EFFECTS OF PARENTAL HIGH EXPECTATIONS ON ACADEMIC

ACHIEVEMENTS OF JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

OF JOSE RIZAL INSTITUTE S. Y. 2017 – 2018

________________________________

A Thesis Title Proposal Presented

to the Faculty of Jose Rizal Institute

________________________________

In partial fulfillment of the subject requirements in Practical Research 1

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11 – Accountancy, Business, and Management

 CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

Expectations, according to the researcher, are substantial assessments most of the people

must fulfill, but somehow affects student’s or children’s academic performances. Expectations

are also considered as strong beliefs persons have about the proper way someone

should behave or something should happen (Collins 2018). Expectations usually happen when an

individual starts to achieve something they have not done before. At some point in life,

expectations are used as a motivation for students to be inspired of. The researcher also claims

that as the world’s modern technologies emerge, changes were discerned in relevant to people’s

right perspective about expectations.

Every person’s aspect about expectations is different. According to Boocock (1972) and

Vollmer (1986), parents’ expectations have major effects on children’s academic performances.

Researches showed that parent’s high expectations to their children result in both positive and

negative effects on school achievements, depending on how the children perceived it. Some

studies showed that a student receive higher achievements and higher grades, achieve higher

scores on standardized tests, and persist longer in school than do those whose parents hold

relatively low expectations (Davis-Kean 2005; Pearce 2006; Vartanian et al.2007). 

 A recent study by the Harvard Family Research Project also suggests that high

expectations in school lead to children’s high performances due to his desired goal set in his

mind. Academic Development Institute also showed that parents who get involved with

their child's education tend to demonstrate good parenting skills, volunteer their time in the

school, communicate with faculty and take an active role in school-related decision-making.

On the other hand, some students classify parental expectations into parental pressure.

According to American Psychological Association - Journal of Personality and Social

Psychology, parents can undermine their children's performances in middle and high school if

they set their academic expectations too high. Parental pressure, if taken seriously, damages

one’s self-esteem that leads to depression and the feeling of worthlessness. In addition,

excessively high parental aspiration that exceeds realistic expectations of the children’s

performance may lead to over involvement, excessive pressure to achieve, and high levels of

control over a child’s behavior.

High parental expectations are experienced worldwide. In fact, a survey conducted by

The Portal Statistics in 2011 shows the amount of pressure that parents worldwide placeupon

their children regarding their performance in school. Statistics showed that China experiences the

most amount of negative parental pressure in student’s academic achievements that comprise

69% of the students. The survey also shows that most European countries experience low

parental expectations, while some Asian countries constitute to the right amount of parental

expectations received by students.

A more recent research study in 2014 relevant to the issue of high parental expectations

released by the UNICEF HK states that 90 percent of the parents explains that expectations are
normal and important for their children,while 40 percent among the surveyed students assures

that there are too much expectations and pressure upon them. UNICEF HK Vice Chairman Dr.

Maggie Koong also addresses the study pressure that students face partly comes from the

phenomenon that the society generally focuses on academic success and believes that parents’

over-concern on children’s academic results could make children feel even more stressful. 

One of the well-known countries in Asia where government values good education is the

Philippines. But this country is also considered in South East Asia having major issues on high

parental expectations among high school students in their academic achievements. Filipino

parents place a tremendous value on children, and go to great lengths to ensure their positive

growth (Medina, 2001). Poverty is also a factor why parents expect high academic achievements

from their children in school. A study constructed by Sampson Lee Blair showed that the

influence upon children’s performance in school is shown to vary, depending upon the type of

parental involvement. His study showed that some Filipino students view high parental

expectations as a motivation to achieve higher goals and standards in the mere future. However,

some of the students have different perspective wherein their parent’s high expectations results

in malfunctioning and depression and rather low academic achievements in school.

This research is done to study the effects of parent’s high expectations among the

students of Jose Rizal Institute Orani – Junior High School. To understand the student’s position

on the issue of parental expectations, interview was conducted to a selected student of Jose Rizal

Institute Orani. Candace Vivien Capillar, a JRI Orani Grade 8 student, expressed her position

based on her experiences. According to her, high parental expectation is a type of pressure and

consequently results to depression and low academic achievements and performances of students
in school. She rather presumes that a normal parent support is better than setting high

expectations that cause negative effects on student’s capabilities.

