Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Examining Socio-Cultural and Neighborhood Factors Associated with Trajectories of Mexican-Origin Mothers’ Education-Related Involvement

  • Empirical Research
  • Published:
Journal of Youth and Adolescence Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Parental involvement in education is an important determinant of youth’s academic success. Yet, there is limited knowledge on how Latino parents’ education-related involvement changes over time. Using data from a longitudinal study of 674 Mexican-origin families (mother-adolescent dyad; M age of child at Wave 1=10.4, SD = 0.60), we examined trajectories of parental involvement from 5th to 11th grade and the effects of socio-cultural (e.g., family SES and acculturation) and contextual (e.g., neighborhood) factors on these trajectories. Results showed that mothers reduced two aspects of the educational involvement: home-based involvement and academic aspirations, but increased on a third aspect of involvement, resource seeking. Furthermore, family SES, acculturation, and neighborhood context were differentially associated with mothers’ involvement at 5th grade and predicted changes in involvement across elementary and high school.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ainsworth, J. W. (2002). Why does it take a village? The mediation of neighborhood effects on educational achievement. Social Forces, 81(1), 117–152. doi:10.1353/sof.2002.0038.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Altschul, I. (2011). Parental involvement and the academic achievement of Mexican American youths: What kinds of involvement in youths’ education matter most? Social Work Research, 35(3), 159–170. doi:10.1093/swr/35.3.159.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Auerbach, S. (2007). From moral supporters to struggling advocates reconceptualizing parent roles in education through the experience of working-class families of color. Urban Education, 42(3), 250–283. doi:10.1177/0042085907300433.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhargava, S., & Witherspoon, D. P. (2015). Parental involvement across middle and high school: Exploring contributions of individual and neighborhood characteristics. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 44(9), 1702–1719. doi:10.1007/s10964-015-0334-9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bridgeland, J. M., DiIulio, Jr, J. J., Morision, K. B., & Peter, D., Hart Research Associates, & Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. (2006). The silent epidemic: Perspectives of high school dropouts. Washington, D.C: Civic Enterprises, LLC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, R., & Evans, W. P. (2002). Extracurricular activity and ethnicity: Creating greater school connection among diverse student populations. Urban Education, 37(1), 41–58. doi:10.1177/0042085902371004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bursik, R. J., & Grasmick, H. G. (1993). Neighborhoods and crime: The dimensions of effective community control. New York, NY: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cavazos, Jr., J., Johnson, M. B., Fielding, C., Cavazos, A. G., Castro, V., & Vela, L. (2010). A qualitative study of resilient Latina/o college students. Journal of Latinos and Education, 9, 172–188. doi:10.1080/15348431003761166.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ceballo, R. (2004). From barrios to Yale: The role of parenting strategies in Latino families. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 26(2), 171–186. doi:10.1177/0739986304264572.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ceballo, R., Maurizi, L. K., Suarez, G. A., & Aretakis, M. T. (2014). Gift and sacrifice: Parental involvement in latino adolescents’ education. Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology, 20(1), 116–127. doi:10.1037/a0033472.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, W., & Gregory, A. (2010). Parental involvement as a protective factor during the transition to high school. The Journal of Educational Research, 103(1), 53–62. doi:10.1080/00220670903231250.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coleman, J. S. (1990). Foundations of social theory. Cambridge, MA: Harvard, University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coleman, J. S. (1988). Social capital in the creation of human capital. American Journal of Sociology, 94(S1), S95–S120. doi:10.1086/228943.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Comer, J. P. (1995). School power: Implications of and intervention project. New York, NY: Free.

