Does Parental Academic Support Consistently Predict Pupils’ Academic Achievement? Unbundling the Impacts of the Dimensions of Parental Academic Support

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.70232/jrep.v3i1.102

Keywords:

Academic Achievement, Age, Gender, Parental Academic Support, Pupils

Abstract

The significance of parental academic support has been noted in educational research, highlighting its impact on several aspects of learning outcomes. Most researchers conceptualized parental academic support as multidimensional, given that it encompasses various strategies and activities parents adopt to support the learning of their children. Yet, few studies have unbundled the impacts of these dimensions on pupils’ academic achievement. We designed this study by employing a predictive correlational research design to determine how parental academic support predicts pupils’ academic achievement by unbundling how the various dimensions of this support impact their achievement using hierarchical multiple regression analysis. A simple random sampling method was employed to select 261 students (54% male and 46% female; mean age = 10.51 ± 1.41 years) from six intact classes across two primary schools affiliated with and administered by two tertiary institutions in Anambra State, Nigeria. We adopted the Perceived Parental Academic Support Scale developed by Chen (2005) to obtain pupils’ views regarding the academic support they receive from their parents. The scale was divided into five dimensions (interpersonal, cognitive, emotional, behavioural, and instrumental) and rated on a 4-point rating continuum from ‘strongly agree’ to ‘strongly disagree’. The average scores of the pupils for the 2023/2024 academic session were used to represent their academic achievement. Major findings indicated that pupils’ age and gender predicted their academic achievement. Also, the findings show that the cognitive dimension of parental academic support predicted the pupils’ academic achievement. We concluded from the findings of the study that pupils’ age, gender, and the cognitive dimension of parental academic support are critical to pupils’ academic achievement.

References

Acar, E. (2011). Effects of social capital on academic success: A narrative synthesis. Educational Research and Reviews, 6(6), 456. http://www.academicjournals.org/ERR

Akinola, A., Samuel, O., Jackson, M., & Dirisu, O. (2023). Mapping the learning crisis: Learning deprivation as an early warning indicator among in-school children in Nigeria. Nigerian Economic Summit Group. https://policycentre.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Mapping-the-Learning-Crisis-1.pdf

Akomolafe, C. O., & Adesua, V. O. (2016). Peer group and parental support as correlates of academic performance of senior secondary school students in South West, Nigeria. European Scientific Journal, 12(7), 306-315. http://dx.doi.org/10.19044/esj.2016.v12n7p306

Alimba, R. U., Aguocha, C. J., & Uchunor, C. I. (2024). Extent of Parental School Involvement for Improved Pupils’ Academic Performance in Anambra State. Journal of Education in Developing Areas, 31(4), 278-288. https://journals.journalsplace.org/index.php/JEDA/article/view/451

Angwaomaodoko, E. A. (2023). The impact of parental involvement on students’ academic achievement in Nigeria: A case study of parents in Asaba, Delta State. International Journal of Education, 5(4), 37-51. https://doi.org/10.5296/ije.v15i4.20981

Barber, B. K., Stolz, H. E., Olsen, J. A., Collins, W. A., & Burchinal, M. (2005). Parental support, psychological control, and behavioral control: Assessing relevance across time, culture, and method. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, i-147. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3701442

Barr, A. B. (2015). Family socioeconomic status, family health, and changes in students’ math achievement across high school: A mediational model. Social Science & Medicine, 140, 27-34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.06.028

Çelikkol, Ö. (2023). Impacts of the school starting age on academic achievement. Shanlax International Journal of Education, 11(1), 208–215. https://doi.org/10.34293/education.v11iS1-July.6186

Chen, J. J. L. (2005). Relation of academic support from parents, teachers, and peers to Hong Kong adolescents’ academic achievement: The mediating role of academic engagement. Genetic, Social, and General Psychology Monographs, 131(2), 77-127. https://doi.org/10.3200/MONO.131.2.77-127

