Heterogeneity in Parental Trauma, Parental Behaviors, and Parental Academic Involvement

We explored the role of selected parental environmental factors (e.g., adverse childhood experiences) and behavioral factors (e.g., discipline and parental empathy) in perceived parenting as it pertains to parent involvement (PI) in their child’s education. Data were collected from families who resided in the southeastern and western United States (N = 201). Six parent profiles were emerged; class 1 highest ACE scores, valued child adherence to parents’ need and expectation, but had the lowest PI. Class 2 had average ACE scores showed the average levels of parent self-interest, behavioral control, obedience/will, and had average PI. Class 3 had the lowest ACE scores, were against the use of corporal punishment, strongly believed child adherence to parents’ need, expectation, children’s obedience, and had low levels of PI. Class 4 relatively high ACE scores, had stronger self-interest, believed in corporal punishment, but did not emphasize children’s obedience, and had high PI. Class 5, had low ACE scores, believed in the value of corporal punishment but did not emphasize their children’s obedience scores, and PI was low. Class 6 had the lowest ACE scores, were against the use of corporal punishment, however, demanded their children’s obedience, and demonstrated high PI. The results of these analyses reveal subgroups of parent profiles that relate to varying types of parenting behavior, parenting beliefs, and parent involvement. These distinct parenting profiles may be an additional tool to better understand PI that can ultimately be used as a mechanism to better understand child academic and functional outcomes.