Background/Purpose Research has shown parental involvement to be a major contributor in children's education. Although parents' expectancy-related beliefs, values, and role modeling have found to be the most consistent predictors in children's academic achievement, the research on parental role in physical education students' achievement has been scarce. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the predictive role of parental beliefs, values, and physical activity along with their body mass index and education in the development of students' physical education grade across middle school.
Method Students' (N = 416) physical education grades were obtained from their middle school records. Parents (N = 562) completed measures of self-report questionnaires three times (T1-T3) during this longitudinal study.
Analysis/Results A conditional latent growth curve modeling showed, first, that students' physical education grades improved linearly (f girls = .07, f boys = .15). Secondly, parents' body mass index and education did not predict either the initial level or growth trajectories of students' physical education achievement. Finally, students whose parents expected them to do well in physical education, obtained better physical education grades than students with low parental expectancies. Parents' expectancy-related beliefs predicted boys' grades across middle school (β = .63 - .74), while girls' grades were predicted only during Grades 7 and 8 (β = .35 - .39). However, parents' valuing of physical education or their own physical activity did not predict their children's grades.
Conclusions The findings highlight the importance of parental expectations as facilitators of physical education students' achievement.