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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of a parental involvement intervention on the mathematics self-efficacy and achievement of students. A previous study showed the involvement of many Nigerian parents in their children’s education was low and parents were lacking in some involvement practices. The study was a quasi-experimental study involving an intervention and a control group. The participants were fifth grade students selected from two private elementary schools in Southwestern Nigeria. The sample consisted of 17 males (33.4%) and 43 females (66.6%). Participants’ ages ranged from 9 to 15 years with an average age of 10.89 years. Parents in the intervention group were provided with an intervention targeting school-home communication, parental supervision, and home structure. Participants took a mathematics pre and posttest and completed a mathematics self-efficacy measure; in addition those in the intervention group took weekly mathematics quizzes. Parents in both intervention and control groups completed a pre- and post-parental involvement measure. The research hypotheses were as follows: (1) Participants in the intervention group will have significantly higher mathematics achievement at posttest than those in the control group. (2) Parents in the intervention group will have significantly higher perceptions of parental involvement at posttest compared to parents in the control group. (3) There will be a significant positive relationship between parental involvement and students’ mathematics achievement. (4) There will be a significant positive relationship between students’ mathematics self-efficacy and achievement. (5) There will be a significant positive relationship between parental involvement and students’ mathematics self-efficacy. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and Pearson product moment correlation analyses were used to test the research hypotheses. Results showed intervention had a significant effect on students’ mathematics achievement but not on parents’ perception of involvement. Also, there was significant positive relationship between mathematics self-efficacy and achievement but no significant positive relationship between parental involvement and mathematics achievement, and between parental involvement and mathematics self-efficacy. Educational implications of the results are discussed.
INDEX WORDS: Parental involvement, mathematics, achievement, self-efficacy, home structure, school home communication, parental supervision, intervention, and Nigeria.
INDEX WORDS: Parental involvement, mathematics, achievement, self-efficacy, home structure, school home communication, parental supervision, intervention, and Nigeria.