Social Support and Academic Satisfaction in Calligraphy Learning: Evidence from Upper Primary School Students in the Context of Double Reduction Policy
Keywords:
Academic Satisfaction, Calligraphy Education, Social SupportAbstract
In the context of China’s “double reduction” policy, calligraphy education has gained increasing attention as an essential medium for preserving and transmitting traditional Chinese culture at the primary education level. Despite this growing emphasis, the implementation of calligraphy instruction in elementary schools still faces several challenges, including low student motivation, limited engagement in classroom activities, unsatisfactory learning experiences, and relatively low academic satisfaction. These issues indicate that instructional methods do not solely influence students’ learning success, but are also influenced by external environmental factors, particularly social support. Nevertheless, empirical studies examining the relationship between social support and academic satisfaction in primary school calligraphy education remain limited. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the influence of social support on the academic satisfaction of upper-grade primary school students participating in calligraphy learning. The study employed a quantitative survey design involving 518 fifth- and sixth-grade students from five primary schools in X City, China. Data were collected via questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS version 25.0. The findings revealed that students generally perceived social support at an above-average level and demonstrated high levels of academic satisfaction. Furthermore, the analysis indicated a significant positive correlation between social support and academic satisfaction. Social support was also found to significantly predict students’ academic satisfaction. These findings suggest that support from families, schools, and peers plays a crucial role in enhancing students’ learning experiences and overall satisfaction in calligraphy education. The study implies the importance of establishing a collaborative family–school–community support system to create a more positive and supportive learning environment, thereby improving students’ academic satisfaction and the overall quality of calligraphy education
References
Azevedo, R. (2009). Theoretical and empirical foundations of self-regulated learning. In D. J. Hacker, J. Dunlosky, & A. C. Graesser (Eds.), Handbook of metacognition in education (pp. 63-87). Routledge.
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. W. H. Freeman.
Chen, H.-C. (2016). The effect of art-talented classes and regular classes on the relationship between social support and learning adaptation in the elementary school [Masters thesis, Nanhua University]. Institutional Repository. http://nhuir.nhu.edu.tw/handle/987654321/24551
Chen, W., He, Y., Gao, Y., Zhang, C., Chen, C., Bi, S., Yang, P., Wang, Y., & Wang, W. (2017). Long-term experience of Chinese calligraphic handwriting is associated with better executive functions and stronger resting-state functional connectivity in related brain regions. PLoS ONE, 12(1), e0170660. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0170660
Chen, W., Maaruf, S. Z., & Ahamed Kamal, A. A. (2025). Calligraphy curation pedagogy for childrens aesthetic development: A narrative review. Environment-Behaviour Proceedings Journal, 10(34). https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v10i34.7377
Chen, W., Wang, M., Gao, Y., Fang, M., Liu, Y., Tao, Y., Ma, Y., & Wang, W. (2024). The effects of Chinese calligraphic handwriting education on positive mental characters and academic emotions in Chinese primary school students. Acta Psychologica, 250, 104533. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2024.104533
Chen, W.-C. (2025). Calligraphy heritage promotion: A case study on incorporating SDGs into the calligraphy education for a primary school. Journal of Teacher Education and Professional Development, 18(1), 93-116. https://doi.org/10.53106/207136492025041801004
Cheng, L. (2024). Research on strengthening foundation promotion strategy of calligraphy education in normal universities in Jiangxi Province under the background of double reduction. Journal of Zhejiang Vocational Academy of Art, 4, 67-74. https://www.cnki.net (Accession No. edscoj.zhysfxyxb202404011)
Frontiers in Psychology. (2022). Extracurricular visual art activities and childrens academic performance: The role of parental support and interest. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 987644. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.987644
Guo, G. P. (2006). The impact of social support on students learning adaptation. Psychological Development and Education, 22(3), 45-50.
He, W. R. (2007). A study on the structure and form of ancient Chinese calligraphy education [Doctoral dissertation, Zhejiang University]. CNKI.
Hou, S. M., et al. (2011). The relationship between social support and learning engagement among middle school students. Psychological Science, 34(2), 233-238.
House, J. S. (1981). Work stress and social support. Addison-Wesley.
Hu, L. L. (2016). A study on the autonomous learning strategies of calligraphy for primary school students [Masters thesis, Inner Mongolia Normal University]. CNKI.
Hu, Y. L. (2018). The influence of family environment on students academic satisfaction. Educational Research and Experiment, (4), 56-60.
