Lomax, R.G. & Gammill, P.S. (1984, October). Parental influence on student occupational and educational aspirations and achievement. Sociological Perspectives, 465-472.

OVERVIEW

PURPOSE

The purpose of this research was to study parental influence, corporately and by gender, on students’ occupational and educational aspirations and achievements.

DESIGN

The sample consisted of 28,240 high school seniors in 1980 who participated in The High School and Beyond (HSB), a nationally representative, stratified, probability sample. At the student level, data were collected on over 600 variables by student questionnaires and achievement testing. These rich HSB data provide a more current, representative, and larger sample than any previous study of this kind.

CONCLUSIONS

• As expected, socioeconomic factors are very influential.
• A key variable within the socioeconomic groupings is the degree to which a student perceives that his or her parents believe that he or she would achieve to a given level. The student would likely aspire and achieve to that level.
• On average, kids aspire and likely achieve the level that their same-sex parent believed they would. The opposite sex parent generally has higher expectations. (This factor becomes important considering the number of single parent homes.)

IMPLICATIONS

1. The key for kids is not how much their parents believe in their kids, but the level to which kids believe their parents believe in them. Parents must first believe in their kids and also effectively and often communicate this belief to their kids.
2. In assessing the educational and occupational potential of young people, consideration must be made of their family influences. Unrealized potential could emerge from a lack of belief demonstrated by a child’s parents. Making parents aware of the need to communicate their belief to kids can help a kid realize his or her potential.
3. Youth leaders can help parents understand their role in this process, as well as attempt to fill in the gaps. Kids need someone to believe in them—if their parents do not, then perhaps a youth worker who does is enough to help a kid realize his or her potential. Also, for kids who do not have a same-sex parental role model, youth leaders may be terrific role models.

Dean Borgman cCYS