraduate, master's, and doctoral students from the comprehensive universities in China. Questionnaires were collected from 519 students selected in esthetic education courses during the second semester of 2024, and integrated structural equation modeling was employed for testing. Analysis reveals that students' positive attitudes toward esthetic education courses and their perceived feasibility of selection are core variables affecting persistent selection intents. Furthermore, expectation confirmation and satisfaction with esthetic education courses indirectly influence sustained selection intentions. Overall, this study provides evidence that the integrated model offers greater explanatory power for non-art majors' intentions and behaviors regarding continued selection in esthetic education courses compared to any single model considered in isolation. This establishes a comprehensive theoretical framework for in-depth research on the intentions and behaviors of non-art majors regarding continued selection in esthetic education courses. Simultaneously, it offers practical insights for those aiming to enhance the development, promotion, and management of esthetic education courses at comprehensive universities.