Domains of parental involvement and academic achievement across grade levels in the Chinese context

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study explored the relationship between domains of parental involvement and students’ academic achievement in elementary, middle, and high schools. The participants were 121,635 students in China. Results from multilevel linear models indicated that the relationships between domains of parental involvement and students’ academic achievement differ by grade level. In elementary schools, students with higher degrees of parental involvement in study performed better, whereas parental involvement in daily life was not related to academic achievement. In middle schools, academic achievement was unrelated to parental involvement in study or daily life. Students whose parents paid more attention to their daily lives but less to study scored better on academic achievement tests when it comes to high schools. This study suggests that parents should provide appropriate types of support for their children at various developmental stages.