Perceived peer relationships and achievement motivation: Subject-specific dynamics in a Chinese high school learning context

Tianxue Cui; Emily Hongzhen Cheng; Jian Shi; Qimeng Liu

doi:10.1111/bjep.12749

Perceived peer relationships and achievement motivation: Subject-specific dynamics in a Chinese high school learning context

Br J Educ Psychol. 2025 Dec;95(4):962-981. doi: 10.1111/bjep.12749. Epub 2025 Feb 27.

Authors

Tianxue Cui^{1

2}, Emily Hongzhen Cheng², Jian Shi³, Qimeng Liu⁴

Affiliations

¹ College of Public Administration and Humanities, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, China.
² Faculty of Education, University of Macau, Macau, SAR, China.
³ Department of Sports, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing, China.
⁴ Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment toward Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.

PMID: 40014305
DOI: 10.1111/bjep.12749

Abstract

Aim: This study employed a three-wave random intercept cross-lagged panel model (RI-CLPM) to investigate whether a reciprocal relationship exists between perceived peer relationships (intimacy and conflict) and achievement motivation in math and English in the Chinese context.

Samples: A total of 4040 high school students were tracked with their perceived intimacy and conflict with peers and achievement motivation levels in math and English over three academic years since Grade 10.

Results: A reciprocal association was found between perceived peer intimacy and achievement motivation in English, and the predictive effect of intimacy on achievement motivation in English was the same as the reverse association. Only a unidirectional association between perceived peer intimacy and achievement motivation in math could be found. Perceived peer conflict change could not be significantly related to the change in achievement motivation in either math or English.

Conclusions: This study emphasizes that the influence of peer intimacy on achievement motivation is more pronounced compared to that of peer conflict. Moreover, the effect of peer intimacy varies across subject areas. Notably, there is no need for motivational intervention approaches based on gender in math and English.

Keywords: academic learning in math and english; achievement motivation; intimacy/conflict; perceived peer relationships; reciprocal relationships.

MeSH terms

Academic Success*
Achievement*
Adolescent
China
Female
Humans
Interpersonal Relations*
Male
Motivation* / physiology
Peer Group*
Schools
Social Perception*
Students* / psychology