The mediating role of parental involvement in the relationship between adolescent mental health and academic performance: Effects of parental marital status and postdivorce living arrangements.

Abstract

This study examines the interrelationships between adolescent mental health, academic performance, and parental involvement, focusing on the influence of parental marital status and postdivorce living arrangements. A large-scale open online dataset was analyzed to assess correlations and mediating effects among these variables. Significant negative correlations were found between mental health problems and both academic performance and parental involvement (father and mother communication). Adolescents with divorced parents reported poorer mental health and lower parental involvement than those with married parents, though no significant differences emerged in academic performance. Students living with mothers showed higher academic achievement in Chinese and English, but not in mathematics. Parental involvement, particularly mother-child communication, partially mediated the relationship between mental health and academic performance. The findings highlight the importance of strong parent-child communication, especially postdivorce, and provide evidence for targeted interventions supporting adolescents from diverse family structures.