Cheung, C. S. S., & Pomerantz, E. M. (2015). Value development underlies the benefits of parents’ involvement in children’s learning: A longitudinal investigation in the United States and China. Journal of Educational Psychology, 107(1), 309. https://doi.org/10.1037%2Fa0037458

Choe, D. (2020). Parents’ and adolescents’ perceptions of parental support as predictors of adolescents’ academic achievement and self-regulated learning. Children and Youth Services Review, 116, 105172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105172

Coleman, J. S. (1988). Social capital in the creation of human capital. American Journal of Sociology, 94, S95-S120. https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/228943

Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2017). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage Publications.

Ebele, O. T. (2024). Impact of parental involvement and educational status on primary school children’s academic achievement. Matondang Journal, 3(2), 108-120. https://doi.org/10.33258/matondang.v3i2.1118

Enemuo, J. O., & Onyenwe, C. Y. (2020). Extent of parental school involvement on pupils’ academic performance in Anambra State, Nigeria. Budapest International Research and Critics in Linguistics and Education (BirLE) Journal, 3(1), 507-513. https://doi.org/10.33258/birle.v3i1.846

Gershy, N., Cohen, R., & Poria, N. A. (2023). Parental mentalization goes to school: A brief online mentalization-based intervention to improve parental academic support. Attachment & Human Development, 25(2), 254-271. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616734.2023.2179578

Hasan, M. (2016). Correlates of parental support and academic achievement of male and female secondary school students. The International Journal of Indian Psychology, 3(2), 199-209. https://ijip.in/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/18.01.135-20160302.pdf

Hill, N. E., & Tyson, D. F. (2009). Parental involvement in middle school: a meta-analytic assessment of the strategies that promote achievement. Developmental Psychology, 45(3), 740. https://doi.org/10.1037%2Fa0015362

Hong, J. T., Chen, S. T., Tang, Y., Cao, Z. B., Zhuang, J., Zhu, Z., ... & Liu, Y. (2020). Associations between various kinds of parental support and physical activity among children and adolescents in Shanghai, China: gender and age differences. BMC Public Health, 20, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09254-8

Johnson, A. & Megan, K. (2020). Impacts of school entry age on academic growth through 2nd grade: A multi-state regression discontinuity analysis. (EdWorkingPaper: 20-203). Retrieved from Annenberg Institute at Brown University: https://doi.org/10.26300/d4kt-nv59

Kristjánsson, Á. L., & Sigfúsdóttir, I. D. (2009). The role of parental support, parental monitoring, and time spent with parents in adolescent academic achievement in Iceland: A structural model of gender differences. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 53(5), 481-496. https://doi.org/10.1080/00313830903180786

Li, G., Li, B., Wang, L., Liu, C., & Lu, L. (2023). A longitudinal study on the impact of parental academic support and expectations on students’ academic achievement: The mediating role of happiness. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 38(2), 801-818. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-022-00608-x

Maduka-Okafor, F. C., Okoye, O. I., Oguego, N., Udeh, N., Aghaji, A., Okoye, O., Ezegwui, I. R., Nwobi, E. A., Ezugwu, E., Onwasigwe, E., Umeh, R. E., & Aneji, C. (2021). Recruiting pupils for a school-based eye study in Nigeria: Trust and informed consent concerns. Research Ethics, 18(1), 13-23. https://doi.org/10.1177/17470161211045772

Mavilidi, M. F., Marsh, H. W., Xu, K. M., Parker, P. D., Jansen, P. W., & Paas, F. (2022). Relative age effects on academic achievement in the first ten years of formal schooling: A nationally representative longitudinal prospective study. Journal of Educational Psychology, 114(2), 308-325. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000681

Morrison, E. F., Rimm-Kauffman, S., & Pianta, R. C. (2003). A longitudinal study of mother–child interactions at school entry and social and academic outcomes in middle school. Journal of School Psychology, 41(3), 185-200. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-4405(03)00044-X

