Given the serious effects of coronavirus disease 2019 on academic burnout, this study aims to examine the multiple mediating roles of negative emotions and phubbing in the relationship between parental marital conflict and academic burnout. A total of 1353 college students participated in this study. The results showed that parental marital conflict not only had a direct effect on academic burnout but also affected academic burnout through three indirect paths: parental marital conflict‐negative emotions‐academic burnout, parental marital conflict‐phubbing‐academic burnout, and parental marital conflict‐negative emotions‐phubbing‐academic burnout. The parental marital conflict increased the risk of negative emotions and phubbing in college students and had a subsequent impact on academic burnout. Implications for prevention and intervention are discussed.