Homework for Learning and Fun: Quality of Mothers' Homework Involvement and Elementary School Children's Psychological Functioning

• In Event: The Role of Family in Child Development: Preschool Through Adolescence

Abstract

This research scrutinized what quality it may take for parental involvement in children’s homework – an important social process concerning the common activity of homework in modern schooling – to be conducive to children’s motivational and emotional functioning. Fourth graders (N=242, 139 girls) in China completed a survey twice, spanning around nine months, with mothers (N=387) also participating at Time 1. Mothers’ constructive (featuring positive emotions, autonomy support, and master-oriented teaching) versus unconstructive involvement (featuring negative emotions, control, and performance-oriented teaching) was identified. Over time, constructive involvement predicted children’s enhanced homework-related (e.g., efficacy and value beliefs about homework, positive vs. negative affect while doing homework) and general functioning (e.g., failure mindset, emotional well-being vs. ill-being), while unconstructive involvement predicted children’s dampened functioning.

Authors

• Zeyi SHI, Northwestern University
  Presenting Author

• Qian WANG, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
  Non-Presenting Author