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IMPACTS OF PARENTAL SUPPORT ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AMONG

SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ISLAMABAD

Article · August 2020

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The Explorer Islamabad: Journal of Social Sciences
ISSN (E): 2411-0132, ISSN (P): 2411-5487
Vol-1, Issue (7):228-231
www.theexplorerpak.org

IMPACTS OF PARENTAL SUPPORT ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AMONG SECONDARY

SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ISLAMABAD
Muhammad Shahzad1, Farooq Abdullah2, Sammer Fatima1, Farhan Riaz1, Shazia Mehmood1
1
Department of Sociology, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi,
2
Department of Sociology and Rural Development, University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir

Corresponding Author:
Muhammad Shahzad
Department of Sociology, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi
Lashari003@gmail.com

Abstract: Parental support is considered to be one of the strongest factors in student academic success as
demonstrated by the literature of sociology of education. This study examines the impacts of parental support on
academic performance of students in Islamabad. Supportive parents keep check and balance on their children and
provide a guiding mechanism for their academic matters. Child’s academic performance assisted through regular
monitoring, consistent meetings with child and check directly all the matters of school and class improves the
academic performance. This study was conducted under a quantitative research design with a sample size of 60
respondents was limited to different schools of Islamabad. Simple random sampling technique was employed for
the data collection. Field data was coded in SPSS and Chi Square test was applied to check the association between
two: Parental support and Academic performance of students. Results of the present research highlighted that
there is a significant association among parental support and student’s academic progress. Students showed
higher academic performance whose parents were more supportive and involved in academic activities as
compared to those whose parents were less supportive.

Key Words: Parental support, Academic achievement, Sociology, Education

INTRODUCTION Numerous studies have been conducted which

Parental support plays pivotal role in schooling of explain that educational performance of child
a child and one of the most powerful factors in a widely depend on outside factors (Sheldon and
child's education which is positively related to Epstein2005). Parental education has repeatedly
their academic performance. Parental support is been shown to be an important factor in the
used to observe its impact on the academic educational performance of children and
performance of students; it is closely associated adolescents (Davis-Kean 2005). Academic
with financial, emotional and educational support achievement is a tenacious topic of interest
provided by parents and other family members at within the research community because
home. Academic performance is therefore not researchers have found it to be a gauge of
merely based on the educational processes students’ adjustment to school and their future
within school, it depends no less on the success (Rao, et al. 2000). Different researchers
circumstances that young live in, on the have concluded that students performance is
encouragement and support teenage receive at closely interlinked with different factors which
home, the atmosphere in the peer group, and affect the performance in a positive or negative
lifestyles of adolescents in different places (Pong, way, these factors can be behavioral,
et al. 2005). Academic support is defined as the psychological, and social. It was found that
provision of the facilities needed by the child and children and youngsters who perform well
the resources needed for their socialization. academically, experience positive schooling
Emotional support in the form of encouragement develop social capability, and engage in pro-social
and assistance in homework of the child is also a behavior and establish good relationships with
part of academic support (Birch and Ladd 1996). parents, teachers and peers (Masten, et al. 1995).

228
When parental encouragement and student and its effects on academic performance of
performance in school settings have been secondary school students. So, the universe for
studied, other factors have been associated with the present study was limited to the schools of
academic performance and achievement among Islamabad. Population selection in social research
youth. These factors include motivation (Alfaro, is a little bit tricky. The researcher selected the
et al. 2006), goal orientation (Dupeyrat and children of 9th grade specifically for the reason as
Marine 2005) and self- efficacy (Bandura 1997). they have a much better mental capacity than
The engagement of parents in educational that of lower grade students. For data collection
activities and some financial matters significantly from schools of Islamabad both males and
affect the educational development of the females were selected and the justification to
student. If the parents don’t take part in their select the students of this grade was that, these
children’s educational matters the students don’t students have more understanding capacity than
perform well. There are many researches which that of lower grade students. The researcher
have investigated that participation of parents in employed the simple random sampling technique
their educational matters is utmost important and lottery draw method was used in selection of
(Bergsten 1998). Many researchers have resulted schools. On this basis two schools were chosen.
that if the parents take part in their children’s Both the genders were selected on equal basis,
educational activities on regular basis, it so one school from each gender was selected one
enhances the performance of the children from male side and other one from female side.
(Driessen, et al. 2005). Poor performance is After reviewing the literature, a
significantly interlinked with some factors like; Questionnaire was designed. Closed ended
constituent mishandling, felony, and questions were included in the questionnaire
psychological issues (Driessen, et al. 2005). about personal information. The data was then
Parental involvement in school related matters of analyzed through SPSS. The Chi-square test was
children is utmost important. Parent’s applied to test the significance of the association
involvement may comprise regular meetings with between the independent variable (level of
the instructors, guiding mechanism for all school parental involvement in their children’s academic
matters, and interaction with the child, to check activities) and the dependent variable (level of
the mark sheets of the student on regular basis. If children’s academic achievement.
the parents maintain this the child performs well RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
in their academics. The parents always think Table. 1: Response regarding Parental
about the future of the children and make Encouragement to Attain Good Grades in Studies
planning for their education; they are one step Parental Frequency Percentage
forward and anxious about the coming stage of encouragement to
their child. When the child is at primary level, attain good grades
parents think about hid secondary level and Often 46 76.7
when he is at secondary level Parents gradually Sometimes 11 8.3
alarm for his further education (Catsambis and Never 3 5.0
Garland 1997). Total 60 100.0
There is a strong correlation between the Above results demonstrates parental
monitoring of children and the progress in encouragement to attain good grades in studies.
children’s education. Evidences are found for a (76.7%) responded that their parents often
low contribution of researchers in this area, the encourage them to attain good grades in studies.
existing research work indicates that there are Least of them (8.3%) responded that their
some reasons for parents to take part in their parents sometimes encourage them to attain
child’s educational matters. The research good grades in studies while some of them (5%)
explores the effects of support from the parents responded that their parents never encourage
and the performance of the child. them to attain good grades. Parental
METHODOLOGY encouragement had a positive impact on the
The research was conducted to inquire the academic outcomes. Students whose parents
impacts of educational support from the parents encouraged them had better academic results

229
compared to those whose parents don’t where parents were more supportive towards
encourage them. The importance of the home their education perform academically well as
environment and parental encouragement in the compared to those students whose parents
educational performance of the children is thus didn’t show any involvement. The home
undeniable. The results of a study confirmed that background and parental attitude to school
parental encouragement and supportive home activities and education generally are some of the
environment laid positive influence on strongest and most persistent in determining a
educational achievement of the black students child’s interest and his consequent attitudes to
(Codjoe 2007). education.
HYPOTHESIS OF THE STUDY CONCLUSION
The present segment of the study consists of The results of the present research indicated that
hypothetical testing. Two variables are used for the engagement of parents in children activities
the hypothesis, the engagement of the parents related to education is linked with the
and the performance of the students. The performance of the children. Students with a
hypothesis used in this study was as: higher the greater extent of monitoring and supportive
involvement of parents, higher will be the mechanism from their parents perform well in
performance of students. their academic activities in comparison with
Table. 2: Association between Parental Attitude those whose parental involvement is less
regarding Supportive and Performance of Students supportive. The study has also revealed that
Categorizing performance by educated parents monitor their children’s
students Total
Attitude of parents regarding

activities properly and this leads towards better

performance of children
Excellen Good Avera Poor
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