Internalizing problems are commonly associated with poorer well-being during adolescence, yet family processes may alter this association. Guided by developmental psychopathology and family systems perspectives, this study examined whether parenting practices function as a compensatory pathway linking internalizing problems and mental well-being. Participants were 444 adolescents (aged 10–18 years; 50.7% female) recruited from public secondary schools. Measures of internalizing problems, parenting practices, and mental well-being were administered. Regression-based path analysis with 5,000 bootstrap resamples was used to estimate indirect effects while controlling for age and class level. Internalizing problems were positively associated with parenting practices (β = .187, p < .001), and parenting practices were positively associated with mental well-being (β = .594, p < .001). Although internalizing problems showed a negative direct association with mental well-being (β = −.116, p = .004), a significant positive indirect association emerged through parenting practices (β = .111, 95% CI [.034, .187]). Findings are consistent with compensatory mediation, highlighting parenting practices as a potential family-level resource supporting adolescent well-being.
Keywords: Adolescence, Compensatory mediation, Internalizing problems, Mental well-being, parenting practices
