PARENTAL PRESSURE AND ITS IMPACTS ON STUDENTS’ MENTAL HEALTH

Abstract

Parental pressure is an increasingly salient factor in affecting’s mental health and development with respect to academic performance, peer relations, and personal success as geared toward parental aspirations. This study examines the psychological, cognitive, behavioural, and relational impacts that arise from parental over expectations. Studies indicate that there exists a linear relationship between the increase in pressure and subsequent increases in anxiety, depression, lower self-esteem, and emotional withdrawal among students. Cultural and socioeconomic contexts also influence parental pressures. In most collectivist societies where parents closely have such kind of involvement with their children, the child's attitude toward the same would often be a form of support. However, such behavior could be perceived as overbearing and potentially detrimental to an individual's freedom in more individualistic cultures. Socioeconomic status plays a significant role as well: often, higher-income families push their children into doing well in school with a wide variety of options and support, while poorer families might be more often looking to see immediate economic input instead, thus shaping expectations for education. Parent-child relationships in tense times appear as another consistent factor, which would even go further to an emotional detachment or resistance from the action. These findings underscore the need to put emphasis or thrust on promoting empathetic and developmentally supportive parenting approaches for children's resilience through achievement. Finally, this article provides concrete proposals for parents, educators, and policymakers engaged in creating an enabling environment for the mental health, academic performance, and relational welfare of children across diverse populations.