Perceived parental social support and academic achievement: An attachment theory perspective

The study tested the extent to which parental social support predicted college grade point average among undergraduate students. A sample of 418 undergraduates completed the Social Provisions Scale—Parent Form (C. E. Cutrona, 1989) and measures of family conflict and achievement orien-tation. American College Testing Assessment Program college entrance exam scores (ACT; Ameri-can College Testing Program, 1986) and grade point average were obtained from the university reg-istrar. Parental social support, especially reassurance of worth, predicted college grade point average when controlling for academic aptitude (ACT scores), family achievement orientation, and family conflict. Support from parents, but not from friends or romantic partners, significantly predicted grade point average. Results are interpreted in the context of adult attachment theory. Parents strive to cultivate personal characteristics in their offspring that will enable them to function successfully and in-dependently once they leave the parental home. This cultivation must occur throughout the child's life if he or she is to develop the self-confidence and skills required to meet the challenges of adult life. Contrary to early theories of adolescent developmen