Open Access

ARTICLE

Parental Achievement Pressure and Emotional and Behavioral Problems in Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Adolescent-Parent Conflict and Adolescent Distress

Mehmet Akif Kay¹, Cihangir Kaçmaz^2,*, Yunus Tunç³, Mehmet Emin Çay⁴, Osman Tayyar Çelik⁴
1 Vocational School of Social Sciences, Department of Child Care and Youth Services, Batman University, Batman, Türkiye
2 Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Child Development, Kayseri University, Kayseri, Türkiye
3 Vocational School of Health Services, Department of Child Development, Iğdır University, Iğdır, Türkiye
4 Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Child Development, Inonu University, Malatya, Türkiye
* Corresponding Author: Cihangir Kaçmaz. Email:

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion https://doi.org/10.32604/ijmhp.2026.085990

Received 22 May 2026; Accepted 14 July 2026; Published online 06 August 2026

Abstract

Background: Excessive pressure from parents to achieve academically has been acknowledged as a substantial risk factor associated with adolescents’ psychological adjustment. However, the mechanisms through which parental achievement pressure contributes to adolescents’ emotional and behavioral problems remain insufficiently understood. This study examined the relationship between parental achievement pressure and emotional and behavioral problems in adolescents, with parent–adolescent conflict and adolescent distress as sequential mediators. Methods: A total of 676 adolescents aged 12–15 years from the Batman province of Türkiye participated in the study. Data were collected using the Parental Achievement Pressure Scale, the Adolescent–Parent Conflict Scale, the Adolescent Distress Scale, and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Serial mediation analysis was conducted using PROCESS Macro Model 6, with parental achievement pressure as the independent variable, emotional and behavioral problems as the dependent variable, and parent–adolescent conflict and adolescent distress as sequential mediators. Results: Research findings showed that parental achievement pressure (β = 0.140, p = 0.001), parent–adolescent conflict (β = 0.182, p < 0.001), and adolescent distress (β = 0.219, p < 0.001) were positively associated with emotional and behavioral problems. Significant indirect effects were also observed through parent–adolescent conflict (β = 0.097), adolescent distress (β = 0.070), and their sequential pathway (β = 0.021). The final model explained 19.1% of the variance. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that parental achievement pressure may be associated with adolescents’ emotional and behavioral problems both directly and indirectly through parent–adolescent conflict and adolescent distress. These findings emphasize the importance of family- and school-based interventions aimed at reducing excessive achievement pressure, strengthening parent–adolescent communication, and supporting adolescents’ stress-management skills.

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Keywords

Academic success; adolescent distress; adolescent-parent conflict; adolescents; emotional and behavioural problems; pressure

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