earticle

영어

This study investigates the relationships among academic burnout, peer support, optimism, and mental health in elementary school students, with a focus on the mechanisms through which academic burnout impacts mental health. Data were collected from 588 fourth- to sixth-grade students attending two elementary schools in the capital area. Participants’ levels of academic burnout, peer support, optimism, and mental health including depression and anxiety were assessed. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the data, and bootstrapping techniques were used to examine the mediating roles of peer support and optimism. The findings reveal that academic burnout directly affects mental health, leading to increased levels of depression and anxiety. Additionally, academic burnout exerts indirect effects on mental health through optimism, with two key pathways identified: ‘Academic Burnout → Optimism → Mental Health’ and ‘Academic Burnout → Peer Support → Optimism → Mental Health.’ This study emphasizes the importance of addressing both personal factors, such as optimism, and social dynamics, such as peer support, in developing interventions aimed at promoting the mental well-being of elementary school students.