Background: Elevated academic expectations imposed by parents and teachers can adversely affect student well-being and contribute to heightened anxiety levels. This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of social skills in the relationship between the stress of parental and teacher academic expectations and anxiety in high school students. Methods: This investigation employed a cross-sectional, correlational descriptive research design. The statistical population encompassed all high school students enrolled in Isfahan during the 2022-2023 academic year. A cluster sampling technique was utilized to select a sample of 225 students. Data collection was facilitated through the administration of the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ), Social Skills Rating System-Secondary Students Form (SSRS-SS), and Academic Expectations Stress Inventory (AESI). The proposed theoretical model was assessed using structural equation modeling with the aid of SPSS-23 and SmartPLS-4 software. Results: The findings revealed a positive and significant correlation between both parental (r=0. 44, P<0. 01) and teacher (r=0. 41, P<0. 01) academic expectations and student anxiety. Conversely, a negative and significant correlation was observed between parental (r=-0. 36, P<0. 01) and teacher (r=-0. 42, P<0. 01) expectations and students’ social skills. Furthermore, social skills demonstrated a negative and significant association with student anxiety (r=-0. 31, P<0. 01). Notably, social skills mediated the relationship between parental and teacher academic expectations and student anxiety (P=0. 001). Conclusion: High academic expectations from parents and teachers can increase student anxiety. However, strong social skills can buffer this negative impact. To improve student well-being, interventions should focus on both academic success and social-emotional development.