    Google Scholar 

  • Conger, R. D., & Conger, K. J. (2002). Resilience in Midwestern families: Selected findings from the first decade of a prospective, longitudinal study. Journal of Marriage and Family, 64, 361–373.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cuellar, I., Arnold, B., & Maldonado, R. (1995). Acculturation rating scale for Mexican Americans-II: A revision of the original ARSMA scale. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 17(3), 275–304. doi:10.1177/07399863950173001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Gaetano, Y. (2007). The role of culture in engaging Latino parents’ involvement in school. Urban Education, 42, 145–162. doi:10.1177/0042085906296536.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Delgado-Gaitan, C. (1992). School matters in the Mexican- American home: Socializing children to education. American Educational Research Journal, 29(3), 495–513. doi:10.2307/1163255.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Delgado-Gaitan, C., & Trueba, H. (1991). Crossing cultural borders. New York, NY: The Falmer press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eccles, J. S., & Harold, R. D. (1996). Family involvement in children’s and adolescents’ schooling. In A. Booth, & J. F. Dunn (Eds.), Family-school links: How do they affect educational outcomes? (pp. 3–34). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elliott, D. S., Menard, S., Rankin, B., Elliott, A., Wilson, W. J., & Huizinga, D. (2006). Good kids from bad neighborhoods: Successful development in social context. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

  • Epstein, J. L. (1992). School and family partnerships. In M. Aiken (Ed.), Encyclopedia of educational research. 6th edn. (pp. 1139–1151). New York, NY: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Epstein, J. L. (1996). Perspectives and previews on research and policy for school, family, and community partnerships. In A. Booth, & J. Dunn (Eds.), Family–school links: How do they affect educational outcomes? (pp. 209–246). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Epstein, J. L., & Salinas, K. C. (1993). Surveys and summaries: Questionnaires for teachers and parents in the elementary and middle grades. Baltimore, MD: Center on School, Family, and Community Partnerships, Johns Hopkins University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fan, X., & Chen, M. (2001). Parental involvement and students’ academic achievement: A meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 13(1), 1–22. doi:10.1023/A:1009048817385.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fan, W., & Williams, C. M. (2010). The effects of parental involvement on students’ academic self- efficacy, engagement and intrinsic motivation. Educational Psychology, 30(1), 53–74. doi:10.1080/01443410903353302.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Francois, S., Overstreet, S., & Cunningham, M. (2012). Where we live: The unexpected influence of urban neighborhoods on the academic performance of African American adolescents. Youth & Society, 44(2), 307–328. doi:10.1177/0044118X11399109.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fredricks, J. A., & Eccles, J. S. (2006). Is extracurricular participation associated with beneficial outcomes? Concurrent and longitudinal relations. Developmental psychology, 42(4), 698 doi:10.1037/0012-1649.42.4.698.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fuligni, A. J. & Fuligni, A. S. (2007). Immigrant families and the educational development of their children. In J.E. Lansford, K. Deater-Deckard, & M.H. Bornstein (Eds.), Immigrant Families in Contemporary Society (pp. 231–249). New York: Guilford Press.

