The Impacts of Family Educational Investment on Mental Health of Chinese Parents: Mediating and Moderating Effects

Objectives: This review aims to explore the impact of family educational investment on parents’ mental health in China. Through this study, we reveal the current public health challenges and propose some solutions. Methods: Family educational investment takes three forms: economic investment, emotional investment, and time investment. This study examined the mediating effect of social integration and the moderating effect of social participation and workload on the relationship between family educational investment and parental mental health. Results: Economic investment, emotional investment and time investment were all negatively correlated with parental mental health. Social integration could better explain the detrimental effects of family educational investment on parental mental health, and that social participation and workload could play a significant negative and positive moderating role, respectively. Conclusion: Family educational investment, particularly emotional investment, plays an important and negative role in influencing parental mental health. To cope with the increased pressure brought about by educational competition, the state, society, and individuals all need to take measures.