Abstract

This study was conducted to explore the parental involvement in behavior formation of children in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The study was descriptive in nature, and survey method was used to collect the data. The population of the study consisted of 241 teachers working at Government primary schools of Tehsil Nakyal AJ&K. universal sampling technique was applied because the population was quite manageable, so the researcher selected the whole population as a sample of the study. A questionnaire was used to find out the parental involvement in behavior formation of children. The data were collected through a google form. The collected data were analyzed by using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The researcher applied frequency, percentage, and mean for the analysis of data. It was found that parents develop cultural values in their children by showing positive emotions, parents have proper control of children's unauthorized access to media content, and also educate their children about the negative effects of mass media.

Key Words

Behavior, Behavior Formation, Development, Parental Involvement

Introduction

Behavior is the way in which someone deals with a situation and acts in the situation. Behavior is someone's action to cope with a situation. Every individual is different from others and has a different way of dealing with the situation. Our behavior is influenced by the environment and interaction with other people (Abreu, 2007). Behavior formation is the process in which behavior develops automatically through regular repetition. The process of developing this behavior can be slow. Behavior formation has three main components: contextual cues, behavior repetition, and reward. Contextual cues can be previous actions, time of day, location, or anything that triggers a habitual behavior. Behaviors are actual habits that a person exhibits, so rewards, such as positive feelings, perpetuate the habit cycle. Behaviors may initially be triggered by goals, but over time, goals become less necessary, and behaviors become more automated (Farooq, 2007).

Behavior really should be sustainable so that it can be integrated into student behavior. Behavioral development can be done by parents and teachers. This is because parents and teachers have the closest relationship with their children. Parents cultivate behaviors at home and in the environment, while teachers cultivate behaviors in schools. Parents and teachers need to work together to develop behaviors that allow children to be role models. Strategies for teachers to develop behaviors can be accomplished by stimulating school discipline and social action (Rohner, 2011).

The behavioral problem of a child signifies a clash between his teachers, parents, and siblings and his developing personality, as well as other children he comes into contact with. Young, relatively inexperienced bachelors, broken families, and unhappy teachers may make children more vulnerable to psychological development. In order to meet the psychological needs of children, the students should not be exceeded the limits of 20 in average in each class. The children who are often not prejudiced by the unbalanced role of the teacher seem emotionally satisfied and secure in the matter of family relationships. They can also help them with emotional distress that makes them overly sensitive or overprotective with their children (Topor, 2013).

The role of parents in the development of children's behavior is a key factor in their overall functioning and future success. Parents always think about their children's future and make plans for their education. They always take a step forward and think about the stage their child is coming up with. When a child goes to primary school, parents will consider their secondary school, and when he/she goes to secondary school, parents will gradually make plans for his/her further education. In recent years, researchers, observers, and even government officials around the world have studied or observed the outsized impact that these parental involvements have or could have on a child's success. Certain family practices have a significant impact on children's academic success (Pulkkinen, 2013).

Parents can also involve their children by discussions at home. Parent's interest in child education can affect child behavior. When a child knows that their parents are involved in education, their attitude about education is serious. They avoid misbehaving in the classroom. School plays an important role in a child's development but without the involvement of parent's teachers are unable to develop a child's healthy personality. It is the responsibility of parents to help teachers in behavior formation of the child. Child learns more from home. Home is the first institute of child and parents are child's first teachers. So, as a first teacher, it is the responsibility of a school to involve parents by offering opportunities to the parents (Rueger, 2015).

At the elementary level, there are questions about parental responsibility and involvement in the student's learning process. Elements such as school, family, and community collaboration play an important role in developing education. Parental involvement at the elementary level becomes an important issue requiring research. In this case, parents can be involved in the learning process, such as helping children with homework. The researchers believe that it is enough for parents to go to school. But it would be better if parents were involved in the formation of the behavior of their children. For this reason, the researcher conducted the study to explore and measure the parent's involvement in behavior formation of primary level children in Tehsil Nakyal AJ&K.




Objective

1. To measure the role of parents in the behavior formation of children.




Research Question

1. What is the role of parents in the behavior formation of children at primary level?




Delimitations of the Study

This study was delimited to the government primary schools.

Review of Related Literature

Behavior is the way a person behaves. This is how they react and function in a particular situation and day-by-day environment. Interference in a daily life of a child shows the challenging behavior of the children. Managing your child's behavior is critical to maintaining order and structure in busy family life and preparing your child for success. Frick (2010) pointed out that behavioral cognition related to environmental knowledge does not only depend on system knowledge. Attitudes toward the environment and toward environmental behavior may help predict and influence environmental behavior, making environmental attitudes an often-studied concept (Schab, 2009).




