Multiple Dimensions of Family Involvement and Their Relations to Behavioral and Learning Competencies for Urban, Low-Income Children

TLDR

The study examined how distinct dimensions of family involvement in early childhood education predict children’s learning, behavior, and language outcomes at the end of the year. Researchers surveyed 144 urban Head Start families in late fall, collecting multidimensional parental reports of family involvement. Home‑Based involvement emerged as the strongest predictor, linked to higher motivation, attention, task persistence, receptive vocabulary, and fewer conduct problems, while School‑Based involvement predicted lower conduct problems only when combined with Home‑Based, and other dimensions showed no independent effect.

Abstract

Relations between multiple dimensions of family involvement in early childhood education and classroom outcomes were examined. Participants included 144 urban, Head Start children. Parental report of family involvement was gathered in late fall using a multidimensional assessment. Relations between family involvement dimensions and end of the year outcomes of approaches to learning, conduct problems, and receptive vocabulary were investigated. Results revealed that Home-Based family involvement emerged as the strongest predictor of child outcomes. This dimension associated significantly with children's motivation to learn, attention, task persistence, receptive vocabulary skills, and low conduct problems. The School-Based Involvement dimension was significantly related to low conduct problems in the classroom when combined with the influence of Home-Based Involvement. The School-Based Involvement and Home-School Conferencing dimensions did not predict later child outcomes when considered simultaneously with Home-Based Involvement.