The Role of Parental Self-Efficacy in Explaining Children’s Academic Outcomes

Abstract

Students’ educational outcomes are influenced by several factors that are not directly related to their personal characteristics, among which parental beliefs and behaviours are of special relevance. The present study was conducted on a sample of 301 primary school students and their parents, who completed a set of prepared questionnaires used for investigating the contribution of parental self-efficacy and the perception of parental involvement to students’ academic achievement, perceived academic control and achievement goals. The obtained results indicated parental self-efficacy as a predictor of perceived academic control and avoidance goals, whereas perception of parental involvement predicted perceived academic control, mastery approach and work avoidance goals. These findings confirm and extend previous knowledge regarding the relevance of parents’ engagement to children’s educational outcomes.

Keywords

• academic outcomes
• achievement goals
• motivation
• parental self-efficacy
• perception of parental involvement