Relationship between Parents' Educational Expectations and Academic Self-Efficacy Mediated by Achievement Goals, Task Value and Parental Involvement in Education

Abstract: The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between parents' educational expectations and academic self-efficacy mediated by task value, achievement goals and parental involvement in education in first grade high school students in Farooj city, Iran. In so doing, a correlational design was used. The statistical population of the study was all first grade high school students in 2021 of Farooj city (N = 2278). Using cluster random sampling method, 329 people (165 girls and 164 boys) were selected as the research sample. The participants completed the Morgan and Jinks (1999) Academic Self-Efficacy Scale, Achievement Goal. Questionnaire (AGQ) – Elliot and McGregor (2001), Pintrich et al. Task Value Subscale (1991), Jacob's (2010) Scale of Educational Aspirations and Expectations for Adolescents (SEAEA), and Manz et al. (2004) Family Involvement Scale. Data analysis was performed using structural equation modeling. Results indicated educational expectations did not have a direct effect on academic self-efficacy, but it had a significant indirect effect on academic self-efficacy through homework value (p <0.05) and through parental involvement in educational activities (p <0.05). Furthermore, results showed that parents' educational expectations did not have a significant effect on academic self-efficacy through the achievement goals. In general, parents' expectations shape learners' beliefs about the importance of the lessons as well as the degree of involvement and participation in academic activities, and these beliefs in turn affect students' academic self-efficacy.