The Relationship Between Parental Involvement and Children’s Educational Achievement in the Korean Immigrant Family

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between parental involvement and children’s educational achievement in the Korean American family. The primary purposes are to examine the extent and characteristics of parental involvement and the consequences of children’s educational achievement. Various dimensions of parental involvement are measured as separate variables. Data from a sample of children aged 12 through 14 (n = 209) and their parents (n = 209) are used to test the research hypothesis.***Parental involvement in the Korean American family is characterized by an extremely high level of home based parental involvement and a comparatively much lower level of school based parental involvement. Parents’ education level and English proficiency substantially influence the extent of parental involvement and children’s educational achievement. Thus, we could conclude that reflecting both traditional cultural norms and the levels of parents’ adaptation to their new world, the parental involvement of the Korean American family revealed its own distinctive characteristics and impact on children’s educational achievement.