Parent styles associated with children’s self-regulation and competence in school

This study assessed three dimensions of parent style, autonomy support, involvement, and provision of structure in 64 mothers and 50 fathers of elementary-school chi dren in Grades 3-6, using a structured interview. Construct validity data for the interview ratings uggested that the three parent dimensions were reliable, relatively independent, and correlated with other parent measures inhypothesized ways. Aspects of children's self-regulation and competence were measured through children's self-reports, teacher ratings, and objective indices. Parental auton-omy support was positively related to children's elf-reports of autonomous self-regulation, teacher-rated competence and adjustment, and school grades and achievement. Maternal involve-ment was related to achievement, teacher-rated competence, and some aspects of behavioral adjustment, but no significant relations were obtained for father involvement. The structure dimension was primarily related to children's control understanding. Results are discussed in terms of the motivational impact of the parent on school competence and adjustment and in terms of transactional models of influence. Since Coleman et al.'s (1966) controversial conclusion that family background and social context are the primary influ-ences in determining children's achievement, there has been a growing body of research regarding the connections between home and school (Hess & Holloway, 1985). A number of studies have shown associations between home characteristics, demographic variables, and achievement-relevant ou comes (e.g., Belz & Geary, 1984, Jencks, 1972; Marjoribanks, 1980). More recently, large-scale survey studies have begun to link specific attributes of parent style or behavior to child achieve-ment and adjustment in school (e.g., Dornbusch, Ritter