“Whose A Is It Anyways?” Exploring the Influence of Student-Parent Communication and First-Year Academic Performance for High-Achieving Students

• In Event: The Role of High-Impact Practices in Student Learning Outcomes

Abstract

In a time of increasing parental engagement in the lives of college-going students, this study examined how first-year students’ perceived interaction with parents predicted their academic performance. Longitudinal data were collected from college students living in residential housing at a diverse and selective public research university in the Western United States during the 2011-12 academic year (N=995). Countering media-driven narratives of “helicopter parents”, students are either satisfied with the amount of parental communication, or desire more interaction, especially with fathers. Results demonstrate the value of quality over quantity of communication on students’ academic performance. Significantly, mothers and fathers engage differently with their children. When designing programs, administrators should recognize how mothers and fathers contribute differently to achievement.

Author

• Dayna Staci Weintraub, University of California - Los Angeles