The effects of parents' assistance on middle school students' problem solving and achievement.
In this study the authors tested whether children's aptitudes in science were advanced in areas in which cognitive supports were generally present, particularly through interaction with more capable individuals. Mothers assisted their 7th-grade children in science activities. Differences in parent-child interaction were hypothesized to account for children's performance across 3 science tasks that differed in difficulty. A cooperative problem-solving style of interaction was identified through factor analysis. This interaction style was correlated significantly with the child's intellectual performance not only in the science tasks but also in school achievement. Development of science and other aptitudes in the context of activity variables that help bridge home and school cultures are discussed.
Portes
P R
PR
University of Louisville, KY 40292, USA.
Zady
M F
MF
Dunham
R M
RM
D000124:Achievement; D000293:Adolescent; D003469:Culture; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology*; D012574:Schools; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*