The Role of Parental Pressure and Warmth in the Relationship Between Parental Involvement, Parental Expectations, and Child Academic Success

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate both parent and child perceptions of parental involvement, parental expectations, parental pressure, and parental warmth, and the relationship of these variables with GPA. It was hypothesized that each of the independent variables would be positively correlated with GPA, excluding parental pressure, which would be negatively correlated with GPA. It was also hypothesized that the combination of high parental expectations and low parental involvement would have a positive relationship with parental pressure and a negative relationship with parental warmth. Parents (n = 158) of children in 6th–8th grade and 70 6th–8th grade children completed an online survey measuring these factors. Results from the parent survey demonstrated a positive correlation between parental expectations and child GPA (p = .047). Results from the child survey showed a negative correlation between parental pressure and GPA (p = .003), and that parental involvement can predict scores for the child’s sense of parental warmth. These findings provide a better understanding of various factors related to academic success, and they can lead to effective interventions for both parents and the educational system to increase academic achievement in youth.