The long-term effects of early parent involvement and parent expectation in the USA

Abstract

Building on social-cognitive theory and the expectancy-value theory, this study indicated that early parent expectations for children’s post-secondary educational attainment have a stronger effect on 8th-grade achievement than home-based parental involvement. With a nationally representative sample of kindergarten students and their parents in the United States of America, Structural Equation Modeling was employed in order to discern longitudinal effects on achievement via mediators. For instance, expectations held by parents in kindergarten exert much of their positive effect on adolescent academic achievement via expectations held in 8th grade. Student expectations (which are influenced by parental expectations) also significantly predict 8th grade achievement. Parent involvement in homework and grade checking in 8th grade has a slight negative effect on achievement. Home literacy in kindergarten predicts achievement in 8th grade indirectly via kindergarten achievement. These results indicate that parents can have a positive impact on academic achievement through early home literacy and maintaining a strong hope that their children will succeed in college. Because early parent expectations have long lasting effects on children, parent involvement interventions for young children need to be developed that also target elevating parental expectations. This study further clarifies the effects of the family environment on educational outcomes.

Girls, boys and early reading: parents’ gendered views about literacy and children's attitudes towards reading

“…Parents' expectations can function as self-fulfilling prophecies if they influence parents to behave in ways that confirm the parents' original expectations (Froiland, Peterson, & Davison, 2012;Good & Brophy, 2008). Because of their perceptions of girls' and boys' abilities, parents may treat their daughters and sons differentially and children may move in the direction of their parents' perceptions, thus confirming the parents' expectations.…”

The Influence of the Gap Between Parental and Their Children’s Expectations on Children’s Academic Attainment

“…Consequently, when these practices are performed, parental and children's expectations may be moving in opposite directions, what could be causing them to disagree more and, hence, contributing to reduce students' achievement and their likelihood of selecting both analyzed high school tracks. It is important to bear in mind that these negative results of parental involvement are shown by students aged 14-15-an age in which, additionally, the contents of the subjects are harder and parents are less able to help students with them, as the literature has stated that parental involvement in earlier ages is positive (Froiland et al 2012). Because of that, it is essential that both schools and parents had provided to children a proper education on their autonomy and problem resolution procedures before adolescence, so they would not need the help of their parents with schoolwork at this age.…”

“…Froiland et al (2012) measured the influence of parental involvement on children's achievement by activities like helping them with homework and obtained that it was positive for kindergarten students, but when reaching to eighth grade these practices could be counter-productive. Nonetheless, Hao and BonsteadBruns (1998) stated the relevance of parental involvement in school learning, because it favors the increase in eighth grade students' expectations.…”

Perceptions About Parental Engagement Among Hispanic Immigrant Mothers of First Graders from Low-Income Backgrounds

“…Other parental involvement behaviors constitute specific types of academic support, including support directed towards helping children continue formal learning and completion of homework in the home (Sheldon and Epstein 2005;Wen et al 2012) as well as management of children's time and enforcement of rules related to homework (Lee and Bowen 2006). Another, indirect role parents believe they assume in their children's education is that of someone who conveys expectations and standards for educational attainment and achievement (Froiland et al 2012).…”