Parent–Teacher Relations, Parental Self-Efficacy, and Parents’ Help-Seeking From Teachers About Children’s Learning and Socio-Emotional Problems

Abstract

In light of the backdrop of change processes within the education system in recent years, including the enlarging of school boundaries and parents’ increasing involvement in school life, this study aspired to understand how parents perceive parent–teacher relations alongside their self-efficacy as influencing their help-seeking from teachers in two main dimensions: learning and socio-emotional. Using the quantitative method, 192 Israeli parents answered a questionnaire measuring parent–teacher relations, parental self-efficacy, help-seeking orientation from teachers, and socio-economic status. Regression analysis found that help-seeking in the socio-emotional dimension was mainly influenced by collaborative relations and by parents’ high self-efficacy. Help-seeking in the learning dimension was mainly (but not only) influenced by parents’ socio-economic status. In addition, positive significant correlations were found between parent–teacher collaborative relations and autonomic help-seeking from teachers by parents dealing with both learning and socio-emotional aspects. Negative significant correlation was found between collaborative parent–teacher relations and parents’ avoidance of help-seeking from teachers. The results highlight the importance of teacher–parent collaboration and illuminate the factors influencing parents to ask for help from teachers, in different dimensions.