Parental Involvement Practices Research Articles

Enhancing sleep health in urban American Indian/Alaska Native adolescents: Implications for culturally tailored interventions.

Urban American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) adolescents are vulnerable to sleep and other health-related disparities due to numerous social drivers, including historical trauma and relocation to urban areas. This study aims to identify strategies to increase protective factors and culturally tailor sleep health interventions for this population. Using community-based participatory research, the NAYSHAW study conducted in-depth interviews with urban AI/AN adolescents aged 12-19 years to understand critical components needed for developing a culturally sensitive sleep health intervention. Data from two qualitative subsamples (N = 46) and parent surveys (N = 110) were analyzed, focusing on factors that affect sleep health behaviors, including parental involvement, technology, and traditional practices. Key findings include the detrimental impact of electronics use at night and protective effects of traditional practices on sleep. Parental involvement in sleep routines varied by adolescent's age. Adolescents desired sleep health education in interactive formats, whereas parents preferred workshops and digital applications for sleep health strategies. Findings suggest that interventions need to address electronics use and should also be culturally tailored to address the unique experiences of urban AI/AN adolescents. Results underscore the importance of utilizing community-based strategies to develop culturally tailored sleep interventions for underserved populations, specifically urban AI/AN adolescents. Integrating traditional practices with evidence-based sleep health strategies can provide a holistic approach to improving sleep and overall well-being. Parental education and involvement will be critical to the success of such interventions.

Parent Attitudes and Behaviors Affecting Teacher Motivation

The aim of the study was to determine the attitudes and behaviors of parents that positively or negatively affect teachers' motivation based on their perceptions. The research was conducted using a case study methodology on 19 teachers working in public secondary schools in Karatay district of Konya, Turkey. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using content analysis. The study group was determined according to the maximum diversity sampling method. As a result of analysis, six parental behaviors that increase or decrease teachers' motivation were identified: recognition and appreciation, involvement and support, communication, trust in teacher expertize valuing holistic development, and support in terms of resources and materials. Teachers observed that their motivation increased when parental attitudes and behaviors aligned with their expectations and decreased when they did not. Based on the results, two recommendations were made: (1) schools should see parents as equal partners, and (2) schools should initiate parent involvement practices that will ensure appropriate behaviour without waiting for parents' appropriate behaviour.

Spanish-Speaking Hispanic/Latino Families Education-Related Parental Involvement Practices

ABSTRACT Under current and prominent definitions, the rates of parental involvement among Hispanic/Latino families have been historically low. However, empirical evidence suggests that parental involvement can be perceived/practiced in varied ways. This work explored these perceptions held by Spanish-speaking Hispanic/Latino families through focus groups (n = 10) and individual interviews (n = 23) with parents of school-age children. Findings suggest that Spanish-speaking parents define parental involvement to include the emphasis of educación (a recognition that children’s moral compasses and respectful behavior are a part of their formal education) and a parent-centered approach (involving the children in the parents everyday life), while navigating language barriers. Both Spanish- and English-speaking parents endorsed low parent-teacher communication and strong educational aspirations for their children. That is, parents expressed wanting their children to have a better life than the lives the parents have experienced themselves. This study offers empirical evidence that Spanish-speaking families are highly involved in their children’s academic development and perceive themselves to play a critical role in their children’s educational success. A shared understanding of values including culturally responsive measures to assess diverse parental involvement practices and adopting a cultural lens among teachers/educators is needed to accommodate diverse cultural parental involvement practices. Study findings can inform policies and practice to help pre-service teachers and educators to understand factors that determine Spanish-speaking families’ engagement in school-based parental involvement.

Analyzing Best Practices for Pediatric Well-Child Clinic Visits in the United States for Children Aged Three to Five Years: A Review.

