Perceived Helicopter Parenting and Learning Burnout in Chinese Adolescents: Intelligence Mindsets and Psychological Capital as Mediators

This study aimed to examine the association between perceived helicopter parenting and adolescents’ learning burnout, as well as the potential mediating roles of intelligence mindsets and psychological capital. A sample of 3392 Chinese adolescents (1635 7th-graders and 1757 8th-graders) from three junior high schools completed self-report measures of helicopter parenting, fixed and malleable intelligence mindsets, psychological capital, and learning burnout. Structural equation modeling showed that perceived helicopter parenting was positively associated with learning burnout, both directly and indirectly. Significant indirect associations were through fixed mindset, psychological capital, and their sequential pathway, whereas pathways involving malleable mindset were not significant. Multigroup analyses further revealed several pathway-specific gender differences. These findings highlight the importance of distinguishing fixed and malleable mindsets and suggest that psychological capital may be a central proximal resource linking perceived helicopter parenting with adolescents’ learning burnout.