Jin, W. (2026). From writing characters to nurturing people: Project-based calligraphy learning reshapes the mental growth of primary school students. Popular Psychology, 33(3), 22-23. https://dzxlx.ecnu.edu.cn/EN/Y2026/V33/I3/22
Kong, D. (2023). On the contemporary value of Sha Menghais view of calligraphy in the construction of calligraphy courses in colleges and universities. SHS Web of Conferences, 157, Article 04024. https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/202315704024
Lan, Y. F. (2022). An analysis of the current situation and countermeasures of calligraphy teaching in primary and secondary schools. In 2022 Education, Teaching and Management Chengdu Forum Proceedings (II) (pp. 377-381). Sichuan Yibin Cuiping District LiDuan Town Central Primary School.
Li, Y. M. (2025). Existing problems and optimization strategies of calligraphy teaching in primary and secondary schools. Henan Education (Teacher Education), 5, 86-87.
Li-Tsang, C. W. P., Li, T. M. H., Yang, C. N., Cheung, P. P. P., Au, K. Y., Chan, Y. P., Cheung, K. Y., Ho, K. H., Kwok, K. W., & Leung, H. W. H. (2022). Evaluation of a group-based sensorimotor intervention programme to improve Chinese handwriting of primary school students. Heliyon, 9(2), e12554. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e12554
Liu, G., & Saong, J. (2025). Strengthening the discipline integration and professional development of calligraphy teachers. International Journal of Education and Literacy Studies, 13(1), 159-169. https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijels.v.13n.1p.159
Ma, J. H. (2003). The structure and measurement of social support. Psychological Science, 26(2), 235-238.
Niu, J., Fang, J., & Qi, Z. (2025). Family socio-economic status and parental education anxiety: The mediating role of perception of the double reduction policy and the moderating role of parental education expectations. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.XXXXXX
Pang, X., Xue, H., & Xiao, F. (2025). The impact of the Double Reduction policy on the participation and expenditure of students families on off-campus tutoring. Journal of East China Normal University (Educational Sciences), 43(1), 17-36. https://doi.org/10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5560.2025.01.002
Tang, E., Rasul, M. S., & Jalaludin, N. A. (2025). Effects of STEAM-PBL on calligraphy vocational skills and artistic creativity: Mediating role of learning motivation. Foro de Educación, 23(2). https://doi.org/10.14201/fde.23218
Wang, F. (2018). The influence of teachers instructional behavior on academic satisfaction. Curriculum, Teaching Material and Method, 38(6), 89-94.
Wang, K. P. (2022). On the regular script copybooks in the Guidelines for Calligraphy Education in Primary and Secondary Schools. Teenagers Calligraphy, 11, 46-47.
Wang, Z., & Li, J. (2023). The inheritance path of calligraphy culture under the background of double reduction policy. International Journal of Cultural Policy, 29(4), 512-528. https://doi.org/10.1080/10286632.2023.2186789
Wilhite, S. C. (1990). Self-efficacy, locus of control, self-assessment of memory ability, and study activities as predictors of college course achievement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 82(4), 696-700.
Wu, M. Z. (2013). Social support and students psychological adaptation. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 45(7), 789-798.
Xu, Y. (2024). Calligraphy education and its impact on primary school students concentration and self-discipline: An empirical study. Journal of Educational Research, 56(2), 145-162. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220671.2024.2314567
Yang, L., & Zhang, H. (2023). The role of teacher support in students engagement in traditional arts education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 125, 104056. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2023.104056
Yang, X., & Liu, Y. (2016). The relationship between learning motivation and academic satisfaction. Educational Science Research, (3), 52-58.
Zeng, Y. (2025). The Double Reduction policy: A review of empirical research on its effects. Science Insights Education Frontiers, 28(1), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.15354/sief.25.re462
Zhang, M., & Chen, L. (2024). Social support and academic satisfaction among primary school students: The mediating role of self-efficacy. Educational Psychology, 44(3), 301-318. https://doi.org/10.1080/01443410.2024.2315678
Zhao, H. (2023). Cultural confidence and the revitalization of calligraphy education in Chinas basic education system. Asian Education and Development Studies, 12(2), 112-128. https://doi.org/10.1108/AEDS-01-2023-0012
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Zhe Dong, Kou Heung, Zhongzhi Pan, Dong Wang, Jingjing Wang
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
