Modelling gender differences in Egyptian adolescents' perception of parental involvement practices

Abstract

This study investigated gender differences in Egyptian adolescents' perception of parental involvement practices when controlling for the effect of adolescents' prior academic achievement and level of educational aspiration. Subjects of this study included 187 first-year students enrolled in four high schools in El-Minia city in Egypt during 2005. Three indices (e.g., parents' academic expectations, parents-school communication, and parents' control) adopted from the Perception of Parental Involvement Scale (PPIS) were used to assess the participants' perception of their parents' involvement practices. Participants responded to three questions concerning their family background. In addition, participants responded to one question concerning their level of educational aspiration. Participants' prior academic achievement scores were obtained from their school records. Results of the study showed that after controlling for the effect of adolescents' prior academic achievement and level of educational aspiration, (a) male adolescents scored higher than their female counterparts regarding their perception of parents' academic expectations; (b) male adolescents scored higher than their female counterparts regarding their perception of parents-school communication level, and (c) female adolescents scored higher than their male counterparts regarding their perception of parents' control level. Implications for these findings within the Egyptian culture and social practices were discussed.

African Journal for the Psychological Study of Social Issues Vol. 9(1) 2006: 26-36