Longitudinal Effects of Parental Academic Support on Academic Achievement in Korea: Will You Be a Companion or a Manager in Your Children’s Academic Support?

Abstract

This study addresses the novel concept of two types of parental academic support (PAS), namely, as a companion and as a manager, and identifies the effect of children’s perceived PAS on their psychological attributes and academic achievements. The data include a nationally representative sample of 6836 students from the Korean Education Longitudinal Study 2013. A correlation analysis showed that the two types of PAS had a positive relation with adolescents’ development; however, a structural equation model showed a negative effect of PAS as a manager. Children’s perceived PAS as managers had no effect on their self-regulation or academic achievement after 3 years, surprisingly, was found to increase their amotivation. Children’s perceived PAS as companions had a long-term, positive effect on adolescents’ development and academic achievements. The results suggest that parents should recognize their children’s autonomy and provide academic support on an equal level. Further multidimensional PAS studies should be conducted with more detailed questions.