Parental Influence on Student Educational Expectations: Results from the 2012 Qatar Education Study

Abstract

This study investigated factors that are likely to influence students’ educational expectations in the State of Qatar, concentrating on selected parental factors. Drawing on recent work in the field, the study examined the intersection of student demographic and socio-economic attributes along with contextual factors, on student educational expectations. The study uses student and parent data from a nation-wide survey of preparatory and secondary schools, the 2012 Qatar Education Study. The results showed students’ gender and grade level positively affect their reported educational expectations, with females and those in higher grade levels more likely to report higher expectations. While student reports of parental involvement were not significant, parent reports were marginally significant. The paper concludes with some recommendations for further study and research.