Inadequate routine healthcare check-up visits for children aged three to five years impose substantial economic and social burdens due to morbidity and mortality. The absence of regular well-child visits and vaccinations leads to avoidable diseases, underscoring the need for a renewed emphasis on childhood immunizations and check-ups. Out of 160 articles initially screened after removing duplicates, 45 were chosen for full-text review following initial title and abstract screening by two independent reviewers. Afterward, 20 studies met the predefined inclusion criteria during the final assessment of full-text articles, and data were systematically extracted from these selected studies using standardized forms to ensure accuracy and consistency. Well-child visits promote holistic development, health, and well-being in children aged three to five years. Following established guidelines and evidence-based practices, healthcare professionals provide assessments, vaccinations, and guidance for a healthy future. Despite challenges, well-child visits are vital for preventive care, empowering informed decisions for children's growth and development. The benefits of well-child visits encompass growth monitoring, anticipatory guidance, and preventive measures, crucial for children with chronic illnesses. Key components include comprehensive assessments, developmental screenings, vision and hearing evaluations, immunizations, health education, and counseling. In the case of juvenile diabetes, parental education is paramount. Parents need to understand the intricacies of insulin administration, including proper dosage calculation based on glucose measurements, meal planning, and the importance of timing insulin injections. Implementing guidelines and principles by organizations such as Bright Futures and the American Academy of Pediatrics ensures holistic care, parent involvement, and evidence-based practices. This review explores best practices and guidelines for such visits, emphasizing their role in monitoring and promoting children's development.

Migrant parents’ contributions to students’ negotiations of their educational futures: A case study at a Norwegian high school

The educational futures students aspire to and make specific choices in shaping are formed in the encounter between school practices and family dispositions. More research is needed to understand whether and how migrant parents are invited to contribute to high school students’ negotiation of these possible futures. Drawing on observations and interviews with students and parents from a single-school case study, this article explores how migrant parents contribute to students’ decision making. Seen through a Bourdieusian lens, the logic of the high school education field sets boundaries around what is regarded as feasible and valuable parental involvement. Parents are experienced as acting indirectly through hints and suggestions. The study indicates that providing guidance is complicated by expectations of student autonomy. The findings warrant further research on school parental involvement practices that can support students’ negotiation of possible futures.

Critical contextual factors of sustainable online teaching: learning the lessons of pandemic times from physical education teachers’ and school administrators’ perspectives

ABSTRACT Background The COVID-19 pandemic has upended schooling around the world and prompted a shift to online teaching and learning, including in primary (elementary) physical education (PE). PE is typically characterized by physicality and close proximity to others, the shift to online delivery has drastically changed this landscape and brings significant consequences for the future of PE in schools. Teacher and school administrator perspectives on the critical enablers to effective online delivery of primary PE during the pandemic can help inform the development of sustainable online education that enhances teaching, learning, and professional development in the post-COVID context. Purpose Informed by the job characteristics theory (JCT) and social-ecological model (SEM), this study aimed to explore the contextual factors contributing to effective and potentially sustainable online teaching from the perspectives of PE teachers and school administrators. Methods Semi-structured interviews with a total of 16 teaching staff including two principals, two vice principals, and 12 PE teachers were conducted. Taking a combined inductive/deductive thematic approach, the data analysis was underpinned by JCT to explore participants’ perception and motivation towards online teaching in PE that fostered its adoption, use, and enhancement during the pandemic. The SEM was also applied to enable further exploration of facilitators perceived by PE teachers and school administrators at the interpersonal, institutional, community and policy levels. Findings : Contextual factors of sustainable online teaching in PE at each level of SEM were identified by the participants. On the intrapersonal level, the motivating potential of the job and readiness appeared to enable the effective transition to online PE by teachers and schools. Of the interpersonal, community, institutional, and policy factors, parental engagement, reach out to the community, institutional leadership and policy making, influenced participant perceptions toward the effectiveness of online PE teaching and its potential sustainability. Conclusions Our findings revealed that the effectiveness of online teaching in primary PE setting during the COVID-19 pandemic was influenced by the interaction of factors across all levels of SEM. The lessons learned from PE teachers and school administrators have several implications for the potential sustainable development of online PE teaching. First, school leaders and policy makers need to understand the potential benefits of offering quality online PE lessons by schools during class suspension. Second, a review of teacher training programmes and professional development for the pedagogical shift in PE is warranted. Third, there is an equally pressing need to identify effective parental involvement practices that contribute to students’ home online PE learning during the school suspension.

