Effects of parental conflict on adolescent academic burnout: A moderated mediation model

Abstract

We investigated the relationship between parental conflict and adolescent academic burnout, along with the mediating role of the parent–child relationship and the moderating role of teacher support. We surveyed 886 firstyear secondary vocational school students in Foshan City using four scales: the Adolescent Student Burnout Inventory, the Children's Perception of Interparental Conflict Scale, the Parent–Child Closeness Scale, and the Students' Perception of Teachers' Supporting Behavior Questionnaire. The results showed that adolescent academic burnout was directly and positively associated with parental conflict, and that the parent–child relationship partially mediated this relationship. Teacher support moderated parental conflict and affected adolescent academic burnout indirectly through parent–child relationships. Thus, parents should try to create an emotionally secure family environment for children and cultivate high-quality parent–child relationships, to prevent or intervene in academic burnout among adolescents. Additionally, schools should consider the role of teacher support in the improvement of parent–child relationships among students.