Can Parental Expectations Compensate for the Negative Effects of Low-Birth Weight on Academic Achievement? A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the National PEELS Data
The purpose of this study is to examine the potential impact parental expectations have on the academic achievement of children born with low-birth weight to inform educational leaders. Literature on levels of children born with birth weights as low as 1 LB to as high as 9 LBS were evaluated based on: birth weight, academic achievement, and parental expectations. The review was conducted to identify how the presence of parental expectations influence the relationship between the achievement levels of infants with low birth weight, to what degree, and potential characteristics associated with neurological issues, parenting styles, and methods of achieving academically. The literature alludes to empirical evidence that the strength of the association between low birth weight and academic achievement in later life increases when the impact of parental expectations is taken into account. It appears that the higher the parental expectations, the stronger the relationship between birth weight and academic achievement. The primary explanation given for this is that when birth weight is low there are neurological consequences that mitigate against the beneficial effects of parental expectations. Can parental expectations have an impact on academic success if the birth weight is low? [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.] https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED551680
