Parent-School Partnerships in Early Elementary: The Importance of Parent Educational Involvement in Children's Social-emotional Functioning

• Author / Creator

  Gordon, Jennifer W.

• This quantitative study investigated the direct and indirect contributions of parent involvement (i.e., the quality and quantity of school-based and home-based involvement) in children's social-emotional functioning during early elementary grades (K-2). The sample was composed of 286 parents and 237 teachers. Data were collected using parent and teacher reports. After controlling for relevant background variables, the quality of home-based involvement was found to be the strongest predictor of children’s social-emotional functioning (i.e., pro-social skills, emotional regulation, and school liking), as rated by parents. Parent-teacher contact negatively predicted children’s social-emotional outcomes as rated by teachers (i.e., pro-social skills, emotional regulation, school liking, cooperative and autonomous participation), whereas parents’ school-based participation positively predicted these outcomes. Parent-school relationship quality positively predicted children’s pro-social skills and school liking as rated by parents, and was a salient predictor of boys’ school liking and cooperative participation, as rated by teachers. Parents’ school-based participation also predicted boys’ autonomous participation (but not girls), as rated by teachers. Finally, parent-teacher contact positively predicted parents’ frequency of home-based involvement, which in turn, positively predicted children’s pro-social skills and school liking, as rated by parents. School-based participation also predicted children’s pro-social skills indirectly through parents’ home-based involvement. Findings and implications are discussed in relation to research and theory, and aim to inform future parent-school partnership initiatives.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Social-emotional functioning
  • Educational Involvement
  • Parent-school partnerships
  • Early Elementary

• Graduation date

  Fall 2013

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Doctor of Philosophy

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3028PN5S

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.