A longitudinal study on stress from academic expectations of self, parents and teachers, and adolescents’ subjective well-being

Adolescents across different educational contexts experience significant levels of academic stress that may have detrimental effects on their school functioning. This study examined how stress from perceived academic expectations of parents, teachers, and from themselves predict adolescents’ well-being over time and whether achievement level moderates this relation. Longitudinal data were collected from 735 secondary school students in Singapore. Path analyses revealed that stress arising from parents’ and teachers’ expectations predicted lower life satisfaction and higher negative affect after several months. High-achieving students experienced stronger negative effects of stress from parents’ and teachers’ expectations on school satisfaction. However, no significant associations were found between stress from self-expectations and well-being outcomes. These findings highlight the need for more nuanced educational interventions to support adolescents’ mental health, particularly high achievers.