Measuring Parent Involvement Among Chinese Middle School Students: A Factor Analysis Framework

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 1:45 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 1
  In Roundtable Session: Building Family, School, and Community Collaborations (Table 10)

Abstract

Parent involvement (PI) is generally seen as beneficial, positively influencing student achievement, educational attitudes, and school engagement. However, its effects have been inconsistent, possibly due to inconsistent operational definitions of PI across studies. This study addresses these inconsistencies by exploring PI's factor structure and investigating its validity and measurement invariance using a large-scale, nationally representative database of middle school students in China (China Education Panel Survey - CEPS). The CEPS data were analyzed through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, revealing a four-factor model of PI. The results underscore the importance of PI in educational and social development, highlighting the need for comprehensive policies that encourage active parental participation.

Authors

• Cuirong Wu, University of Denver

• Duan Zhang, University of Denver