The Role of Parental Expectation, Effort, and Self-Efficacy in the Achievement of High and Low Track High School Students in Taiwan / Denise Huang and Harold F. O'Neil, Jr.

In this study, the effects of perceived parental expectation, trait effort, trait self-efficacy, trait ability, state self-efficacy, state effort, and state worry on the mathematics achievement of high and low track high school students in Taiwan were investigated. A hypothesized model of these constructs was also investigated using a structural equation model. A state scale and a trait scale were translated from English to Chinese and used in a pilot study and a main study. The pilot study involved 278 tenth graders in a one public and one private school. Results supported the reliability of the measure, and it was administered to 173 high-track high school students at a public school and 210 regular-track students. Both perceived parental expectation and trait effort were important components of success for these students. Students who perceived that their parents had high expectations tended to have high trait effort and belief in effort. The more state effort students expended, the more likely they were to have high grades in mathematics. The only route to achievement without direct mediation through state effort was from perceived parental expectation to students' trait effort, leading to trait self-efficacy and reaching higher achievement. High-track students had higher trait self-efficacy and state efficacy than regular-track students, with higher mean trait effort and more state effort. In addition, students who had higher perceived parental expectations tended to worry more, expending more state effort and achieving more highly. Overall, results demonstrate the positive role of believing in effort. (Contains 3 tables, 4 figures, and 33 references.) (SLD)

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