Research on the impact of parental self-affirmation on educational anxiety: a moderated chain mediation model

Abstract

Based on the data of parents of primary school students in Lianyungang City, Jiangsu Province, China, this paper explores the impact of parental self-affirmation on educational anxiety, as well as the mechanism of parental trust in children’s autonomy, parental expectation, and family intimacy. A total of 983 parents of primary school students were surveyed using the GHQ-Self-Affirmation Scale, Parental Expectation Questionnaire, Parental Trust in Children’s Autonomy Questionnaire, Parental Education Anxiety Questionnaire, and the Chinese Version of FACES II, focusing on the dimension of close relationships. There is a significant positive correlation between parental self-affirmation and educational anxiety (r=0.17, p<0.01), and self-affirmation positively predicts educational anxiety (β=0.07, P<0.05). In other words, the higher the level of parental self-affirmation, the higher the degree of parental educational anxiety. Parental trust in children’s autonomy, and parental expectation play a chain mediating role between parental self-affirmation, and educational anxiety. The effect of parental self-affirmation on parental expectation is moderated by family intimacy. The study shows that parental trust in children’s autonomy, and parental expectation, serve as a mediating bridge between parental self-affirmation and educational anxiety, and family intimacy can significantly positively moderate the impact of parental self-affirmation on parental trust in children’s autonomy.