This study investigated how students' prior achievement is related to their homework behaviors (i.e., time spent on homework, homework time management, and amount of homework), and to their ...perceptions of parental involvement in homework (i.e., parental control and parental support). A total of 1250 secondary students from 7 to 10th grade participated in the study. Structural equation models were fitted to the data, compared, and a partial mediation model was chosen. The results indicated that students' prior academic performance was significantly associated with both of the students' homework variables, with direct and indirect results linking achievement and homework behaviors with perceived parental control and support behaviors about homework. Low-achieving students, in particular, perceived more parental control of homework in the secondary grades. These results, together with those of previous research, suggest a recursive relationship between secondary school students' achievement and their perceptions of parental involvement in homework, which represents the process of student learning and family engagement over time. Study limitations and educational implications are discussed.
•We aimed to gain a deeper understanding of homework purposes in relation with homework behaviors.•A path analysis with two samples (calibration and validation) was run.•Participants were 4265 6th ...graders and their teachers.•The model showed a good fit explaining 70% of students’ mathematics achievement.•Teachers should relate the purposes of homework to students’ educational needs.
A multi-level structural equation model was used to examine the relationships between the homework purposes reported by teachers (i.e. practice, preparation, participation, and personal development), homework quality perceived by students (e.g., homework related to the class material taught) and homework variables (i.e. effort, and homework performance) collected through different sources, and mathematics achievement. Participants were 4265 6th graders and their teachers (N = 101) from 199 classes. The direct and indirect relationships between variables were analyzed. Data showed that (a) homework purposes, students’ homework variables and mathematic achievement are associated, and (b) the relationship between homework purposes and mathematic achievement is mediated, by students’ perception of homework quality. Research and practice implications are addressed.
The major objectives of our study were (a) to identify student profiles according to five homework characteristics (homework time, frequency, quality, interest, and favorability) and (b) to examine ...their relationship with three critical variables in the homework process—homework effort, completion, and math achievement. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to examine a data set with 3018 8th graders in China. Based on these characteristics, five distinct profiles were identified: Profile 1 (
Low
), Profile 2 (
Moderate Time/High With Others
), Profile 3 (
Low Frequency/Moderate With Others
), Profile 4 (
Moderate Time/High Frequency/Low With Others
), and Profile 5 (
High Time and Frequency/Moderate With Others
)
.
Parent education was positively associated with the two healthiest profiles (Profile 2 and Profile 5). Finally, profile membership was a significant predictor of homework effort, completion, and math achievement. Specifically, our study suggests that students can work about 30 min on math homework and achieve the same results, if they work often, with high quality, fueled by interest and favorability (compared with students who spend about 110 min on math homework). Taken together, our study provided novel insights into the combination of homework characteristics that could have significant implications for homework practice and research.
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•A framework of constructive versus unconstructive involvement was identified.•Quality of mothers’ homework involvement varied with children’s homework behaviors.•Constructive involvement to child ...helplessness had academic and emotional benefits.•Unconstructive involvement to child helplessness had negative academic implications.
Parents involve in children’s homework in qualitatively different ways. However, these qualitative aspects are usually understood in separate manners. This longitudinal study identified a unifying framework of constructive versus unconstructive involvement to grasp different qualitative aspects of parents’ homework involvement holistically. We also examined the implications of parents’ constructive versus unconstructive involvement for children’s academic and emotional functioning over time, with attention to parental involvement in two contrasting homework contexts where children showed helplessness or mastery. Chinese mothers (N = 370; Mage = 40.50 years, SD = 3.17) and their fourth graders (N = 370; 54.9 % girls; Mage = 9.90, SD = 0.33) participated in a two-wave longitudinal study spanning nine months. Confirmatory Factor Analyses identified a unifying framework of mothers’ constructive (featuring positive emotions, autonomy support, and mastery-oriented teaching) versus unconstructive involvement (featuring negative emotions, control, and performance-oriented teaching). Mothers involved more unconstructively and less constructively when children showed helplessness (vs. mastery). Mothers’ constructive involvement predicted children’s enhanced academic and emotional functioning over time, while mothers’ unconstructive involvement predicted children’s dampened academic functioning over time, with the associations mainly being significant in children’s helpless homework context. These findings highlight optimizing parents’ homework involvement quality, particularly when children face learning challenges.
