Improving teacher perceptions of parent involvement patterns: Findings from a group randomized trial

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Child Development
• Classroom Management

Background:

• Parent involvement is crucial for children facing significant academic and behavioral issues.
• Few experimental studies have assessed programs designed to enhance parent engagement in education.
• Teacher perceptions of parent involvement are particularly important for student outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of the Incredible Years Teacher Classroom Management (IY TCM) program on teacher perceptions of parent involvement.
• To investigate if teacher training can alter patterns of parent involvement over time.

Main Methods:

• A group randomized trial involving 105 classrooms and 1818 students.
• Intervention group received the IY TCM program; control group received usual care.
• Latent transition analysis (LTA) was used to analyze teacher-rated parent involvement patterns.

Main Results:

• Four distinct patterns of parent involvement were identified at baseline and follow-up.
• Parents of students with academic and behavior problems were associated with less adaptive involvement patterns.
• The IY TCM intervention significantly predicted a transition to more adaptive teacher-rated parenting profiles.

Conclusions:

• Teacher training, specifically the IY TCM program, can positively influence teacher perceptions of parent involvement.
• This study provides the first randomized trial evidence that teacher training can alter parent involvement patterns.
• Findings have clinical implications for supporting students with persistent academic and behavioral difficulties.