  • Furstenberg, F. F., Cook, T. D., Eccles, J., Elder, G. H., & Sameroff, A. (1999). Managing to make IT. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Furstenberg, F. F., & Hughes, M. E. (1995). Social capital and successful development among at-risk youth. Journal of Marriage and Family, 57(3), 580–592.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garcia Coll, C., Crnic, K., Lamberty, G., Wasik, B. H., Jenkins, R., Garcia, H. V., & McAdoo, H. P. (1996). An integrative model for the study of developmental competencies in minority children. Child development, 67(5), 1891–1914.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • García-Coll, C., & Magnuson, K. (1997). The psychological experience of immigration: A developmental perspective. In A. Booth, A. C. Crouter, & N. Landale (Eds.), Immigration and the family (pp. 91–132). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalez, L., Borders, L. D., Hines, E., Villalba, J., & Henderson, A. (2013). Parental involvement in children’s education: Considerations for school counselors working with Latino immigrant families. Professional School Counseling, 16(3), 185–193. doi:10.5330/PSC.n.2013-16.183.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grolnick, W. S., & Slowiaczek, M. L. (1994). Parents’ involvement in children’s schooling: A multidimensional conceptualization and motivational model. Child Development, 65, 237–252. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.1994.tb00747.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hill, N. E., & Chao, R. K. (2009). Families, schools, and the adolescent: Connecting research, policy, and practice. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill, N. E., & Tyson, D. F. (2009). Parental involvement in middle school: A meta-analytic assessment of the strategies that promote achievement. Developmental Psychology, 45(3), 740–763. doi:10.1037/a0015362.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Hoover‐Dempsey, K., Walker, J., Sandler, H., Whetsel, D., Green, C., Wilkins, A., & Closson, K. (2005). Why do parents become involved? Research findings and implications. The Elementary School Journal, 106(2), 105–130. doi:10.1086/499194.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jarrett, R. L. (1998). African American children, families, and neighborhoods: Qualitative contributions to understanding developmental pathways. Applied Developmental Science, 2(1), 2–16. doi:10.1207/s1532480xads0201_1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jencks, C., & Mayer, S. E., (1990). The social consequences of growing up in a poor neighborhood. In L. E. Lynn, & M. G. H.McGeary (Eds.), Inner city poverty in the United States (pp. 111–186). Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

  • Kingston, B., Huizinga, D., & Elliott, D. S. (2009). A test of social disorganization theory in high-risk urban neighborhoods. Youth and Society, 41, 53–79. doi:10.1177/0044118X09338343.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leventhal, T., & Brooks-Gunn, J. (2000). The neighborhoods they live in: The effects of neighborhood residence on child and adolescent outcomes. Psychological Bulletin, 126(2), 309–337. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.126.2.309.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Leventhal, T., Dupéré, V., & Brooks-Gunn, J. (2009). Neighborhood influences on adolescent development. In R. M. Lerner, & L. Steinberg (Eds.), Handbook of adolescent psychology. 3rd edn. (pp. 411–443). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. 2.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahoney, J., & Cairns, R. (1997). Do extracurricular activities protect against early school dropout? Developmental Psychology, 33, 241–253.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mahoney, J., Vandell, D. L., Simpkins, S., & Zarrett, N. (2009). Adolescent out-of school activities. In R. M. Lerner, & L. Steinberg (Eds.), Handbook of Adolescent Psychology. 3rd edn. (pp. 228–269). New York, NY: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maimon, D., & Browning, C. R. (2010). Unstructured socializing, collective efficacy, and violent behavior. Criminology, 48(2), 443–474. doi:10.1111/j.1745-9125.2010.00192.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martinez, C. R., DeGarmo, D. S., & Eddy, J. M. (2004). Promoting academic success among Latino youths. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 26(2), 128–151. doi:10.1177/0739986304264573.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Massey, D. S., & Capoferro, C. (2008). The geographic diversification of American immigration. In D. S. Massey (Ed.), New faces in new paces: The changing geography of American immigration (pp. 25–50). New York, NY: Russell Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • McLaughlin, H. J., Liljestrom, A., Lim, J. H., & Meyers, M. C. (2002). LEARN: A community study about Latino immigrants and education. Education and Urban Society, 34, 212–232.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mehan, H., Villanueva, I., Hubbard, L., & Lintz, A. (1996). Constructing school success: The consequences of untracking low-achieving students. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Mena, J. A. (2011). Latino parent home-based practices that bolster student academic persistence. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 33(4), 490–506. doi:10.1177/0739986311422897.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meyers, S. A., & Miller, C. (2004). Direct, mediated, moderated, and cumulative relations between neighborhood characteristics and adolescent outcomes. Adolescence [H.W. Wilson - SSA], 39, 121.

    Google Scholar 

  • Motel S. & Patten, E. (2012). The 10th largest Hispanic origin groups: Characteristics, rankings, top counties. Pew Hispanic Center. Retrieved from http://www.pewhispanic.org/2012/06/27/iii-educational-attainment.

