How Parental Support During Homework Contributes to Helpless Behaviors Among Struggling Readers

This research investigated the influence of parental practices on helpless behaviors of struggling readers during homework tasks. Parents (N = 36) of elementary students reported on their children's helpless behaviors, such as task avoidance and negative affect, during homework assignments, and on the nature and frequency of their support. Distinctions were made between parental support considered to be strategic, compensatory, or intrusive. Additional variables that influence achievement behaviors were assessed, including children's language skills, academic abilities, and behavior regulation. Parent support considered intrusive, such as unsolicited interruptions and corrections, along with children's behavior regulation abilities, accounted for the greatest variation in struggling readers' helpless behaviors.