Parental Involvement and Adolescent Academic, Behavioral, and Emotional Development in Secondary School

• In Event: Parental Support of Engagement and Achievement: Mediating, Interactive, and Longitudinal Associations

Abstract

For many youth, the secondary school years mark a period of decline in academic performance, along with increases in problem behaviors and depressive symptoms (Wang & Eccles, 2012). Secondary schools are larger, more bureaucratic, and have larger and more diverse peer groups (Gutman & Midgley, 2000; Hill & Chao, 2009a), making it difficult for youth to find their place and succeed. Parents are often looked upon as part of the solution for promoting academic achievement and school adjustment (Dearing, Kreider, Simpkins, & Weiss, 2006) and the benefits of family-school engagement are touted for helping youth succeed. However, the context of secondary schools makes it more difficult for parents to maintain effective involvement in their children’s education and, thus, the transition to middle school is marked by declines in parental involvement for youth as well (Hill & Chao, 2009b; Hill & Tyson, 2009; Spera, 2005). Changes in parenting practices throughout the adolescent years intended to support youths’ developing sense of autonomy (Collins & Laursen, 2004) could additionally influence parents’ involvement in secondary school.

Most studies have treated parental involvement as a static, baseline predictor of adolescent outcomes, instead of as a dynamic process that evolves over time. In this study, we use stage–environment fit theory to examine trajectories of parents’ multi-dimensional involvement over the course of middle and high school and examine longitudinal associations with adolescents’ GPA, misconduct, and depressive symptoms. In addition, the potential moderating role of parental warmth was explored.

Hierarchical linear modeling was used to describe trajectories of different types of parental involvement and adolescent outcomes over 7th, 9th, and 11th grades. The sample comprised approximately 1,400 adolescents roughly between ages 12 years and 17 years.

The results showed that school-based involvement decreased over time and home-based involvement and academic socialization increased over time. Interestingly, each type of parental involvement contributed differentially to adolescent outcomes. Finally, parental warmth moderated the longitudinal associations between providing structure at home and adolescent GPA and misconduct.

The study expands our understanding of how different types of parental involvement develop during secondary school and work across contexts to influence adolescent development. This study also contributes to the view of parental involvement as influencing multiple domains of adolescent development and reveals which specific type of parental involvement is more salient and effective for influencing academic, behavioral, and emotional outcomes.

Authors

• Tara Lynn Hofkens, University of Pittsburgh

• Ming-Te Wang, University of Pittsburgh

• Nancy E. Hill, Harvard University