Learning motivation as a mediator between ethnic identity family environment and academic performance among Guangxi minority college students

This study examined relationships between ethnic identity, family environment, learning motivation, and academic performance among ethnic minority undergraduates in Guangxi Province, China. A cross-sectional survey involved 828 students from three colleges. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. The instrument measured four latent constructs: (i) ethnic identity, using items adapted from established ethnic identity instruments; (ii) family environment, using items adapted from the Family Environment Scale; (iii) learning motivation, using items adapted from the Academic Motivation Scale; and (iv) academic performance, using self-reported indicators of grades, academic engagement, recognition, and academic-related experiences. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics in IBM SPSS (version 27), and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) in SmartPLS4. SEM results showed that ethnic identity (_ = 0.366, p = 0.000) and family environment (_ = 0.475, p = 0.000) significantly predicted learning motivation, and that learning motivation significantly predicted academic performance (_ = 0.641, p = 0.000). The direct paths from ethnic identity (_ = _0.048, p = 0.311) and family environment (_ = 0.051, p = 0.358) to academic performance were not significant. However, learning motivation significantly mediated both effects (_ = 0.235; _ = 0.305; p < 0.05), indicating that motivation is the key mechanism linking sociocultural and family factors to achievement. Theoretically, the findings clarify that ethnic identity and family environment shape academic performance mainly through learning motivation, supporting a model that connects sociocultural identity, family climate, and motivational processes. Practically, the findings suggest that culturally responsive, family-engaged interventions that strengthen learning motivation may most effectively improve academic outcomes for ethnic minority undergraduates and should guide targeted educational policy and support programmes in Guangxi Province.