A Study on the Differences in Parental Educational Expectations and Adolescents’ Academic and Psychological Development: A Comparative Analysis of Only Children and Non-Only Children
Based on data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), this study employs structural equation modeling and multi-group path analysis to explore the mechanisms and differences in how parental educational expectations, mediated by parent–child relationships and self-educational expectations, affect...
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MDPI AG
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Behavioral Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/4/402 |
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| author | Guilin Xu Yan Liu Zhuo Tu Xuewen Yang |
| author_facet | Guilin Xu Yan Liu Zhuo Tu Xuewen Yang |
| author_sort | Guilin Xu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Based on data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), this study employs structural equation modeling and multi-group path analysis to explore the mechanisms and differences in how parental educational expectations, mediated by parent–child relationships and self-educational expectations, affect the academic performance and mental health of only children and non-only children. The research reveals that parental educational expectations play a crucial role in improving adolescents’ academic performance, though their direct effect on mental health is less pronounced. Mediation effect analysis indicates that parental educational expectations have a chained mediation effect on academic performance and mental health through parent–child relationships and self-educational expectations. Multi-group path analysis reveals differences in the mediation pathways between only children and non-only children: in only-child families, the direct impact of parental educational expectations on parent–child relationships and academic performance is not significant, but the indirect effect through self-educational expectations is more prominent; in non-only-child families, parental educational expectations have a stronger direct impact on academic performance, and self-educational expectations combined with parent–child relationships exert a positive effect on mental health. This study emphasizes the crucial role of parent–child relationships and self-educational expectations in alleviating psychological stress and promoting the holistic development of adolescents. Considering the specific characteristics of different family structures, it is suggested that only-child families should focus on nurturing intrinsic motivation and alleviating the psychological stress of adolescents, while non-only-child families should enhance parent–child interaction and social support to foster the coordinated development of the academic performance and mental health of adolescents. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b043409b0f324d13a6b08edb49249bd0 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2076-328X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Behavioral Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-b043409b0f324d13a6b08edb49249bd02025-08-20T02:17:24ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2025-03-0115440210.3390/bs15040402A Study on the Differences in Parental Educational Expectations and Adolescents’ Academic and Psychological Development: A Comparative Analysis of Only Children and Non-Only ChildrenGuilin Xu0Yan Liu1Zhuo Tu2Xuewen Yang3School of Marxism, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, ChinaSchool of Marxism, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, ChinaSchool of Education, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430200, ChinaDepartment of Curriculum and Instruction, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, ChinaBased on data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), this study employs structural equation modeling and multi-group path analysis to explore the mechanisms and differences in how parental educational expectations, mediated by parent–child relationships and self-educational expectations, affect the academic performance and mental health of only children and non-only children. The research reveals that parental educational expectations play a crucial role in improving adolescents’ academic performance, though their direct effect on mental health is less pronounced. Mediation effect analysis indicates that parental educational expectations have a chained mediation effect on academic performance and mental health through parent–child relationships and self-educational expectations. Multi-group path analysis reveals differences in the mediation pathways between only children and non-only children: in only-child families, the direct impact of parental educational expectations on parent–child relationships and academic performance is not significant, but the indirect effect through self-educational expectations is more prominent; in non-only-child families, parental educational expectations have a stronger direct impact on academic performance, and self-educational expectations combined with parent–child relationships exert a positive effect on mental health. This study emphasizes the crucial role of parent–child relationships and self-educational expectations in alleviating psychological stress and promoting the holistic development of adolescents. Considering the specific characteristics of different family structures, it is suggested that only-child families should focus on nurturing intrinsic motivation and alleviating the psychological stress of adolescents, while non-only-child families should enhance parent–child interaction and social support to foster the coordinated development of the academic performance and mental health of adolescents.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/4/402educational expectationsonly childrenparent–child relationshipsmental healthChina Family Panel Studies (CFPS) |
| spellingShingle | Guilin Xu Yan Liu Zhuo Tu Xuewen Yang A Study on the Differences in Parental Educational Expectations and Adolescents’ Academic and Psychological Development: A Comparative Analysis of Only Children and Non-Only Children Behavioral Sciences educational expectations only children parent–child relationships mental health China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) |
| title | A Study on the Differences in Parental Educational Expectations and Adolescents’ Academic and Psychological Development: A Comparative Analysis of Only Children and Non-Only Children |
| title_full | A Study on the Differences in Parental Educational Expectations and Adolescents’ Academic and Psychological Development: A Comparative Analysis of Only Children and Non-Only Children |
| title_fullStr | A Study on the Differences in Parental Educational Expectations and Adolescents’ Academic and Psychological Development: A Comparative Analysis of Only Children and Non-Only Children |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Study on the Differences in Parental Educational Expectations and Adolescents’ Academic and Psychological Development: A Comparative Analysis of Only Children and Non-Only Children |
| title_short | A Study on the Differences in Parental Educational Expectations and Adolescents’ Academic and Psychological Development: A Comparative Analysis of Only Children and Non-Only Children |
| title_sort | study on the differences in parental educational expectations and adolescents academic and psychological development a comparative analysis of only children and non only children |
| topic | educational expectations only children parent–child relationships mental health China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/4/402 |
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