Perceptions of Appropriate Parental Involvement: A Study Comparing the Differing Perspectives of First Year College Students, Parents/Guardians of First Year College Students, and Faculty

ABSTRACT PERCEPTIONS OF APPROPRIATE PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT: A STUDY COMPARING THE DIFFERING PERSPECTIVES OF FIRST YEAR COLLEGE STUDENTS, PARENTS/GUARDIANS OF FIRST YEAR COLLEGE STUDENTS, AND FACULTY by Damiana Carol Hammer Master of Science in Social Science California State University, Chico Fall 2009 Parents have been encouraged to be an active, involved participant in their child’s education. While parental involvement at the elementary and secondary level is encouraged and thought to be beneficial for students, there is much discussion about “over involved parents” at the college level. Emerging trends in the research seem to suggest that the hovering and over involvement by parents results in graduates’ inability to demonstrate independent living skills and decision-making skills. The purpose of this study was to take a small step towards gaining a better understanding of what the appropriate level of parental involvement ought to be in a college students’ educational experience. A total of 357 participants comprised the sample group for this study. The total participant population was divided into three separate cohorts: students, parents, and faculty. Participants were asked to express direct opinions to hypothetical scenarios on a quantitative survey. Each had an opportunity to provide input on what they believe to be appropriate level of parental involvement in an attempt to measure the amount of agreement or divergence between the three groups. The research revealed that all three cohorts do not agree as to what the most important outcome is to be achieved from a college education. In addition, the research implied that while independence may be a desirable goal to be achieved in life, it is not necessarily an outcome that need come from the college experience.