The purpose of this research is to gather information about the effects of parent’s high

expectations among the academic achievements of Junior High School students of Jose Rizal

Institute Orani, whether positive or negative effects.

Statement of the Problem

The general problem of this study is: What are the effects of parental high expectations

on academic achievements of Junior High School students of Jose Rizal Institute – Orani S. Y.

2017 – 2018?

In particular, it aims to answer the succeeding questions:

1. What are the biographical profile of the Junior High School students in terms of:

1.1 Family background…………………………………………………………………

1.2 Educational background

2. In what way can parental expectations be described in terms of:

2.1 Motivation in studying…...…………………………………………………………

2.2 Pressure in studying

3. What are the effects of parental high expectations on academic achievements of

Junior High School students of Jose Rizal Institute – Orani S. Y. 2017 – 2018?
Significance of the Study

The findings of this study are deemed significant to the following personalities in the

academe:

Students. The findings of this study will provide awareness to students about the effects

of parental expectations to their studies. Students may know whether it appears to them

positively or negatively and thus use the learning to achieve a better performance.

Parents. The findings of this study will guide the parents to the decision of what is best

before passing an act or discourse towards their children’s school performances and

achievements.

Teachers. The findings of this study will help the teachers to have information and

somehow analyze situations that affect their student’s physical and emotional behaviors.

School Administration. The findings of this study will serve as an information for the

school administration and may find ways on how they would handle such problem. Because the

problem of the student might somehow affect the institution itself.

 Future Researchers. The result of this study will help future researchers who may want

to study this particular topic. It will provide additional ideas and information for the researchers

in order to complete their research studies.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

The focus of this study is the effects of parental high expectations on academic

achievements of Junior High School students of Jose Rizal Institute – Orani S. Y. 2017 – 2018.

This research will not include external topics of parental high expectations.

This research will center on the effects of parental high expectations on academic

achievements of Junior High School students of Jose Rizal Institute – Orani S. Y. 2017 – 2018

and the considered students- and parental expectations-related factors. The researchers will point

on the effects of high parental expectations cases that bring effects on Junior High School

students of the campus. Lastly, the researchers will also gather opinions from the students about

their perspective on high parental expectations whether it appears positive or negative to them.

The measurement tools to be used by the researchers to know the effects of high parental

expectations on academic performances of the Junior High School students of Jose Rizal

Institute – Orani will be in the form of interview.

 Notes in Chapter 1

Blair, S. L. (2013). Filipino Parental Involvement and Children's Educational Performance.

Retrieved from http://hopkins.addu.edu.ph/moda/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Filipino-
Parental-Involvement-and-Childrens-Education-Performance-Sampson-Lee-
BlairTAMBARA-Volume30-NO.2December-2013.pdf

Collins. (n.d.). Definition of 'Expectation'. Retrieved from

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/expectation

Gewertz, C. (2015, November 18). Parental Expectations That Are Too High Can Harm
Students, Study Says. Retrieved from
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/high_school_and_beyond/2015/11/study_parental_expec
tations_that_are_too_high_can_harm_students.html

HK, U. (2014, November). Survey Reveals 90 Percent of Students Suffer from Study
Pressure UNICEF. Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org.hk/en/home-news-media-
press-release-donationshopvolunteerpress-release-survey-reveals-90-per-cent-students-
suffer-study-pressure-unicef-hk-mav-helps-children-voice-celebration-cr/

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology . (2016). Parental Overaspiration Undermines

Students’ Learning in Mathematics. Retrieved from
https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/psp-pspp0000079.pdf

The Impact of Parent Expectations and Home and Neighborhood Influences on Education
Goals . (n.d.). Retrieved from http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/parexp.pdf

The Statistics Portal in 2011. (n.d.). Parental Amount of Pressure on Students Worldwide.
Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/statistics/221159/parental-amount-of-pressure-
on-students-throughout-the-world/