Analysis of Parents' Metaphors Regarding the Concepts of Mother, Father, Child and Individual in Terms of Parental Involvement

The present study explores parents' mental images and understandings of the concepts of "child," "individual," "mother," and "father" through metaphor analysis. The primary objective of this study is to uncover parents' implicit attitudes about these concepts in order to contribute to parental involvement initiatives undertaken by school leaders. The research was conducted with 174 parents. The metaphors were evaluated using content analysis method. A total of 468 codes were evaluated based on 10 themes, and the findings were interpreted in terms of parental involvement. The study presents several significant findings. Parents generated fewer metaphors for the concept of "individual" compared to "child," possibly influenced by collectivist tendencies. Both autonomy-enhancing and controlling parenting tendences were revealed about parents' attitudes. Metaphors that reflect controlling tendences downplay individuals' unique traits, reflecting the emphasis on community needs in collectivist societies. Metaphors related to motherhood emphasize nurturance and sacredness, while those related to fatherhood highlight protection and guidance, aligning with cultural gender roles. There is less emphasis on the loving aspect of parenting. Overall, these findings can be utilized by educational leaders and researchers working in similar domains, providing valuable insights into parental perspectives and contributing to the enhancement of parental involvement practices.

How Teacher Leaders Think About Parents: A Mixed Methods Approach

The present study firstly explores teacher mental images and understandings of the concepts of ‘parent’ through metaphor analysis and secondly examines how teacher leaders differ in terms of perceptions about parents. The primary objective of this study is to uncover teacher leaders' implicit attitudes about ‘parents’ in order to contribute to parental involvement initiatives undertaken by teacher. The study adopts a mixed-design methodology. Teacher leaders were identified through Teacher Leadership Behavior Scale and the metaphors were evaluated using a content analysis method. The research was conducted with 89 teachers. The study presents several significant findings. Metaphor analysis revealed teachers perceive parents in different seven distinction roles, which imply positive, neutral and negative attitude: partner / nurturer (positive), supporter (positive), observer (neutral), student (neutral), mirror (neutral), inspector (negative), Machiavellist (negative) and antagonist (negative). These roles indicate three types of parental involvement, ranging from ‘active participation’ (positive) to ‘passive participation’ (neutral), and to ‘adversarial participation’ (negative). Statistical analysis revealed that teacher leaders, high scorers as identified by teacher leadership behavior scale, have a more positive attitude towards parents than low scorers. Overall, these findings can be utilized by teacher leaders, educational leaders and researchers working in similar domains, providing valuable insights into teachers’ view of parents and contributing to the enhancement of parental involvement practices.

Parental Involvement and Adolescent Mental Health in Taiwan

Using a nationally representative sample of nearly 14,000 7th grade students from the Taiwan Educational Panel Survey (TEPS), this study examines gender and meditational effects in the link between parental involvement in education and adolescent mental health. Results of multigroup structural equation modeling demonstrate that girls were more likely to have a lower level of mental health status than boys. Mothers were more actively involved than fathers in aspects of their daughters’ education; and fathers were more actively involved than mothers in their sons’ education. Results support a mediational model in which paternal and maternal involvement were indirectly associated with mental health status of both sons and daughters via the mediator of student self-efficacy. Gender patterns were identified regarding supportive and controlling types of parental involvement practices. With regard to the association of socioeconomic levels with parental involvement, parents of higher socioeconomic status were more actively involved in supportive practices when compared to those of lower socioeconomic status.

