Effects of Parental Work Conditions on Children’ School Achievement A Study of Dual- Earner Families in Malaysia

The purpose of this study is to analyze relationships between parental (dual-earnerfamilies) work conditions (work conditions, work hours, work tempo), parenting styles(parenting styles and parental involvement), children’s task engagement behaviour andschool achievement. This study takes account the demographic changes in Malaysianfamilies as result of urbanization and industrial-economic based. The study wasconducted using survey method approach based on human ecology theory employed 200dual earner families as sample. Using path model analysis, the study indicates number ofconsistent relationships between demographic variables, parenting styles, children’s taskengagement behaviour and school achievement. Effects of mothers’ and fathers’ workconditions, parenting styles on children’s behaviour and school achievement were aboutsimilar. Overall, parental work conditions, parental authoritarianism, parentalauthoritativeness, parental involvement, socioeconomic status (parental job status, salary,parental education) had strong effects on children’s task engagement behaviour andschool achievement. Children’s task engagement behaviour also found to have strongeffect on children’s school achievement