Family Context and Adolescent Learning Fatigue: The Central Role of Academic Self-Efficacy

Abstract

This study investigates how family environments influence learning fatigue (LF) among junior secondary students, with perceived academic self-efficacy (PASE) as a mediator. Drawing on Ecological Systems Theory and Conservation of Resources theory, we proposed a model linking family communication climate (FCC), family functioning capacity (FFC), and quality of family bonds (QFB) to PASE and LF. Data were collected from 804 students in Zhejiang, China, using validated self-report scales. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) and artificial neural network (ANN) analyses were employed. SEM results showed that FCC and QFB enhanced PASE and reduced LF, while FFC unexpectedly predicted lower PASE and higher LF. Mediation tests confirmed PASE as a partial mediator. ANN analysis highlighted PASE as the strongest proximal predictor of LF, with QFB and FCC as key environmental factors. The findings underscore self-efficacy as a critical intervention target and call for family- and school-based strategies to mitigate fatigue.