Academic Self-Handicapping, Buoyancy, and Burnout in Junior High School: Longitudinal Dynamics with Implications for School-Based Prevention

This study examined the longitudinal associations among academic self-handicapping, academic buoyancy, and academic burnout, and tested whether academic buoyancy played a mediating role in the association between academic self-handicapping and academic burnout. A three-wave longitudinal survey with 3-month intervals was conducted among 508 Chinese junior high school students (Grades 7–9; Mage = 13.44 years; 48.8% boys). Cross-lagged panel modeling (CLPM) was used for data analysis. Results indicated that (1) academic self-handicapping and academic buoyancy showed reciprocal negative longitudinal associations; (2) academic buoyancy and academic burnout also showed reciprocal negative longitudinal associations; and (3) academic buoyancy showed a nuanced longitudinal mediating pattern: the hypothesized indirect effect from academic self-handicapping to academic burnout was marginally significant, whereas the reverse indirect effect was significant. From a school-based mental health and prevention perspective, these findings highlight academic buoyancy as a modifiable protective resource and academic self-handicapping as a potentially observable coping-related risk marker, suggesting actionable targets for early identification and tiered support to mitigate burnout-related disengagement in junior high school students.