  • Noel, A., Stark, P., & Redford, J. (2015). Parent and family involvement in education, from the National Household Education Surveys Program of 2012 (NCES 2013-028.REV), National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC. Retrieved [date] from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch.

  • Ojeda, L., & Flores, L. Y. (2008). The influence of gender, generation level, parents’ education level, and perceived barriers on the educational aspirations of mexican american high school students. Career Development Quarterly, 57(1), 84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orfield, G. (2001). Schools more separate: Consequences of a decade of resegregation. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University. Civils Rights Project.

    Google Scholar 

  • Putnam, R. D. (1993). The prosperous community: Social capital and public life. American Prospect, 13, 35–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quené, H., & Van den Bergh, H. (2004). On multi-level modeling of data from repeated measures designs: A tutorial. Speech Communication, 43(1), 103–121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rafferty, A. E. (1995). Bayesian model selection in social research. Sociological Methodology, 25, 111–163.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raudenbush, S. W., & Bryk, A. S. (2002). Hierarchical linear models: Applications and data analysis methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roche, K. M., Ensminger, M. E., & Cherlin, A. J. (2007). Variations in parenting and adolescent outcomes among African American and Latino families living in low-income, urban areas. Journal of Family Issues, 28(7), 882–909. doi:10.1177/0192513X07299617.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roosa, M. W., O’Donnell, M., Cham, H., Gonzales, N. A., Zeiders, K. H., Tein, J., et al. (2012). A prospective study of Mexican American adolescents’ academic success: Considering family and individual factors. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 41(3), 307–319. doi:10.1007/s10964-011-9707-x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sampson, R. J., & Groves, W. B. (1989). Community structure and crime: Testing social-disorganization theory. American Journal of Sociology, 94(4), 774–802. doi:10.1086/229068.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sampson, R. J., Raudenbush, S. W., & Earls, F. (1997). Neighborhoods and violent crime: A multilevel study of collective efficacy. Science, 277, 918–924.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shaw, C. R., & McKay, H. D. (1942). Juvenile delinquency and urban areas. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simons, R. L., Johnson, C., Conger, R. D., & Lorenz, F. O. (1997). Linking community context to quality of parenting: A study of rural families. Rural Sociology, 62, 207–230.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simons, R. L., Simons, L. G., Burt, C. H., Brody, G. H., & Cutrona, C. (2005). Collective efficacy, authoritative parenting and delinquency: A longitudinal test of a model integrating community- and family-level processes. Criminology, 43, 989–1029.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simpkins, S. D., Delgado, M. Y., Price, C. D., Quach, A., & Starbuck, E. (2013). Socioeconomic status, ethnicity, culture, and immigration: Examining the potential mechanisms underlying Mexican-origin adolescents’ organized activity participation. Developmental Psychology, 49(4), 706 doi:10.1037/a0028399.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, J., Stern, K., & Shatrova, Z. (2008). Factors inhibiting hispanic parents’ school involvement. Rural Educator, 29(2), 8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spera, C., Wentzel, K. R., & Matto, H. C. (2009). Parental aspirations for their children’s educational attainment: Relations to ethnicity, parental education, children’s academic performance, and parental perceptions of school climate. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 38(8), 1140 doi:10.1007/s10964-008-9314-7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stanton-Salazar, R. D. (2001). Manufacturing hope and despair: The school and kin support networks of U.S.-Mexican youth. New York, NY: Teachers College.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stevenson, D. L., & Baker, D. P. (1987). The family–school relation and the child’s school performance. Child Development, 58(5), 1348–1357. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.1987.tb01463.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sui-Chu, E. H., & Willms, J. D. (1996). Effects of parental involvement on eighth-grade achievement. Sociology of Education, 69(2), 126–141.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thornberry, T. P., Krohn, M. D., Lizotte, A. J., Smith, C. A., & Tobin, K. (2003). Gangs and delinquency in developmental perspective. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trevino, R. E. (2004). Against all odds: Lessons from parents of migrant high-achievers. In C. Salinas, & M. E. Fra´nquiz (Eds.), Scholars in the field: The challenges of migrant education (pp. 147–161). Charleston, WV: AEL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Turney, K., & Kao, G. (2009). Barriers to school involvement: Are immigrant parents disadvantaged? The Journal of Educational Research, 102(4), 257–271. doi:10.3200/JOER.102.4.257-271.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Census Bureau (2012a). Table 37- total money income of households by type, hispanic origin, and race of householder: 2011 [Data]. The Hispanic Population in the United States. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/population/hispanic/data/2012.html.

