The longitudinal relationship between family socioeconomic status and students' academic achievement: The mediating roles of learning anxiety-learning engagement profiles and the moderating role of negative parenting styles.

Abstract

This study examined the longitudinal relationship between family socioeconomic status (family SES) and students' academic achievement through learning anxiety-learning engagement profiles and the moderating role of negative parenting styles. Using longitudinal data from 425 Chinese primary students (200 boys, M_age = 9.73 ± 0.86 years old) across three seasons (winter, spring and summer) with three-month intervals, latent profile analysis identified three learning anxiety-learning engagement profiles: "High Anxiety-Low Engagement", "High Anxiety-Moderate Engagement" and "Low Anxiety-High Engagement". Mediation analysis revealed that, compared to the "Low Anxiety-High Engagement" group, the "High Anxiety-Moderate Engagement" group significantly mediated the relationship between family SES and academic achievement. Additionally, negative parenting styles moderated the association between family SES and learning anxiety-learning engagement profiles. These findings support both the family stress and investment models, suggesting that interventions should be tailored to families with differing SES levels.