This paper examines parents' perceptions of their child's school-related motivation and their enjoyment of parenting. Drawing on Martins (2003a) Student Motivation Wheel, 10 facets of motivation were explored among a sample of 481 parents. These facets comprised six motivation boosters (self-belief, value of schooling, learning/mastery focus, planning, study management, persistence), two motivation mufflers (anxiety, failure avoidance), and two motivation guzzlers (uncertain control, self-sabotage/self-handicapping). Parents rated girls significantly higher than boys in value of schooling, learning focus, planning, and study management. Of the boosters, children's persistence was the strongest predictor of respondents' enjoyment of parenting. Of the mufflers, failure avoidance was the strongest (negative) predictor of parenting satisfaction. In terms of guzzlers, uncertain control was the strongest (negative) predictor of respondents' enjoyment of parenting. Compared with mothers' enjoyment of parenting, fathers' satisfaction in their role was more strongly related to their children's school-related motivation.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AveryR.R., & RyanR.M. (1987). Object relations and ego development: Comparison and correlates in middle childhood. Journal of Personality, 56, 547–569.
2.
BanduraA. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: Freeman & Co.
3.
BaumrindD. (1991). Effective parenting during the early adolescent transition. In CowanP.E. & HetheringtonE.M. (Eds.), Advances in family research (pp. 111–163). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
4.
BollenK. A. (1989). Structural equations with latent variables. New York: Wiley.
5.
ChirkovV.I., & RyanR.M. (2001). Parent and teacher autonomy-support in Russian and U.S. adolescents. Common effects on well-being and academic motivation. Journal of Cross Cultural Psychology, 32, 618–635.
6.
CoieJ. (1996). Prevention of violence and antisocial behavior. In PetersR.D. & McMahonR.J. (Eds.), Preventing childhood disorders, substance abuse, and delinquency (pp. 1–18). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
7.
CovingtonM.V. (1992). Making the grade: A self-worth perspective on motivation and school reform. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
8.
CovingtonM.V. (1998). The will to learn: A guide for motivating young people. New York: Cambridge University Press.
9.
CovingtonM.V. (2002). Rewards and intrinsic motivation: A needs-based developmental perspective. In PajaresF. & UrdanT. (Eds.), Academic motivation of adolescents (pp. 169–192). Connecticut: Information Age Publishing.
10.
CrandallV.C., KatkovskyW., & CrandallV.J. (1965). Children's beliefs in their own control of reinforcements in intellectual-academic achievement situations. Child Development, 36, 91–109.
11.
DandyJ., & NettelbeckT. (2000). The model student? An investigation of Chinese Australian students' academic achievement, studying, and causal attributions for academic success and failure. Australian Psychologist, 35, 208–215.
12.
DayJ.D., BorkowskiJ.G., PunzoD., HowsepianB. (1994). Enhancing possible selves in Mexican American students. Motivation and Emotion, 18, 79–103.
13.
GrolnickW.S., RyanR.M., & DeciE.L. (1991). The inner resources for school achievement: Motivational mediators of children's perceptions of their parents. Journal of Educational Psychology, 83, 508–517.
14.
HermansH.J.M., ter LakJ.F., & MaesC.J.M. (1972). Achievement motivation and fear of failure in family and school. Developmental Psychology, 6, 520–528.
15.
JoreskogK.G., & SorbomD. (1989). LISREL 7: A guide to the program and applications. Chicago, Illinois: SPSS.
KohlmannC.W., SchumackerA., & StreitR. (1988). Trait anxiety and parental child-rearing behavior: Support as a moderator variable?Anxiety Research, 1, 53–64.
18.
MarchantG.J., PaulsonS.F., & RothlisbergB.A. (2001). Relations of middle school students' perceptions of family and school contexts with academic achievement. Psychology in the Schools, 38, 505–519.
19.
MarshH.W., ByrneB.M., YeungA.S. (1999). Causal ordering of academic self-concept and achievement: Reanalysis of a pioneering study and revised recommendations. Educational Psychologist, 34, 155–167.
20.
MartinA.J. (2001). The Student Motivation Scale: A tool for measuring and enhancing motivation. Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 11, 1–20.
21.
MartinA.J. (2002a). Motivation and academic resilience: Developing a model of student enhancement. Australian Journal of Education. 14, 34–49.
22.
MartinA.J. (2002b). The lethal cocktail: Low self-belief, low control, and high fear of failure. Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 12, 74–85.
23.
MartinA.J. (2003a). How to motivate your child for school and beyond. Sydney: Bantam.
