Recollection of Middle and High School Years: Parental Involvement Effect on College Students\u27 Motivation

An abundance of empirical studies suggests a link between parental involvement and their child’s motivation in elementary, middle and high school. Considering the large body of research, my project focuses on parental factors that have influenced students’ academic motivation in college. Students from various majors, attending a nontraditional university in the northwestern region of the United States, completed a questionnaire concerning their parents’ level of involvement during their middle and high school years, as well as college education. The questionnaire consisted of multiple scales focusing on the student’s perceptions of their academic competence and their perceptions of their autonomy within academia. Students were also asked about their perceptions of their parents’ attitudes toward their present and future educational achievements as well as the students reasoning for attending a university. Consistent with previous studies, there was a significant correlation found between parental involvement and students’ motivation in school, students’ sense of autonomy, and students’ perceived competence