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About this paper symposium
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| Panel 14. Parenting & Parent-Child Relationships |
| Paper #1 | |||
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| Typologies and Correlates of Perceived Academic Stress Among Chinese Adolescents: A Latent Class Analysis | |||
| Author information | Role | ||
| Yawei Huang, M.Ed., Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development | Presenting author | ||
| Gabriel J. Merrin, Syracuse University Department of Human Development and Family Science, the United States | Non-presenting author | ||
| Michael A. Medina, Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development, the United States | Non-presenting author | ||
| Abstract | |||
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Background: Academic stress is a salient daily stressor for adolescents preparing for China’s high-stakes college entrance exam, which is typically perceived as life-changing (Liu & Helwig, 2020). Studies examining correlates of academic stress (e.g., Sun et al., 2013) and its association with academic achievement (e.g., Ye et al., 2014) have mainly used a variable-centered approach. However, the complexity and multidimensional nature of academic stress suggest that a person-centered approach could provide insights into the prevalence of distinct stress typologies. The current study utilized a latent class analysis (LCA) to examine heterogeneity in perceived academic stress and the associations between class membership, individual correlates, and academic performance among Chinese high school students. Method: The sample consisted of 601 Chinese adolescents (53.1% female) from two public high schools (43.7% grade 10, 28.0% grade 11, and 28.3% grade 12) in southern China. Most participants (97.3%) belong to the Han ethnic group, reflecting the broader population demographics (91.1%; National Bureau of Statistics of China, 2020). Participants reported additional demographic information, as well as their perceived academic stress, self-evaluation of overall academic achievement (from very good to very bad), and grade-level score ranking in the most recent major examination (from top 20% to bottom 20%). Perceived academic stress was measured using the Academic Stress Scale for Adolescents (ASSA; Author, unpublished), a 12-item scale measuring three factors: Academic Burden, External Expectations, and Self Expectations. A class enumeration process was completed using the 12 items from the ASSA to identify the typologies of perceived academic stress using LCA. After determining the number of statistically supported and substantively meaningful classes, we followed the manual three-step approach with fixed logits (Asparouhov & Muthen, 2014) to examine associations between class memberships, various predictors, and academic performance using multinomial logistic regression. Results: A four-class solution was substantively meaningful and well-fitting based on multiple fit indices. As shown in Figure 1, Class 1 (19.8%) and Class 3 (39.6%) perceived the highest level of academic stress. Both featured congruent high academic expectations from adults and self, but they differed in terms of perceived stress in academic burden. Class 4 (9.5%) was lowest in perceived academic stress, featuring low academic burden and congruent low expectations. Class 2 (31.1%) featured incongruent academic expectations, perceiving low expectations from parents and teachers, but moderately high expectations from self. Students’ self-evaluation of overall academic achievement was differentially related to class membership, which also showcased different patterns in examination performance (see Figure 2). Discussion: Perceived academic stress, especially related to meeting expectations, is often high among Chinese high school students. Most demographic variables tested were not significantly associated with the latent classes of perceived academic stress, indicating that students are equally likely to be in all stress typologies. Perceived academic stress, especially stress related to meeting expectations, may be a potential mechanism linking positive attitudes toward academic achievement with excellence in examination performance. Future research will test this claim with longitudinal data. |
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| Paper #2 | |
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| Profiles of Chinese Parents’ Academic Responses: Links with Parents’ Academic Expectation and Children’s Math Learning | |
| Author information | Role |
| Yeqing Li, East China Normal University School of Psychology and Cognitive Science | Presenting author |
| Tong Zhou, Shanghai Normal University School of Psychology, China | Non-presenting author |
| Xi Chen, East China Normal University School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, China | Non-presenting author |
| Junsheng Liu, East China Normal University School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, China | Non-presenting author |
| Abstract | |
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Background: Parents influence their children's learning through diverse responses to academic performance. Cultural differences have been found in these responses. Chinese parents tend to adopt failure-oriented responses, focusing on the negative aspects of children’s performance, while American parents tend to use success-oriented responses, emphasizing positive aspects (J. Ng et al., 2019). However, implications of failure- and success-oriented responses for children’s learning may depend on the message of fixed or malleable view of ability conveyed in the responses. Previous studies suggested that parental responses can be divided into process- and person-oriented (Barger et al., 2022). Thus, our first aim was to enhance understanding of culturally guided parental academic responses by incorporating process- and person-orientation with failure- and success-orientation. Parents rarely use a single response, and different patterns may emerge in how parents respond to children's academic performance. Thus, our second aim was to use a person-centered approach to identify different profiles of parental academic response. After identifying profiles, the next question is how these response patterns are associated with children's understanding of parent-child interaction and their academic development. In Confucian culture, parental expectations could be a source of stress for children (Poots & Cassidy, 2020). However, not all children would be stressed from parental expectations, and such effect may depend on how parents express themselves during parent-child interactions (Wang et al, 2021). Thus, our third aim was to explore how parents’ response patterns moderated the relationship between parental academic expectations and children’s academic adjustment. Method: Study 1 involved 702 parents (M age = 38.62, SD age = 9.01) of 7th-9th graders and examined the structure of a newly developed questionnaire about parents’ responses to math performance. Study 2 included 775 parents (M age = 38.96, SD age = 8.75) and their children (M age = 13.59, SD age = 1.85). Children reported their perceived parental academic expectation in fall semester and their math adjustment (engagement, persistence, academic self-esteem, and fear of failure) in both fall and the following spring semester. Parents reported their academic responses during fall semester. Results: In study 1, factor analysis revealed acceptable fit, identifying four factors: failure- and person-orientation, failure- and process-orientation, success- and person-orientation, and success- and process-orientation, for both academic success and failure situations. In study 2, latent profile analysis identified three parental response profiles: low response (40.13%), high process response (44.39%), and high failure-oriented person response (15.48%). The high process response was linked to higher engagement, persistence, academic self-esteem, and lower fear of failure, while the high failure-oriented person response demonstrated the opposite pattern. Longitudinal regression analysis revealed that: (1) parental expectation positively predicted children’s persistence in the high process response, (2) parental expectation positively predicted fear of failure in the low response, (3) parental expectation negatively predicted academic self-esteem in the low response. Discussion: Findings highlight the importance of considering both failure/success orientation and person/process orientation when examining parents’ responses to their children’s academic performance. Furthermore, parents should be mindful of their response style when expressing academic expectations. |
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| Paper #3 | |
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| Better Scores, Better Future? Chinese Mothers Striving to Balance Children’s Academic Achievement and Holistic Development | |
| Author information | Role |
| Lingyan Hu, University of Pennsylvania | Presenting author |
| Hou Xie, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the United States | Non-presenting author |
| Jing Lin, McGill University, Canada | Non-presenting author |
| Qinglin Bian, University of Pennsylvania, the United States | Non-presenting author |
| Michael J. Nakkula, University of Pennsylvania, the United States | Non-presenting author |
| Abstract | |
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Background: In China, academic achievement has long been a primary goal of child-rearing and an indicator of effective parenting (Wang & Tamis-LeMonda, 2003). Rooted in traditional Chinese culture, academic success signifies not only personal growth and diligence but also fulfilling filial duties (Luo et al., 2013). While the focus on academic success remains strong in the competitive landscape of contemporary Chinese society, it often induces substantial psychological stress in adolescents and restricts their exploration of personal interests and future planning (Chen-Bouck et al., 2017). As modern Chinese parents increasingly prioritize their children's holistic development and well-being, they may face a dilemma in balancing broader aspirations with high academic expectations, particularly as their children approach the critical college entrance examination. This study examined Chinese mothers' expectations for their adolescent children and the actions they take to support goal achievement, both academically and beyond. Method: Individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 urban Chinese mothers whose adolescent children were attending high schools. The interviews focused on their aspirations, expectations, and plans for their children’s futures. Additionally, we explored how these mothers communicate with their children regarding future goals and the supportive actions they take to foster their children’s success. Results: Chinese mothers often prioritized autonomy, happiness, and stability in their ideal vision for their children's futures while downplaying the emphasis on academic performance. However, academic success remained central in their practical planning, with shared goals between mother and children often focused on high scores. Mothers actively supported these goals by managing daily routines, arranging tutoring, and monitoring behaviors to keep their children academically focused. When children had ve lower academic performance, mothers tended to hold diminished expectations and put more pressure on their children for academic improvement through greater diligence. Some mothers also expressed feelings of resignation and helplessness towards the intense social competition and academic pressures that their children faced. Aligned with this focus on academic success, a common belief revealed by mothers was that strong academic performance naturally led to a successful career and life. That being said, discussions around career planning in mother-child communication tended to be limited and surfacial, with only a few mothers taking proactive steps to explore or prepare for specific career paths beyond academics. Discussion: Chinese mothers face significant dilemmas as they strive to prepare their children for future success while also nurturing their overall development and well-being. Although they value broader developmental goals, a prevailing belief that academic success is crucial for securing future opportunities persists. Despite their concerns about the intense social competition, many mothers feel compelled to push their children to excel academically and pursue higher degrees to remain competitive. This strong focus on academic achievement may reflect a passive response to societal pressures. It underscores the internal conflicts that Chinese mothers encounter as they navigate varying childrearing beliefs and values. The narrow emphasis on academics, along with the lack of emphasis on career exploration, may create challenges for young adults transitioning from academic study to their careers. |
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Academic Expectations of Chinese Parents on their Adolescent Child: Visions, Communication, Practices, and Impacts.
Submission Type
Paper Symposium
Description
| Session Title | Academic Expectations of Chinese Parents on their Adolescent Child: Visions, Communication, Practices, and Impacts. |