The Effects of Parental High Expectations on Middle School Students’ Overall Achievement

Positive influence of parental involvement on their children’s academic performance has been widely reported and proved in a good number of research. However, little attention has been given to the negative influence that the high parental expectations may cause to their children performance and motivation. This current study investigates the parental high expectations on their children academic achievement and motivation. It also attempts to explore the adolescents’ perception of the influence of their parent’ expectations on their motivation. To do this, 160 middle and high school students in a public school were surveyed and seven were interviewed to collect data. The results showed that children achievement did not seem to get noticeably worse at a certain task that were pressured into doing, but rather they got exactly what their parents want from them. They also revealed that parents usually decide the expectations without estimating their children’s abilities and interests. Based on the results analysis, some implications and recommendations are provided for parents and educators to consider supporting adolescents in their academic journey.