Parental Involvement and Student Engagement: A Review of the Literature

Although parental involvement is among the most crucial aspects of social support for students’ school engagement and achievement, current review work on the relationship between parental involvement and student engagement is largely missing. Therefore, we conducted a systematic literature review on such topics from the perspectives of landscapes, methodology characteristics (e.g., conceptualisation and measurement), and study patterns from 2000–2022. Following PRISMA guidelines, 33 articles involving 47,307 students and 3391 parents were reviewed. The results yielded several interesting facts. First, studies on this topic were primarily conducted in the United States during the first decade, but publications increased during emergency remote teaching (ERT) and China produced most of the publications. Studies were primarily cross-sectional (72.7%) and used secondary school Caucasian or Asian samples. In addition, although studies varied greatly on the conceptualisation and measurement of parental involvement and student engagement, they seem to embrace the idea of measuring parental involvement via school and home subtypes (85%) and student engagement via ABC dimensions (i.e., affective, behavioural, and cognitive; 57.4%). Moreover, in terms of patterns, studies often (82%) investigated its relations with student engagement or how it mediated the connections between parental involvement and learning achievement (e.g., success at school, dropout). They, however, often failed to provide concrete/practical parental involvement strategies. This pattern of results indicated an urgent need for more studies on specific parental involvement practices that could promote student engagement from multiple stakeholders. Limitations and suggestions for future studies were provided accordingly.

Effect of Parental Engagement on Students’ Performance in Bugesera District, Rwanda

Parental engagement has been described to be a cornerstone in the performance of students at all levels of education. In Rwanda, secondary school performance has been a concern for quite several years and records indicate that Bugesera District has been among the poorly performing Districts in secondary national examinations. The overall objective of this work was to investigate the effect of parent engagement in the performance of their children whereas the specific objectives of this research were to identify the effect of communication between parents, teachers, and learners on students’ performance (ii) to highlight the contribution of home-based learning support on students’ performance and (iii) to explore the implication of participation of parents in school related school related activities on students’ performance. This research utilized a descriptive research design survey. The target population was 240 consisting of the school executive council members, school leaders, teachers, and students from which a sample of 69 subjects was selected to participate in this research including 5 school leaders, 5 teachers, 10 executive committee members, and 49 students from 5 schools of 5 sectors of Bugesera District. They were sampled with the use of simple random sampling and purposive sampling techniques. Guided interviews and questionnaires were used as data collection tools. In this research, questionnaires constituted quantitative data collection tools administered to students. These data were analyzed with the use of descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) and were presented with the use of tables and graphs. Qualitative data were collected with the use of interviews administered to head teachers, teachers, and School Executive Council(SEC) members and were analyzed thematically. The findings of this study have shown that communication between schools, parents, and learners is less effective. The reason is that schools tend to only communicate to parents only financial-related matters instead of focusing on students’ effective learning and performance. It was also found that parents pay less attention to home-based learning activities requiring children’s revision or completing homework assignments. The findings again indicated that students’ performance was found relatively higher for children whose parents participate in school activities. This study, therefore, concludes that parents should be engaged in communication, school activities, and home based learning with the purpose of mainly improving students’ performance before any other school-related affairs. The school leaders, teachers, and SEC members are key to revolutionize parent involvement practices and increasing mobilization and engaging activities for parents to acknowledge their role in the improvement of the children learning from school and their homes. Hence, it recommends that responsible agencies should ensure that school executive councils are functional and help mitigate issues hindering proper communication and collaboration between parents and schools; so that in the end, desired students’ performance can be attained.

Parental role construction leading to parental involvement in culturally distinct communities

The home environment, especially parental involvement in the learning process, plays a substantial role in cultivating beneficial student learning outcomes. As a special issue on parental involvement, the articles herein share new insights on parental role construction and parental involvement within diverse contexts. The central focus spotlights the Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler (HDS) model of parental involvement and more specifically the psychological construct of parental role construction. Special attention is given to sociodemographic and cultural differences that influence parent involvement in an increasingly diverse school population that offers a collective counter narrative to deficit approaches of parental involvement. The ideas and methods shared within the articles are also situated within other trends in parent involvement practices that include parents’ role in supporting students’ positive development, self-sufficiency in their academic learning and future decision-making, as well as how parents view their role amidst the increasing use of digital tools for at-home learning. Each article within the special issue considers the complexities of the context, alignment to parental role construction and involvement, and new trends and directions for research on parental involvement.

