Objective: To explore the relationship between positive parenting styles and academic emotions in junior high school students, as well as the chain mediation effects of parent-child communication and peer relationships, providing a theoretical basis for family education interventions. Methods: Using stratified cluster random sampling, 1 063 students from four junior high schools in a city in Anhui Province were selected for questionnaire surveys, form March to April, 2025. Core variables were measured using the Short form Parenting Style Scale, Adolescent Parent-Child Communication Scale, Peer Relationship Scale, and Adolescent Academic Emotion Questionnaire. Group comparison was conducted using t-test or analysis of variance, and Pearson correlation analysis was used to examine the correlation between positive parenting styles, peer relationships, parent-child communication and positive academic emotions. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine the effects of positive parenting styles, peer relationships and parent-child communication on positive academic emotions. A mediation effect model and Bootstrap method were employed to test the chain mediation effects. Results: Students who were class leaders, had parents with higher education levels, or came from intact families scored significantly higher on positive academic emotions ( t/F =7.23, 13.73, 10.67, 4.45, all P < 0.01 ). Positive parenting styles, peer relationships, and parent-child communication were all positively correlated with positive academic emotions ( r =0.45, 0.41, 0.38), and all three positively predicted positive academic emotions ( β =0.24, 0.23, 0.12) (all P < 0.01 ). Further analysis showed that positive parenting styles directly predicted positive academic emotions ( β =0.40) and also indirectly influenced academic emotions through parent-child communication ( β =0.07), peer relationships ( β =0.05), and the chain mediation path of "parent-child communication → peer relationships" ( β =0.04) (all P <0.05), with the total indirect effect accounting for 40.55%. Conclusion Positive parenting styles enhance junior high school students academic emotions through the chain mediation path of "parent-child communication → peer relationships", providing theoretical support for interventions within the educational ecosystem.