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Does parental academic socialization mitigate or exacerbate family background disadvantages? Predicting problem behaviors in migrant and local adolescents

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  • Wu, Wei
  • Li, Jiali
  • Zhang, Yanan

Abstract

While parental academic socialization is known to positively influence adolescents’ academic outcomes, its long-term effects on problem behaviors—particularly its capacity to mitigate or exacerbate family background disadvantages—remain underexplored. In addition, disparities in these effects based on migrant status warrant further investigation. Addressing these gaps, this study examines the longitudinal associations between distinct dimensions of parental academic socialization and adolescents’ internal and external problem behaviors, with a focus on whether these associations moderate the influence of socioeconomic disadvantage across migrant and local adolescents. Data were drawn from a randomized sample of 5,893 adolescents aged 12 to 16, collected over two waves. Using precision-weighted multilevel modeling, the study analyzed the interactions among parental academic socialization, socioeconomic status (SES), migrant status, and behavioral outcomes. Results revealed that academic supervision, emotional communication, and educational expectation were consistently associated with lower levels of both internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors. Furthermore, academic supervision attenuated the impact of SES-related disadvantage on internal behaviors, while emotional communication and educational expectation buffered the effects of disadvantage on external behaviors. Notably, the protective effects of academic supervision and educational expectations were more pronounced among migrant adolescents than their local peers. These findings underscore the importance of context-sensitive and differentiated parental strategies in addressing adolescent behavioral challenges. They also highlight the need for targeted interventions and policy initiatives that account for both socioeconomic and migrant-related vulnerabilities to promote equitable behavioral development.

Suggested Citation

  • Wu, Wei & Li, Jiali & Zhang, Yanan, 2025. "Does parental academic socialization mitigate or exacerbate family background disadvantages? Predicting problem behaviors in migrant and local adolescents," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:176:y:2025:i:c:s019074092500297x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108414
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