Parental factors, learning-related skills and academic skills in rural Côte d'Ivoire

Abstract

The associations of parental expectations and involvement with children's academic skills have largely been investigated in high-income countries. Using a sample of children from grades 1 to 6 in Côte d'Ivoire (N = 1413), we asked: Are parental expectations and involvement related to children's academic skills? Are these relations mediated by children's executive functions (EFs), socioemotional (SE) skills, and growth mindset? Parental expectations, involvement, EFs, and SE skills positively predicted academic skills. SE skills mediate the association between parent variables and child academic skills; specifically, they are predicted positively by parental involvement and negatively by parental expectations. Parental involvement is lower among parents who expected their child to pursue tertiary education, compared to parents who expected their child to complete secondary education. The study highlights associations between parenting practices and child academic achievement, shedding light on mediating pathways, and informing the development of culturally appropriate supports for families.