24.
MartinA.J. (2003b). Refining the Student Motivation Wheel: Boosters, guzzlers — And mufflers. Manuscript submitted for publication.
25.
MartinA.J. (2003c). The Student Motivation Scale: Further testing of an instrument that measures school students' motivation. Australian Journal of Education, 47, 88–106.
26.
MartinA.J., & DebusR.L. (1998). Self-reports of mathematics self-concept and educational outcomes: The roles of ego-dimensions and self-consciousness. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 68, 517–535.
27.
MartinA.J., LinfootK., & StephensonJ. (2000). Exploring the cycle of mother-child relations, maternal confidence, and children's aggression. Australian Journal of Psychology, 52, 34–40.
28.
MartinA.J., & MarshH.W. (2003). Fear of failure: Friend or foe?Australian Psychologist, 38, 31–38.
29.
MartinA.J., MarshH.W., & DebusR.L. (2001a). A quadripolar need achievement representation of self-handicapping and defensive pessimism. American Educational Research Journal, 38, 583–610.
30.
MartinA.J., MarshH.W., & DebusR.L. (2001b). Self-handicapping and defensive pessimism: Exploring a model of predictors and outcomes from a self-protection perspective. Journal of Educational Psychology, 93, 87–102.
31.
MartinA.J.MarshH.W., & DebusR.L. (2003). Self-handicapping and defensive pessimism: A model of self-protection from a longitudinal perspective. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 28, 1–36.
32.
McClellandD.C. (1965). Toward a theory of motive acquisition. American Psychologist, 20, 321–333.
33.
McInerneyD. (2000). Helping kids achieve their best. Sydney: Allen & Unwin.
34.
MeeceJ.L., WigfieldA., & EcclesJ.S. (1990). Predictors of mathematics anxiety and its influence on young adolescents' course enrolment intentions and performance in mathematics. Journal of Educational Psychology, 82, 60–70.
35.
PattersonG.R. (1982). Coercive family process. Eugene, OR: Castalia.
36.
PedhazurE.J., & SchmelkinL.P. (1991). Measurement, design, and analysis: An integrated approach. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
37.
PetersonC., MaierS.F., & SeligmanM.E.P. (1993). Learned helplessness: A theory for the age of personal control. New York: Oxford University Press.
38.
PintrichP.R., & DeGrootE. (1990). Motivational and self-regulated learning components of classroom academic performance. Journal of Educational Psychology, 82, 33–40.
39.
RyanR.M., StillerJ., & LynchJ.H. (1994). Representations of relationships to parents, teachers, and friends as predictors of academic motivation, and self–esteem. Journal of Early Adolescence, 14, 226–249.
SchunkD.H. (1990). Introduction to the special section on motivation and efficacy. Journal of Educational Psychology, 82, 3–6.
42.
SchunkD.H., & MillerS.D. (2002). Self-efficacy and adolescents' motivation. In PajaresF. & UrdanT. (Eds.), Academic motivation of adolescents (pp. 29–52). Connecticut: Information Age Publishing.
43.
StevensonH.W., LeeS., ChenC., LummisM., StiglerJ., FanL., & GeF. (1990). Mathematics achievement of children in China and the United States. Child Development, 61, 1053–1066.
44.
TolanP., GuerraN., & KendallP. (1995). A developmental-ecological perspective on antisocial behavior in children and adults: Towards a unified risk and intervention framework. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology63, 579–584.
45.
WeiszJ.R., WeissB., HanS.S., GrangerD.A., & MortonT. (1995). Effects of psychotherapy with children and adolescents revisited: A meta-analysis of treatment outcome studies. Psychological Bulletin, 117, 450–468.
46.
WentzelK. R. (1998). Social support and adjustment in middle school: The role of parents, teachers, and peers. Journal of Educational Psychology, 90, 202–209.
47.
WinterbottomM.R. (1953). The relation of need achievement to learning experiences in independence and mastery. In AtkinsonJ. (Ed.), Motives in fantasy, action and society (pp. 453–478). New York: Van Nostrand.
48.
ZimmermanB.J. (2002). Achieving self-regulation: The trial and triumph of adolescence. In PajaresF. & UrdanT. (Eds.), Academic motivation of adolescents (pp. 1–27). Connecticut: Information Age Publishing.
49.
ZimmermanB.J., BanduraA., & Martinez-PonsM. (1992). Self-motivation for academic attainment: The role of self-efficacy beliefs and personal goal setting. American Educational Research Journal, 29, 663–676.
