How does family intellectual-cultural orientation correlate with adolescents’ wellbeing literacy? An empirical analysis based on a chain mediation model

Introduction Wellbeing literacy(WL), as a promising emerging concept, offers a possible route for addressing global adolescent mental-health problems. Family intellectual-cultural orientation(FICO) shows a significant statistical association with wellbeing literacy, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Methods This study used convenience sampling to survey 868 adolescents aged 12–18 years and employed a serial mediation model (PROCESS Model 6) to examine the indirect effects of positive psychological capital and personal growth initiative in the association between family intellectual-cultural orientation and well-being literacy. Results Family intellectual-cultural orientation was significantly correlated with well-being literacy (effect = 0.1151, p < 0.001). The total indirect effect was significant (effect = 0.2414, 95% CI [0.1893, 0.2975]), accounting for 67.7% of the total effect. The separate mediating effects of positive psychological capital (effect = 0.1254, 95% CI [0.0839, 0.1718]) and personal growth initiative (effect = 0.0417, 95% CI [0.0183, 0.0710]), as well as their chain mediating effect (effect = 0.0743, 95% CI [0.0463, 0.1063]), were all significant. Discussion These correlational patterns reveal that family intellectual-cultural orientation is statistically linked to adolescents’ wellbeing literacy via the correlational chain of positive psychological capital(PPC) and personal growth initiative(PGI), which aligns with core assumptions of the resource-gain spiral mechanism proposed by conservation of resources theory. The findings provide empirical evidence for family-education interventions and school-based mental-health education.