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The Effect of Parental Educational Expectations on Adolescent Subjective Well-Being and the Moderating Role of Perceived Academic Pressure: Longitudinal Evidence for China

Author

Listed:
  • Lu, Haiyang

    (Southwestern University of Finance and Economics)

  • Nie, Peng

    (Xi’an Jiaotong University)

  • Sousa-Poza, Alfonso

    (University of Hohenheim)

Abstract

Although the strong positive correlation between parental educational expectations (PEE) and child academic achievement is widely documented, little is known about PEE's effects on child psychological outcomes and the mechanisms through which it may work. Hence, in this paper, using nationally representative data from the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 waves of the China Education Panel Survey, we investigate PEE's causal impact on adolescent subjective well-being (SWB) and the moderating role of the academic pressures that these adolescents perceive. Even though we find robust evidence for a positive causal relation between PEE and adolescent SWB, its moderation by adolescent-perceived academic pressure is negative. In addition, the facts that the benefits of PEE are greater for female adolescents and those from immigrant, one-child, and nonpoor families suggests that it may operate on adolescent SWB through increased family resources, improved family relationships, and higher adolescent aspirations linked to higher PEE.

Suggested Citation

  • Lu, Haiyang & Nie, Peng & Sousa-Poza, Alfonso, 2019. "The Effect of Parental Educational Expectations on Adolescent Subjective Well-Being and the Moderating Role of Perceived Academic Pressure: Longitudinal Evidence for China," IZA Discussion Papers 12832, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp12832
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    2. Roger Fernandez-Urbano & Guido Salza & Robin Samuel, 2025. "Subjective School Experience and Well-Being during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 26(2), pages 1-29, February.
    3. Nie, Peng & Li, Qiaoge & Sousa-Poza, Alfonso, 2022. "Housing Unaffordability and Adolescent Subjective Well-Being in China," IZA Discussion Papers 15305, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Tianjiao Wang & Congbin Guo, 2022. "Inverted U-Shaped Relationship between Physical Activity and Academic Achievement among Chinese Adolescents: On the Mediating Role of Physical and Mental Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-13, April.
    5. Linxiao Zhang, 2024. "Parent-Child Expectation Discrepancy and Adolescent Mental Health: Evidence from “China Education Panel Survey”," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 17(2), pages 705-730, April.

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    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I30 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth

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