Behavior Formation

Behavior is an automatic response of a person on any type of situation in which he or she reacts spontaneously (Hull, 2013). Behavior formation aims to check or modify the behavior of an individual through different behavior inventories (Rothman, 2009). Behavior formation inventories help us how we can bring change in a particular person's personality. 

The way in which human behavior is formed is very simple because behavior must be frequently executed in the presence of notice so that behavioral associations can be developed. Initially, the behavior is goal directed and determined, behavioral instruction shift from a determined process system to a thoughtless system that is based solely on activated associative storage and rapidly and Actions are generated automatically—knowledge (Schab, 2009).

An adjustable variable may donate in the development of routine matters, which may contribute in the following methods: it may improve the enthusiasm, leading to behavior; it may also be a stimulus and can control the other types of behavior. Similarly, a subject can act by different methods for example, happiness participates in an action and motivates the other people to perform and continue it for further (Rothman, 2009). Pleasant experiences also accelerate the learning of suggestive behavioral associations. A structure that classifies different techniques which can be promoted to a prescribed action plan (Gardner, 2013). Continuous inspiration and action regulate plan can enhance the performance over time, and these can also reinforce the behavioral affiliations (Dickinson, 2009)




Indicators of Behavior Formation

Behavior is a negative or positive evaluation of an object. It has the aspect of likes or dislikes, likes or dislikes of objects. Behavior affects human behavior on objects. Different people may have different attitudes towards the same thing.




Culture

Values, beliefs, traditions, preferences, and norms can shape our attitudes. People show positive attitudes approved by the culture. Similarly, people dislike those practices, which are bad and harmful for human beings. A person attitude shows the norms and ethics of the culture, for example, the choices of a person's wearing and food items reflect the culture of a person (Brickman, 2006)




Mass media

Print and electronic media play a vital role in the formation of individuals’ attitudes. With the passage of every day, the mass media sources explosive us with useful evidence, which affects the formation of our attitudes towards things. The media will tell us the good and bad aspects of things, and these things will affect our perception of thongs. Our positive or negative attitudes towards politicians are mainly the result of the media. Likewise, announcements in the media are also designed to influence our attitudes towards products in order to increase their sales (Chandler, 2011).




Attitude

The human beings who are living in around us have a good and bad attitude towards different things. Our interactions with such type of society members on a daily basis, we face their attitude, and such kind of attitude effect our corresponding attitudes toward these things (Erdley, 2010).




Socialization

Socialization is a lifelong procedure in which an individual can learn from his teachers, friends, peers, family, and parents. This type of learning modifies the individuals' perceptions and personalities. We can learn from individuals' liking, disliking, preferences, choices, and attitudes towards these things (Frick, 2010).    




Parental Involvement in Behavior Formation

It has been perceived that the involvement of parents in children's activities towards an early age was found improved results, especially in shaping their behaviors, parents are their main guides and children try to imitate them and think they are always writing in order to Parents can shape their character. Live as much as possible. Their participation has a positive effect on children's behavioral formation, even when contextual factors such as social class and family size are taken into account (Deslorges, 2008). Parental involvement has a strong impact on children's behavior. Midgley (2010) conducted parent interviews and teacher response interviews to find correlations between parent involvement and its impact on children's behavior based on teacher feedback (Cross, 2009).

Lewis (2012) found that parental involvement has a significant impact on primary school students when investigating the impact of parental involvement on the formation of children's behavior. The researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 41 previous studies to determine the impact of overall parental involvement. Parental involvement is positively associated with the academic achievement of the children among all the variables of academic achievement. Four measures of student performance were used, including teacher rating scales, standardized tests, grades, and the academic attitude and Behavior Index. Parental involvement was found to have a strong impact on primary school students.

There are two primary educators in the lives of most of the children, who are teachers and parents. Parents are the primary educators before a child goes to school or starts school, and they still have a big influence on how their child learns in and out of school. Both schools and parents play a vital role. There is no general consensus on what parent involvement is, and it can take many forms, from attending school (serving as governor, helping in class or during lunch breaks) to reading to children at home, teaching songs or nursery rhymes, and assisting with homework. (Aikens, 2009). The level of parental involvement varies from parent to parent, and rightly so. For example, parents of young children, educated or uneducated parents, involvement of fathers, their economic status, family background, social environment (Abouchar, 2007).