Currently, there is much debate about the value of assigning homework. Organizations such as the OECD have concluded that doing more homework is not synonymous with better performance. This study was ...designed to analyze the mediating role of student motivation in the relationship between the involvement of parents and teachers in homework and the engagement of students in these tasks. Seven hundred and thirty students in Compulsory Secondary Education (7th-10th grade) participated from 14 schools in the north of Spain. Three competing models were developed and tested to study motivational mediation: a non-motivational mediation model (direct effects model); a total motivational mediation model (indirect effects model); and a partial motivational mediation model (mixed effects model). The best model was adjusted according to gender and school year variables. The total mediation motivational model demonstrated the best fit (indirect effects model). The results suggest the total mediation of student motivation in the relationship between the perception of parents' and teachers' involvement in homework and student cognitive engagement in these tasks. Some differences, albeit slight, were observed with respect to gender and school year. The results have clear theoretical and educational implications.
Informed by expectation-value theory and related literature, the goal of the current investigation was to identify profiles of students drawn from three purposes of homework (academic, ...self-regulatory, and approval-seeking). Participants were 750 eleventh-grade students in China. Results from latent profile analysis (LPA) revealed identified four different profiles of students:
Very Low Profile
(very low in all purposes; 5.73%),
Low Profile
(low in all purposes; 30.40%),
Moderate Profile
(moderate in all purposes; 54.40%), and
High Profile
(high in all purposes; 9.47%). Results further revealed that student gender was associated with profile membership. Finally, profile membership was significantly related to homework effort and completion (with a medium effect size) in that, in general, the higher the homework purposes, the higher the homework effort and homework completion.
During the past several decades, the previous studies have been focusing on the related theoretical issues and measuring tool of homework behaviors (mainly including homework time, completion, and ...homework creativity). However, the effects of these homework behaviors on general creativity remain unknown. Employing a number of questionnaires, this study investigated two samples from middle schools of Mainland China. The results showed that (1) the eight-item version of Homework Creativity Behaviors Scale had acceptable validity and reliability; (2) compared with homework completion and homework time, homework creativity explained less variety of academic achievement (3.7% for homework creativity; 5.4% for completion and time); (3) homework creativity explained more variance of general creativity than that of homework completion and homework time accounted (7.0% for homework creativity; 1.3% for completion and time); and (4) homework creativity was negatively associated with grade level. Contrary to the popular beliefs, homework completion and homework creativity have positive effects on the students’ general creativity. Several issues that need further studies were also discussed.
This study tests reciprocal influences of perceived homework quality, teacher autonomy support, homework effort, and achievement. Data from 702 8th graders over one school year showed positive ...reciprocal effects between (a) homework quality and autonomy support, and (b) effort and achievement. Higher prior effort and achievement led to higher homework quality. Autonomy support showed a more positive effect on later achievement when prior effort was high. Meanwhile, autonomy support showed a more positive effect on later effort and homework quality when prior effort was low. These findings hold important implications for teaching practice (i.e. autonomy support to compensate low effort).
•We found positive reciprocal influence of homework quality and autonomy support.•We found positive reciprocal influence of homework effort and math achievement.•Prior effort and achievement had positive influences on homework quality.•Autonomy support × effort interaction had a positive influence on achievement.•Autonomy support × effort interaction had a negative influence on effort.
This article reviews the evidence for between-session homework (BSH) in individual psychotherapy. Whereas previous reviews have demonstrated a positive association between-client compliance with BSH ...and distal treatment outcomes; here, we pay particular attention to therapist behaviors that may promote client engagement with BSH assessed as immediate (in-session) and intermediate (session-to-session) outcomes, and moderators of these effects. For our systematic review, we identified 25 studies with 1,304 clients and 118 therapists, mostly on cognitive behavioral therapy such as exposure-based treatments with depression and anxiety disorders. A box score approach was utilized to summarize findings. Results for immediate outcomes were mixed but neutral. Results for intermediate outcomes were positive. Presenting a convincing rationale, being flexible in collaboratively designing, planning, and reviewing homework tasks in accordance with the clients' goals, aligning BSH with the clients' takeaways from the session and providing a written summary of homework and rationale, are some therapist behaviors that can promote client engagement with BSH. We conclude with research limitations, training implications, and therapeutic practices.
Clinical Impact Statement
Question: Do therapist behaviors have an immediate or intermediate effect on the integration of between-sessions homework in psychotherapy? Findings: The findings of this systematic review indicate a positive relation between therapist behaviors and intermediate outcomes of BSH, whereas results for immediate effects were neutral. Meaning: Collaboratively designing, planning and reviewing homework tasks in accordance with the clients' goals and takeaways from the session appear important. Next Steps: Research examining moderators and the integration of BSH across other treatment approaches appear important.
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