This study examined whether learning self-efficacy mediates the association between course experience and course satisfaction in university aerobics classes. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was used. In the quantitative phase, 500 undergraduates completed paired surveys, with course experience measured at Time 1 and self-efficacy and satisfaction measured 7-14 days later at time 2. Descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, correlations, regression, bootstrap mediation analysis, and supplementary construct-distinctiveness analyses were conducted. In the qualitative phase, 21 students participated in semi-structured interviews to explain the quantitative pathway. Course experience positively predicted self-efficacy and course satisfaction, and self-efficacy partially mediated the association between course experience and satisfaction (indirect effect =0.199, 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.140, 0.262]). Although raw correlations among the focal variables were very high, covariate-adjusted residual correlations were substantially lower, suggesting that between-group differences partly inflated the zero-order overlap. Interview findings indicated that teacher feedback, peer support, progressive mastery, emotional safety, and challenge-skill fit helped explain how positive experiences were translated into stronger efficacy beliefs and higher satisfaction. Overall, the findings suggest that students were more satisfied when supportive course experiences were converted into a credible sense of capability, but the mediation results should be interpreted as a cautious observed-score explanatory pattern rather than as definitive causal or latent-variable evidence.
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Yuan, Q. (2026) How Course Experience Shapes Satisfaction in University Aerobics Classes: The Mediating Role of Learning Self-efficacy in an Explanatory Sequential Mixed-methods Study. Hong Kong Financial Bulletin, 2(1), 57-73. https://doi.org/10.71052/hkfb2025/LAOX6524