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Patterns of middle-class parenting and adolescent underachievement
1Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology, State University of New York, Buffalo 14260.
Adolescence
|January 1, 1987
Summary
Parenting styles significantly impact academic achievement. Upward-striving parenting, characterized by pressure, was linked to underachievement in adolescents due to resulting rebellion and resentment.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Educational Psychology
- Adolescent Development
Background:
- Parenting styles are crucial in shaping adolescent outcomes.
- Understanding the link between parental expectations and academic performance is vital.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between distinct middle-class parenting patterns and academic achievement.
- To determine if specific parenting styles predict underachievement in high school students.
Main Methods:
- Survey methodology employed with 87 eleventh and twelfth graders.
- Participants completed questionnaires assessing attitudes toward parental behaviors.
- Analysis focused on correlations between parenting patterns and academic achievement.
Main Results:
- A significant association was found between upward-striving parenting and academic underachievement.
- Overprotective, indifferent, and conflicted parenting styles were also examined.
- Adolescents' reactions of anger and rebellion were noted in response to high parental pressure.
Conclusions:
- Parental pressure in upward-striving parenting may inadvertently lead to adolescent underachievement.
- Adolescents' awareness of parental aspirations can influence their self-performance and academic outcomes.
- Further research into the psychological dynamics of parental influence is warranted.