HOW CLUB ACTIVITY QUALITY SHAPES SOFT SKILLS IN VOCATIONAL COLLEGE STUDENTS: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF SELF-EFFICACY
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This study aims to: 1) examine the effect of club activity quality on the soft skills of vocational college students; 2) analyze whether self-efficacy mediates the relationship between club activity quality and soft skills; and 3) compare whether the mediating mechanism differs across professional focused, interest based, and service-oriented student clubs. Using social cognitive theory, experiential learning theory, and student engagement theory as the theoretical foundations, this study collected questionnaire data from 302 valid student club members at Dezhou Vocational College of Science and Technology. The questionnaire measured club activity quality, self-efficacy, and soft skills using a five-point Likert scale. Data were analyzed with SPSS 26.0 through descriptive statistics, reliability and validity testing, Pearson correlation analysis, regression analysis, and Bootstrap mediation testing. Results show that: 1) club activity quality significantly and positively predicts students' self-efficacy; 2) self-efficacy significantly and positively predicts students' soft skills; 3) the direct effect of club activity quality on soft skills becomes non-significant after self-efficacy is included, indicating a full mediating effect; and 4) the mediating effect is stronger among professional focused clubs than among interest based and service oriented clubs. The findings indicate that high quality club activities do not automatically produce soft skill development; rather, they improve soft skills mainly by strengthening students' confidence, persistence, and perceived ability to complete challenging tasks. The study provides theoretical evidence and practical guidance for vocational colleges to improve club activity design, implementation quality, reflection mechanisms, and soft skill cultivation.
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