Influence of parental involvement and reading skills on behavior in elementary school students

Objective: To explore the temporal effects of parental involvement in school and reading skills on changes in child behaviors and social competence. Methods: Data were drawn from a sample of 424 low-income African-American and Latino families who participated in a randomized controlled trial of a family-focused, preventive intervention designed to address risk factors which lead to problem behaviors, including aggression and violence. The intervention was delivered to families of children entering 1st grade and living in low-income inner-city communities. Data were collected through individual interviews conducted with the primary caregiver(s), teachers, and children four times over two years at six month intervals. A lagged analysis was used to test the effects of parental involvement and reading skills at time(t-1) on changes in child behavior between time(t-1) and time(t). Results: Parental involvement in school and child's reading skills predicted change in child behavior and social competence in the subsequent wave of assessment. Higher parental involvement predicted significant decreases in aggression and hyperactivity. Increases in concentration and decreases in impulsivity approached significance. Higher parental involvement predicted significant increases in social skills. Higher reading levels predicted significant increases in concentration, social skills, leadership, and adaptability, though changes in aggression, hyperactivity, and impulsivity were non-significant. Conclusions: Parental involvement in school was associated with positive effects on child behavior and social competence, notably decreasing aggression and hyperactivity and increasing social skills. Reading skills were associated with positive effects on child behavior and social competence, notably increasing concentration, social skills, leadership, and adaptability.