Reconceptualizing parental involvement: A sociocultural model explaining Chinese immigrant parents’ school-based and home-based involvement

Despite growing recognition of diverse forms of parental involvement, scarce research exists on the critical influence of sociocultural contexts on parental involvement in their children’s education. Building on and modifying Hoover-Dempsey’s parental involvement model, this article proposes a new sociocultural model to explain Chinese immigrant parents’ motivations for school-based and home-based involvement. Within the discussion of the model, each component is detailed but the emphasis is directed to three general components: the Chinese cultural model of learning, parental role construction, and school-family relations, including teachers’ parental involvement practices that differ from the U.S. mainstream culture’s model. This review demonstrates that Chinese immigrant parents tend to be more involved in some types of school-based activities (e.g., attending parent-teacher conferences and school events) than others (e.g., volunteering in classrooms and attending PTO meetings/school council). Chinese immigrant parents’ involvement processes also interact with family socioeconomic status and immigrant contexts. The article concludes with implications for research and educational practice.

Parental Home Monitoring and Support and Students' Online Learning and Socioemotional Well-Being During COVID-19 School Suspension in Hong Kong.

Contextualized in the prolonged period of COVID-19-related school suspension in Hong Kong, the present study unravels relationships among socioeconomic status (SES), parental involvement, and learning outcomes for a matched sample of 186 primary and 932 secondary school students and their parents who participated in the eCitizen Education 360 survey. Three-step latent profile analysis (LPA) revealed different types of parental involvement at home and in school. For the primary school sample, students’ SES did not predict membership in the parental involvement typology, but students whose parents provided more home monitoring and support had the highest level of online self-efficacy. As for the secondary student sample, students whose parents provided more home monitoring and support tended to have access to more home learning resources. Students whose parents provided home monitoring and support had the highest levels of online self-efficacy, acquisition of digital skills, and cognitive-emotional regulation, and were the least worried about school resumption. The study underscores complex patterns of parental involvement and identifies effective parental involvement practices that contribute to students’ home online learning during the school suspension.

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY USE OF KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS FOR PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT: E-NVOLVEMENT IN THE TURKISH CONTEXT

The primary research aim of this current study was to better understand the digital technology use of Turkish kindergarten teachers in their parental involvement practices. A questionnaire designed by the authors was administered to 100 kindergarten teachers in five cities located within Turkey. It was revealed in the study results that the kindergarten teachers owned a variety of electronic devices and used those devices for both personal and educational purposes within the early childhood education setting. Teachers used digital technologies for their parental involvement practices less than they did for their own personal use or for other activities within the educational setting. The parental involvement types where teachers most often used digital technologies were for parenting and communicating. While the least popular parental involvement types where kindergarten teachers used digital technologies were decision-making and collaborating with the community. Teachers mentioned the two most common reasons for insufficient technology use for parental involvement were the parents’ financial status and level of knowledge. A negative relationship between teachers’ personal technology use and experience in the field increased, they were less likely to encounter problems regarding digital technology use for parental involvement

Parental involvement and educational success among vulnerable students in vocational education and training

ABSTRACT Background Parental involvement is positively associated with students’ educational success. However, research shows that levels of involvement and participation vary considerably, depending on parents’ social and economic resources. Understanding more about the kinds of involvement that matter to students themselves is important, as it may help to determine how best to support those from less advantageous backgrounds. Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate which forms of parental involvement students in upper secondary education (age 16–18) who were defined as vulnerable highlight as important for their achievement at school. Method The study was based on the analysis of semi-structured interviews with 25 students in the second year of upper secondary vocational education and training (VET) in Norway. Based on their grades, the students were identified as being at risk of not completing upper secondary education. The majority of the students had an immigrant background and came from families with low socioeconomic resources. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using a reflexive thematic analysis approach. Findings The students acknowledged different forms of parental involvement as a major explanation for their success in school. Five themes were identified by the analysis: social psychological support, supervision of schoolwork, practical support, high expectations and aspirations, and obligation and gratitude towards parents. The students’ narratives reveal different kinds of parental involvement practices that are not restricted to parents who hold higher levels of education or who are familiar with the educational system. In addition, their narratives also reflected their need for encouragement and motivation, their need for practical support in everyday school life, and their appreciation of clearly expressed expectations regarding education. Conclusions The findings from this study contribute to the field by describing the specific forms of parental involvement that matter in the eyes of students identified as vulnerable. Furthermore, the findings emphasise the importance of identifying the particular needs of each student and supporting all parents as empowered participants in their children’s education.

