ABSTRACT
In China, as high school students face increasingly intense competition for college entrance examinations, the phenomenon of academic burnout has become more prominent within this group. If not addressed, it may be associated with lower learning efficiency, poorer academic performance, and reduced well-being. Family education plays an irreplaceable role in adolescent development and has a lasting association with lifelong growth. This study examined the associations between home–school cooperation and academic burnout among Chinese high school students, aiming to determine whether stronger home–school cooperation is related to lower levels of burnout. Using a mixed-methods approach involving observations, interviews, and questionnaires, data were collected from 213 students (Mage = 16.8, SDage = 0.42; 80 boys, 37.6%; 133 girls, 62.4%) from X High School in Guangdong Province, China. The findings indicated that: (1) overall levels of academic burnout were relatively low and were associated with the school environment, family context, and individual motivation; (2) significant group differences in academic burnout and home–school cooperation were observed across leadership roles, family income levels, and parental education backgrounds; and (3) a significant negative correlation emerged between academic burnout and home–school cooperation, suggesting that greater cooperation between families and schools is associated with lower levels of student burnout.