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Factor structure, reliability and validity of the Parental Support for Learning Scale: Adolescent Short Form (PSLS-AS)

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Abstract

Parental involvement in children’s learning has been found to influence academic success. However, very few tools exist for measuring parental involvement, particularly ones that target adolescents’ self-report. The present study assessed the factor structure, reliability and convergent validity of a new scale to assess adolescents’ perceptions of their mothers’ and fathers’ educational involvement: the Parental Support for Learning Scale: Adolescent Short Form (PSLS-AS). The PSLS-AS, as well as a questionnaire measuring the risk of high school drop-out, was administered to a sample of 825 youth (aged 13–14 years). Exploratory factor analysis revealed a two-factor structure representing parental involvement: Controlling Involvement and Autonomy Supportive Involvement. Adolescents’ perceptions of their parents’ involvement correlated with a risk of high school drop-out. Implications and future directions for further validation of the PSLS-AS are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada

    Maria A. Rogers

  2. University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada

    Andrea Jane Hickey

  3. University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

    Judith Wiener

  4. McGill University, Montreal, Canada

    Nancy Heath & Rick Noble

Authors
  1. Maria A. Rogers
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  2. Andrea Jane Hickey
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  3. Judith Wiener
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  4. Nancy Heath
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  5. Rick Noble
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Correspondence to Maria A. Rogers.

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Rogers, M.A., Hickey, A.J., Wiener, J. et al. Factor structure, reliability and validity of the Parental Support for Learning Scale: Adolescent Short Form (PSLS-AS). Learning Environ Res 21, 423–431 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10984-018-9262-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10984-018-9262-4

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