Nalova, E. M. & Etomes, S. E. (2019). The effect of age on pupils’ academic achievement: a comparative analysis of private and public primary school children in Fako Division, Southwest Region of Cameroon. European Journal of Education Studies, 6(7), 357-370. http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3525971

Nwosu, K. C. Wahl, W. P., Nwikpo, M. N., Hickman, G. P., Ezeonwumelu, V. U., & Akuname, C. C. (2023). School refusal behaviours profiles among Nigerian adolescents: Differences in risk and protective psychosocial factors. Current Psychology, 41(11), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-03890-6

Nwosu, K. C., Nwune, E. C., Anidi, C. A., & Oguezue, N. K. (2024). What’s the fuss about extra lessons? Empirical evidence on pupils’ perception. Journal of Research in Education and Pedagogy, 1(2), 73–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.70232/jrep.v1i2.11

Oluwatayo, I. B., Ojo, A. O., Isah, S. I., & Odeleye, A. T. (2024). Determinants of learning outcome in the Nigerian primary schools. Journal of Education, 204(3), 595-607. https://doi.org/10.1177/00220574221130954

Omieibi-Davids, I. (2022). Age and academic performance of primary school pupils in Rivers State, Nigeria, in English Language and Mathematics. RIK International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 6(1), 52-65.

Pishghadam, R., & Zabihi, R. (2011). Parental education and social and cultural capital in academic achievement. International Journal of English Linguistics, 1(2), 50. https://doi.org/10.5539/ijel.v1n2p50

RogoÅ, S., & BaranoviÄ, B. (2016). Social capital and educational achievements: Coleman vs. Bourdieu. Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal, 6(2), 81-100. https://doi.org/10.26529/cepsj.89

Rutherford, M., Singh-Roy, A., Rush, R., McCartney, D., O’Hare, A., & Forsyth, K. (2019). Parent focused interventions for older children or adults with ASD and parent wellbeing outcomes: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 68, 101450. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2019.101450

Sota, V. V., & Agi, C. W. (2020). Parental influence on subject selection and academic performance of secondary school students in Rivers-East Senatorial District, Rivers State. International Journal of Innovative Psychology and Social Development, 8(1), 1-16.

Ugwuanyi, C. S., Okeke, C. I., & Njeze, K. C. (2020). Parenting style and parental support on learners’ academic achievement. Journal of Sociology and Social Anthropology, 11(3-4), 198-205. https://doi.org/10.31901/24566764.2020/11.3-4.352

Urruticoechea, A., Oliveri, A., Vernazza, E., Giménez-Dasí, M., Martínez-Arias, R., & Martín-Babarro, J. (2021). The relative age effects in educational development: A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(17), 8966. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18178966

Yahya, I. O., Khadijah, O. S., & Adekunle, A. U. (2022). Influence of parental support and achievement motivation on academic performance of secondary school Islamic studies students in Lagos state. Journal of Applied Science, Engineering, Technology, and Education, 4(2), 236-245. https://doi.org/10.35877/454RI.asci1443

Yatziv, T., Gueron‐Sela, N., Meiri, G., Marks, K., & Atzaba‐Poria, N. (2018). Maternal mentalization and behavior under stressful contexts: The moderating roles of prematurity and household chaos. Infancy, 23(4), 591-615. https://doi.org/10.1111/infa.12233

Downloads

Published

2026-02-04

How to Cite

Nwune, E. C., Anidi, C. A., Oguezue, N. K., & Nwosu, K. C. (2026). Does Parental Academic Support Consistently Predict Pupils’ Academic Achievement? Unbundling the Impacts of the Dimensions of Parental Academic Support. Journal of Research in Education and Pedagogy, 3(1), 14–23. https://doi.org/10.70232/jrep.v3i1.102

Most read articles by the same author(s)

Similar Articles

1-10 of 64

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.