Educational aspirations of Latino-immigrant mothers and their adolescent children

This study examined the accuracy with which Latino-immigrant mothers perceive their children?s educational aspirations and the accuracy of children?s perceptions of their mothers? educational aspirations for them. Additionally, it explored the relationship between perceived maternal educational aspirations and children?s educational aspirations. Children who perceive their parents as having higher educational aspirations for them tend to do better in school. Thirty-three participant pairs of mothers and their children from the Central Valley of California were recruited via telephone interviews to participate in this study. Results indicated that mothers accurately perceived their children?s educational aspirations. However, the children did not accurately perceive their mothers? educational aspirations for them. A positive relationship was found between the children?s educational aspirations and their perception of their mothers? educational aspirations for them. These findings suggest that communication between Latino-immigrant mothers and their children could be improved in order to increase educational aspirations.