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Does Optimism Moderate Parental Achievement Pressure and Academic Stress in Korean Children?

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Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the moderating effect of dispositional optimism on the relationship between the perception of parental achievement pressure and academic stress in South Korean children. Participants comprised 386 children, aged 10, recruited from 6 elementary schools in rural and metropolitan regions of South Korea. Participants completed self-report questionnaires on optimism, perception of achievement pressure from parents, and academic stress. Statistical analyses were conducted to identify significant variables. The multiple linear regression analysis showed children’s optimism significantly buffered academic stress. With increased parental pressure to achieve, children with higher optimism scores experienced less academic stress than those with lower optimism scores. The results suggest that optimism can alleviate stress for Korean children who live in an extremely stressful academic climate.

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Correspondence to Keumjoo Kwak.

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Kim, Y., Kwak, K. & Lee, S. Does Optimism Moderate Parental Achievement Pressure and Academic Stress in Korean Children?. Curr Psychol 35, 39–43 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-015-9355-5

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