Academic Success of Mexican Origin Adolescent Boys and Girls: The Role of Mothers’ and Fathers’ Parenting and Cultural Orientation

Abstract

To understand the role that Mexican origin parents play in their children’s academic success, this study used structural equation modeling to evaluate the associations of parents’ parenting practices (warmth, monitoring, harshness, and academic involvement) and cultural orientations (enculturation and acculturation) with their adolescents’ grades, classroom behavior, and association with peers who get into trouble at school. Data were obtained from teachers, mothers, fathers, and male and female adolescents in 560 Mexican origin families living in the southwest U.S. Results indicated that mothers’ and fathers’ parenting practices and cultural orientations were linked to adolescents’ academic outcomes. However, there were differences for boys and girls. Results are discussed in relation to parent and adolescent gender roles and implications for intervention.

Paternal Influences on Adolescent Sexual Risk Behaviors: A Structured Literature Review

“…More recently, however, research on fathers has explored the relationship between paternal parenting practices and child development. Evidence increasingly suggests that mothers and fathers independently shape areas of child development, such as academic success 20 and peer relationships. 21 Little is known about how paternal parenting processes are associated with adolescent sexual behavior.…”

Unpacking Acculturation: Cultural Orientations and Educational Attainment Among Mexican-Origin Youth

“…Family obligations have been associated with Latino/a youth's greater school engagement and higher postsecondary education (Fuligni 2001;Tseng 2004), especially for students who perform more poorly in school (Fuligni and Pederson 2002). Similarly, Mexican behavioral and linguistic orientations among mothers have been associated with adolescent girls' getting higher grade point averages in school (Dumka et al 2009). On the other hand, Latino/a cultural orientations can interfere with Mexican-origin youth's educational attainment.…”

How Does Migration Affect Mothers’ and Fathers’ Roles Within their Families? Reflections on some Recent Research

“…Of course, this may also reflect differences in the specific types of family conflict involved. Updegraff et al (2009) reported that fatheradolescent conflict affected risk-taking by Mexican immigrant females more than males in one study whereas parental harshness was associated with classroom misbehaviour by adolescent boys of Mexican origin and maternal harshness with problematic peer relationships yet better school performance by girls in another study (Dumka et al 2009). By contrast, Qin (2009) reported no salient gender differences in the reactions to immigration by Chinese boys and girls, suggesting that these patterns are not characteristic of all immigrants groups or at all points after migration.…”