  • U.S. Census Bureau (2012b). 229- Education attainment by race and Hispanic origin: 1970 to 2010 [Data]. The 2012 Statistical Abstract-Education. Retrieved from www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012/tables/12s0229.pdf.

  • Walker, J. M., Ice, C. L., Hoover-Dempsey, K. V., & Sandler, H. M. (2011). Latino parents’ motivations for involvement in their children’s schooling: An exploratory study. The Elementary School Journal, 111(3), 409–429.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, M. T., & Eccles, J. S. (2013). School context, achievement motivation, and academic engagement: A longitudinal study of school engagement using a multidimensional perspective. Learning and Instruction, 28, 12–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, M., Hill, N. E., & Hofkens, T. (2014). Parental involvement and African American and European american adolescents’ academic, behavioral, and emotional development in secondary school. Child Development, 85(6), 2151–2168. doi:10.1111/cdev.12284.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, M., & Sheikh‐Khalil, S. (2014). Does parental involvement matter for student achievement and mental health in high school? Child Development, 85(2), 610–625. doi:10.1111/cdev.12153.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Witherspoon, D., & Ennett, S. (2011). Stability and change in rural youths’ educational outcomes through the middle and high school years. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 40(9), 1077–1090. doi:10.1007/s10964-010-9614-6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Witherspoon, D. P., & Hughes, D. L. (2014). Early adolescent perceptions of neighborhood: Strengths, structural disadvantage, and relations to outcomes. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 34(7), 866–895. doi:10.1177/0272431613510404.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by National Institute on Drug Abuse Grant DA017902 to Richard W. Robins and Rand D. Conger. We thank the participating families, staff, and research assistants who took part in this study.

Authors’ Contributions

SB conceived of the study, participated in its design, conducted the statistical analysis, interpreted the findings, and drafted the manuscript; MYB participated in its design, helped interpret the findings, and helped to draft and revise the manuscript; DPW conceived of the study, helped interpret the findings, draft, and revise the manuscript; RWR was responsible for securing funding to conduct the study, overseeing the data collection, and helping to interpret the findings and edit the manuscript; EMP helped interpret the findings and revise the manuscript. All the authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

Funding

This research was supported by National Institute on Drug Abuse Grant DA017902 to Richard W. Robins and Rand D. Conger.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, 223 Moore Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA

    Sakshi Bhargava

  2. Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, 215 Health & Human Development, University Park, PA, 16802, USA

    Mayra Y. Bámaca-Colbert

  3. Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, 217 Moore Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA

    Dawn P. Witherspoon

  4. Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, 611 Psychology Bldg. 603 E. Daniel Street M/C 716, Champaign, IL, 61820, USA

    Eva M. Pomerantz

  5. Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, 268H Young Hall, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA

    Richard W. Robins

Authors
  1. Sakshi Bhargava
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mayra Y. Bámaca-Colbert
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Dawn P. Witherspoon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Eva M. Pomerantz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Richard W. Robins
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sakshi Bhargava.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Bhargava, S., Bámaca-Colbert, M.Y., Witherspoon, D.P. et al. Examining Socio-Cultural and Neighborhood Factors Associated with Trajectories of Mexican-Origin Mothers’ Education-Related Involvement. J Youth Adolescence 46, 1789–1804 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-016-0628-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-016-0628-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation