Abstract
Background and Prepose: Adolescence is a critical developmental period accompanied by familial, social, and academic pressures. Interparental conflict and academic stress may be associated with increased stress among adolescents. The present study aimed to examine the relationships between perceived interparental conflict, academic stress, and perceived stress, as well as the mediating role of academic stress in the relationship between perceived interparental conflict and perceived stress.
Method: This study employed a cross-sectional descriptive-correlational design. The study population consisted of students aged 13 to 17 years in Taybad during the second semester of the 2024–2025 academic year. Convenience sampling was used to recruit 400 students. The instruments included the Children’s Perception of Interparental Conflict Scale (CPIC), the Academic Stress Scale, and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and PROCESS Model 4. Age and gender were entered into the model as control variables, and the indirect effect was examined using 5,000 bootstrap resamples.
Results: Perceived interparental conflict was positively and significantly associated with both academic stress and perceived stress. Academic stress was also positively and significantly associated with perceived stress. The direct effect of interparental conflict on perceived stress and its indirect effect through academic stress were both statistically significant.
Conclusion: Academic stress partially mediated the relationship between perceived interparental conflict and perceived stress. Given the cross-sectional nature of the study, the findings indicate statistical associations and should not be interpreted as evidence of causal relationships.