The Effects of Contextual Variables and Parental Cognition on Maternal Involvement in Korean Children's Early Education

This study examined the features of maternal involvement in Korean children's early education and their relation to contextual variables and three forms of parental cognition. For this study 333 Korean mothers with 5 to 7 year-old children completed questionnaires that covered aspects such as demographical characteristics, three forms of involvement in their children's education, and three forms of parental cognition. Descriptive analysis indicated that mothers who were more involved in monitoring homework paid more monthly activity fees for supplementary classes and engaged more in cognitively stimulating activities at home. Financial investment in supplementary classes for children was not associated with engagement in cognitively stimulating activities at home. Stepwise regression analysis found that mothers who were more involved in monitoring their young childrens homework expressed higher aspirations for their childrens future occupation. Korean mothers who paid more for their child's supplementary classes had higher family incomes. Korean mothers who engaged more often in cognitively stimulating activities at home expressed higher parental self-efficacy, had a higher educational level, had a younger child, and had an earlier birth order or only child.