The cross-lagged relationship between parent-child relationship and psychological capital in Chinese Adolescents: Gender differences

Adolescence is a critical developmental period characterized by rapid changes in psychological capital and significant challenges in parent-child relationships. However, dynamic studies investigating the interaction between parent-child relationships and psychological capital remain limited. This study adopts a cross-lagged longitudinal design to explore the dynamic relationship between parent-child relationships and psychological capital, with a particular focus on the moderating role of gender. Using a cluster sampling method, a 1-year follow-up survey was conducted with 993 adolescents from four middle schools in Sichuan Province, China. The results revealed the following: (1) Boys demonstrated significantly higher levels of psychological capital compared to girls. Over the 1-year period, psychological capital increased in both boys and girls. However, only boys experienced a significant decline in father-son relationships, while changes in parent-child relationships among girls were not significant. (2) The cross-lagged relationships between parent-child relationships and psychological capital exhibited gender differences. For boys, psychological capital predicted both father-son and mother-son relationships. For girls, a bidirectional predictive relationship was observed between father-daughter relationships and psychological capital. These findings suggest that boys with higher levels of psychological capital are more likely to cultivate strong parent-child relationships, while for girls, positive traits and father-daughter relationships mutually reinforce one another. These insights provide practical implications for mental health education in middle schools.