WHY DO PARENTS BECOME INVOLVED IN THEIR CHILDRENS EDUCATION

This article reviews psychological theory and research critical to und erstanding why parents become involved in their children's elementary and secondary education. Three major constructs are believed to be cen tral to parents' basic involvement decisions. First, parents' role con struction defines parents' beliefs about what they are supposed to do in their children's education and appears to establish the basic range of activities that parents construe as important, necessary, and perm issible for their own actions with and on behalf of children. Second, parents' sense of efficacy for helping their children succeed in schoo l focuses on the extent to which parents believe that through their in volvement they can exert positive influence on their children's educat ional outcomes. Third, general invitations, demands, and opportunities for involvement refer to parents' perceptions that the child and scho ol want them to be involved. Hypotheses concerning the functioning of the three constructs in an additive model are suggested, as are implic ations for research and practice. Overall, the review suggests that ev en well-designed school programs inviting involvement will meet with o nly limited success if they do not address issues of parental role con struction and parental sense of efficacy for helping children succeed in school.