Work

Parental psychological control and adolescents’ academic adjustment: a moderated serial mediation model

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Background: Parental psychological control has been associated with poorer academic adjustment among adolescents, yet the indirect associations and moderating factors involved remain insufficiently understood. Guided by self-determination theory, this study examined the association between parental psychological control and adolescents' academic adjustment, the indirect associations involving academic buoyancy and learning engagement, and the moderating role of growth mindset. Methods: A total of 620 Chinese adolescents completed standardized questionnaires assessing parental psychological control, academic buoyancy, learning engagement, growth mindset, and academic adjustment. Data were analyzed using SPSS with the PROCESS macro to test a moderated serial mediation model. Results: 0.001). Three significant statistical indirect associations were identified. The indirect association involving academic buoyancy accounted for 18.09% of the total indirect effect, and that involving learning engagement accounted for 22.94%. The indirect association involving academic buoyancy and learning engagement in the specified serial model accounted for 8.56% of the total indirect effect. Moderation analyses showed that the negative associations of parental psychological control with academic adjustment, academic buoyancy, and learning engagement were weaker at higher levels of growth mindset. Conclusion: The findings suggest that parental psychological control is associated with adolescents' academic adjustment through statistical indirect associations involving academic buoyancy and learning engagement, with these associations varying across levels of growth mindset. The cross-sectional design precludes causal conclusions, and the proposed relationships require further examination using longitudinal and intervention designs.

Source: Frontiers in Psychology

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1910535

Authors: Shangjie Meng, Xingnan Zhan, Chengzhe Guo

Institutions: Krirk University, Beijing Normal University

Language: English

Topic: Psychosocial Factors Impacting Youth

Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Quality education

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,801