Associations Between Gun Storage Practices and Parenting Practices: A Pennsylvania Study

This study examines how parenting practices might relate to home gun storage practices, even after accounting for sociodemographic correlates found in past research. First, parenting practices of personal gun owners, household gun owners, and nonowners are compared. Second, the study identifies associations among parenting practices, household gun storage, and juvenile access to household firearms. Data were obtained in October 2019 through an online survey of 525 Pennsylvania parents of youth ages 12–17. Respondents were selected to mirror Pennsylvania demographics. Results indicated no differences in parenting practices based on household gun ownership. Yet, personal gun ownership was associated with more inconsistency in discipline and poor monitoring and supervision. Poor supervision and monitoring were not associated with firearm storage practices. Parents who reported poorer supervision and monitoring were more likely to allow their child gun access. There was no link between parental involvement and household firearm practices. Parents who used inconsistent discipline also had inconsistent firearm storage practices. Positive discipline and communication were associated with storing guns locked.

Parental Involvement and Home Language Practices by Non-native English-speaking Parents

Parental Involvement and Home Language Practices by Non-native English-speaking Parents

Partnering for Sustainability: Parent-Teacher-School (PTS) Interactions in the Qatar Education System

The interaction avenues, levels, and impacts between parents, schools and teachers have changed drastically due to the ever-increasing responsibilities, frequent and rapid changes in the curriculum, the invasive dominance of the internet and digital media in the lives of all stakeholders, and the digitization of learning materials, to name a few. This pilot study follows a design-thinking approach to investigate the current practices, needs, and challenges of parental involvement in public schools in Qatar to improve student achievements towards sustainable living and habits by identifying problems, developing solutions, and improving student achievement in conjunction with all local and relevant stakeholders. To this end, building on extensive and comparative studies on theories, models, and best practices within and outside the selected domain, a qualitative study is conducted to obtain insight from local teachers and parents in preparatory public schools. The grounded theory method is employed to analyze the data via the qualitative coding technique. The results indicate that parental involvement practices in Qatar public schools occur in different forms, including home-based and school-based learning. Furthermore, while almost all parents recognize the significance of parental involvement and show a high level of interest in being on the ‘Board of Trustees’, in reality, very few participate or volunteer in school activities, and they rarely visit classrooms or interact with teachers or schools, mainly due to their increasing job-related commitments. In addition, the majority of parents indicate the need for additional flexibility in communication with the school to increase their involvement. Meanwhile, the teachers highlight the significant lack of parental involvement in understanding, overcoming and improving student achievement in both academic subjects and sustainable living habits and actions. The study outlines a few key suggestions to overcome these challenges and improve the parent-teacher-school (PTS) partnership, including offering mandatory parenting classes, developing and implementing effective communication mechanisms to facilitate parent-school interactions, and involving parents in decision-making process relating to their children and other school-related activities. Despite the sampling limitation, this study’s findings represent a starting point for understanding the needs of PTS partnerships, current practices of parental involvement, and mechanisms to improve their contribution to Qatar’s schools.

Playing Locally but Commuting to a Better School: Urban Planning and Education Policies in Parental Involvement Practices and Local Community Formation

In this article, we analyse the formation of local communities from the perspective of the practices of parental involvement. Adopting a practice-based approach to empirical research on six estates in three Polish cities, we reconstruct the connections between the spatial logics of the housing areas, national education, and housing polices, and their impact on the everyday life practices inside and outside the estate. Using the category of practice of parental involvement, we show the complex, long-term impact of state and local education policies on everyday life and, as a result, on the processes of structuring or fragmentation of territorial communities. The results of our qualitative studies not only develop knowledge about the connections between national polices and everyday life practices but also, we hope, could help to design effective public policies.