Parenting Styles and Parental Involvement: Is There A Connection?

Abstract

Parents are "children's first and most enduring educators" (Robson, 2006), and as such, the parent-child relationship has profound effects on various aspects of children's development. Parenting styles (PS) and parental involvement (PI) are both heavily, yet separately, studied facets of this complex relationship. Research has consistently shown the powerful effects of these factors on children's academic functioning, social capability, and psychological development (Darling, 1999), as well as the school's integration as part of the community, and the enhancement of both students' and parents' sense of self-efficacy (Hoover-Dempsey et al., 2005). The aim of the current study is to explore the potential connection between PS and PI, using survey data collected previously (Corter, Harris & Pelletier, 1998). Participating parents are categorized based on their PS, while information on their perceived importance of various types of PI is examined. This study takes children's grade level, parents' gender and language skills, into consideration.