Family obligation and Chinese adolescents' wellbeing: the moderating role of school connectedness.

Wellbeing is essential for healthy adolescent development, yet the association between family obligation and adolescents' wellbeing remains underexplored, particularly within collectivistic cultural contexts. The present study examined the associations between family obligation and Chinese adolescents' eudaimonic wellbeing and life satisfaction, as well as the moderating role of school connectedness in these associations. Participants were 2,259 secondary school students (mean age = 15.55 years) from three Chinese provinces (Shaanxi, Xinjiang, and Jilin), who completed an online survey assessing family obligation, school connectedness, eudaimonic wellbeing, and life satisfaction. Observed-variable path analyses within the structural equation modeling (SEM) framework and simple slope analyses were conducted. The results showed that family obligation was positively associated with both eudaimonic wellbeing and life satisfaction among Chinese adolescents. Furthermore, school connectedness significantly moderated these associations, such that the positive associations between family obligation and both dimensions of wellbeing were stronger among adolescents with higher levels of school connectedness. These findings highlight the joint associations of family and school microsystems with adolescents' wellbeing and contribute to a better understanding of adolescent wellbeing within the Chinese collectivistic cultural context. They also provide empirical evidence that may inform future family- and school-based efforts to support adolescent wellbeing.