The Impact of Parental Marital Conflict on Adolescent Self-Perception: The Mediating Role of Psychological Resilience

Background Adolescent mental health, as a cornerstone of national development, is increasingly receiving significant attention from academia and society. The family, as the primary microsystem for individual growth, exerts a profound influence on the psychological and social adjustment of adolescents, particularly through its internal dynamics, such as the quality of parental marital relationships. Therefore, this study constructs an integrated model with resilience as a mediator, aiming to systematically reveal the psychological pathways through which parental marital conflict affects adolescent self-perception. Methods Using cluster random sampling, questionnaires were administered to students in elementary, middle, and high schools in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China. A total of 5,000 adolescents from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region completed questionnaires on parental marital conflict, self-perception, and resilience. After processing, 4,145 valid and usable questionnaires were recovered, resulting in an effective response rate of 82.9%. Data were analyzed using SPSS software for correlation analysis, difference analysis, and mediation effect analysis. Results After controlling for socio-demographic variables such as gender, whether the adolescent was a left-behind child, and family location, parental marital conflict was significantly negatively correlated with a decline in adolescent self-perception levels. The mediation analysis results indicated that resilience played a complete mediating role in the relationship between the two. Specifically, parental marital conflict indirectly and negatively affected adolescent self-perception by weakening their resilience. Conclusion The findings of this study demonstrate that resilience is a key mediating mechanism through which parental marital conflict influences adolescent self-perception development. Parental marital conflict indirectly and negatively affects adolescent self-perception by significantly undermining their resilience levels. The results highlight the importance of adopting comprehensive intervention strategies. These strategies should focus on enhancing adolescent resilience while also incorporating family-level support and education, aiming to mitigate the adverse effects of family stress on adolescent psychological development at its source.