Learning Difficulties and Parental Control During Homework Help: The Moderating Role of Socioeconomic Status

• In Event: Poster Session 09
  In Poster Session: PS 09 Topic - Developmental Disabilities

Abstract

Children with learning difficulties, such as spatially disorganized handwriting, reading slowly, or difficulties aligning numbers in math, experience academic challenges as they progress through school (Iversen et al., 2010). In particular, children who exhibit learning difficulties struggle to complete tasks independently (Dudley-Marling, 2003) and often require parental involvement to be successful (Nichols, 2009). Regarding parent involvement, research shows that autonomy-supportive parenting has positive outcomes on children’s academic achievement (Thomassin & Suveg, 2012). In contrast, research has shown that controlling behaviors, such as monitoring children’s work habits or making decisions without their input, are associated with poorer academic outcomes (Pomerantz et al., 2007) and increased hyperactivity and impulsivity (Rogers et al., 2009).

A separate body of research has shown that parental involvement differs by family socioeconomic status (SES), such that higher-SES families have more time and resources to help children with schoolwork than lower-SES families (McNeal, 2015). Not only does the degree of parenting differ across SES but parenting behaviors also vary by SES. Previous research reveals that lower SES mothers are more likely to engage in negative parenting behaviors, such as control, because they experience more stressful situations than cohabiting mothers (Daryanani et al., 2016).

The current study will examine whether children’s learning difficulties are associated with observed levels of controlling parenting behaviors during a homework help task and whether family SES moderates this association. We hypothesize that parents will display more controlling behaviors when they report their child has more learning difficulties. We also hypothesize a significant interaction between SES and learning difficulties for parental control. As shown in Figure 1, we hypothesize that low SES parents will display relatively high control, regardless of their child’s number of learning difficulties, whereas high SES parents will display low levels of control if their child has few learning difficulties but high levels of control if their child has many learning difficulties.

The projected sample of this study is 124 socioeconomically-diverse families with a second-grade child. Descriptive statistics are presented on the 19 families who visited the lab before COVID-19 (see Table 1). Data collection has resumed and is currently ongoing with 105 parent-child dyads completing in-person assessments from Fall 2020 – Spring 2021. Parent’s controlling behaviors (i.e., asking leading questions, telling the child the answer) are currently being coded as present or absent in 30-second intervals during a homework helping task (Cheung et al., 2016). Parents report on children’s learning difficulties using the Colorado Learning Difficulties Questionnaire (Willcutt et al., 2011). SES is indexed by a composite measure of household income and parental education. Covariates included are children’s gender, race/ethnicity, and parents’ marital status.

This research will highlight varying behaviors that parents may utilize to help support their children with defined learning difficulties across varying socioeconomic levels. Furthermore, by examining the interaction between parental control and children’s learning difficulties, this research could help create better resources for lower-income families to boost academic achievement of children with learning difficulties, who are more likely to struggle academically.

Authors

• Amyia C Harris, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
  Presenting Author

• Kimia Akhavein, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jenna Elizabeth Finch, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
  Non-Presenting Author