ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Psychol.
Sec. Organizational Psychology
The Longitudinal Psychological Pathway from Family Support to Entrepreneurial intention: A Mediation Model of Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy Among Art and Design Students
Yue Li 1
Pang Shengnan 2
Lu Zhao 3
Hashem Salarzadeh Jenatabadi 4
1. Shandong Women's University, Jinan, China
2. Zhejiang University of Media and Communications, Tongxiang, China
3. Shenzhen Polytechnic, Shenzhen, China
4. Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
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Abstract
Entrepreneurial intention is increasingly recognized as an important outcome within creative disciplines, yet limited longitudinal evidence exists regarding the social and psychological factors associated with its development among art and design students. Drawing on the extended Theory of Planned Behavior and Social Cognitive Theory, this study examines the longitudinal associations between family support, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, perceived behavioral control, and entrepreneurial intention among Chinese art and design students. Using a three-wave survey design, data were collected from 786 students enrolled in art and design programs across three provinces in China. Structural equation modeling was employed to examine direct and indirect associations among the study variables over time. The results indicate that entrepreneurial attitude and PBC are positively associated with entrepreneurial intention, whereas subjective norm shows no significant association. Family support is positively associated with entrepreneurial intention and is also related to higher levels of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and PBC. Moreover, entrepreneurial self-efficacy partially mediates the longitudinal association between family support and entrepreneurial intention, highlighting its role as a key psychological mechanism linking social support with entrepreneurial motivation. By integrating extended Theory of Planned Behavior and Social Cognitive Theory within a longitudinal framework, this study advances understanding of how social context and self-beliefs jointly relate to entrepreneurial intention in creative education. The findings underscore the relevance of family support and entrepreneurial self-efficacy in art and design contexts and offer implications for entrepreneurship education and support strategies tailored to creative disciplines.
Summary
Keywords
entrepreneurial behavior, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, Extended theory of planned behavior, family support, social cognitive theory
Received
11 December 2025
Accepted
20 February 2026
Copyright
© 2026 Li, Shengnan, Zhao and Salarzadeh Jenatabadi. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Lu Zhao; Hashem Salarzadeh Jenatabadi
Disclaimer
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