Wellroundedkids: February 2005: Parental Participation in the Academics of Children Associated with Greater Achievement in Offspring during Adolescence

February 28, 2005 Parental Participation in the Academics of Children Associated with Greater Achievement in Offspring during Adolescence
bookstore Higher levels of academic achievement are highly affected by the type of parenting one receives during adolescence, a study finds. Past research has indicated that the role parental guidance plays isn’t as significant in adolescence as in the early years. In this study, researchers hoped to determine the role parenting plays on the development of children’s talents, abilities, and competencies during adolescence. In addition, investigators measured the affect of parental involvement on behavioral problems, academic achievement, and the development of life objectives in children. Methods Researchers recruited 460 African American and White children enrolled in the seventh through eleventh grades. Investigators measured parental involvement at school by conferencing with adolescents, teachers, and by visiting schools. Later in the subjects’ school careers, scientists measured behavior at school, academic achievement, and life objectives. Results Findings of the study indicate that throughout adolescence parents wield enormous influence on the path their children take in school and in the planning of their future. Children with parents, who attained only a high school education, were more likely to desire going to college and to have more professional success than their parents. Parental involvement in this group was not highly associated with exemplary behavior or high grades. There was no difference between the levels of parental involvement between white and black parents. However, African American parents had a stronger desire to advocate for their child in the school system. In addition, their influence on children was greater than that of whites. Researchers stated that often times African American families need to invest more time to ensure the success of their children because of negative situational circumstances, which impinge on academic achievement. For instance, the sample of black families in this study was less affluent than white families. Investigators asserted that the wide availability of resources in white families compensated for the decreased desire among white parents to advocate for their children. Parents with low levels of education were less likely to be heavily involved in their child’s education. Conclusion Researchers assert that high levels of academic achievement are a product of the parenting practices one receives during adolescence—with high levels of parental involvement being the main ingredient. Complete findings of the study appear in Child Development, Vol. 75, Issue 5, December 2004. Visit our bookshop for tools to help the children you work with.