Research Methodology

This study aimed to understand parental involvement in the formation of children's behaviour at the government primary school level in Tehsil Nakyal AJ&K. Therefore, the study was descriptive and used survey methods to collect data. The subjects included 241 teachers from Tehsil Nakyal AJ&K Government Primary School. The sample is selected by general sampling techniques. Because the population is controllable, the researcher chooses the entire population as the research sample. The researchers developed a questionnaire as a research tool for teachers. The researchers had difficulty reaching the parents of the students to collect data. Therefore, the researchers selected teachers as study participants. The questionnaire included four indicators of parental engagement behavior, each with five statements. Therefore, 20 questionnaire statements and a five-point Likert scale were used to obtain responses from respondents. The researchers validated questionnaires from three experts in the field of education. Instrument reliability was checked by Cronbach's alpha statistical technique. The instrument has a reliability of 0.76 and is suitable for the final investigation. The researchers developed a Google Sheet based on the questionnaire content. Google Sheets sent to respondents via email and social media (WhatsApp). The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for data analysis. Researchers apply frequencies, percentages, and averages to analyze data.

Results

Table 1. Mean Analysis of Culture

S. No	Statements	N	Mean
1.	Parents prepare the children to interact with culture.	241	4.49
2.	Parents examine the cultural groups activities of children.	241	4.50
3.	Parents promote understanding about children's own culture.	241	4.54
4.	Parents develop positive attitude towards culture.	241	4.58
5.	Parents develop cultural values in their children by showing positive emotions.	241	4.47

 




Table 1 shows the mean analysis of culture. The table also revealed that the parents were agreed with all the statements of the dimension of culture. Moreover, the mean score of the statement "parents develop a positive attitude towards culture" (M=4.58) which was very high within the statements.




 

Table 2. Mean Analysis of Mass Communication

S. No	Statements	N	Mean
1.	Parents monitor their children’s media contents.	241	4.48
2.	Parents allow only educative television programs to their children.	241	4.66
3.	Parents have proper control of children’s unauthorized access to media contents.	241	4.78
4.	Parents educate their children about the negative effects of mass media.	241	4.69
5.	Parents restrict their children to spend a long time on social media.	241	4.69

 




Table 2 shows the mean score of mass communication. The table also yielded that the parents were agreed with all the statements of the dimension of mass communication. Moreover, the mean score of the statement “parents have proper control of children’s unauthorized access to media contents” (M=4.78) which was very high within the statements.




 

Table 3. Mean Analysis of Attitude

S. No	Statements	N	Mean
1.	Parents treat with respects to their children.	241	4.45
2.	Parents show zero tolerance for verbal abuse at home.	241	4.53
3.	Parents have strict training for the improvement of children’s behavior.	241	4.70
4.	Parents try to treat the children as an equal.	241	4.50
5.	Parents give punishment to their children to form positive behavior.	241	4.85

 




Table 3 illustrate the mean score of attitude. The table also showed that the parents were agreed with all the statements of the dimension of attitude. Moreover, the mean score of the statement “parents give punishment to their children to form positive behavior” (M=4.85) which was very high within the statements.




 

Table 4. Mean Analysis of Socialization

S. No	Statements	N	Mean
1.	Parents help children to socialize by discovering  basic  social  behaviors.	241	4.81
2.	Parents arrange family meeting to set the socialization in children behavior.	241	4.82
3.	Parents make loving atmosphere in family to create positive development in children behavior.	241	4.71
4.	Parents prepare children to participate in social groups.	241	4.87
5.	Parents reward the child for behaving in a moral socialization	241	4.77

 




Table 4 demonstrates the mean score of socialization. The table also showed that the parents were agreed with all the statements of the dimension of socialization. Moreover, the mean score of the statement “parents prepare children to participate in social groups” (M=4.87) which was very high within the statements.




 

Table 5. Mean analysis of the dimensions of the Behavior Formation

S. No	Indicators	N	Mean
1	Culture	241	4.50
2	Mass Communication	241	4.66
3	Attitude	241	4.60
4	Socialization	241	4.79

 




Table 5 shows the average mean of the indicators (culture, mass communication, attitude and socialization) of the parental involvement in behaviour formation of the children. From this table, it is clear that the average mean (M=4.79) of socialization is maximum which mean that the parents help their children to socialize by discovering basic social behaviors and arrange family meeting to set the socialization in children behavior. 

Discussion

The current study was conducted to find out the parent's involvement in behavior formation of children at the primary level of Tehsil Nakyal AJ&K. It was found that parents prepare their children to interact with culture, examine the cultural groups activities of children, promote understanding about children’s own culture. Moreover, the parents monitor their children’s media contents, allow them only educative television programs and restrict them to spend a long time on social media. Parents help the children to socialize and make loving atmosphere in family to create positive development in children behavior. The findings were matched with Wang (2008), who conducted a study investigating the effect of parental involvement on children's behavior and found that the effect was significant in the case of primary school children. The researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 41 previous studies to determine the impact of overall parental involvement. The researchers found that parental involvement was positively correlated with student behavior. Four measures of student performance are used, including rating scales, standardized tests, academic achievement, grads and behavior index. 

In addition, Hill (2009) found that parental involvement was higher when the child was young or in elementary school, and gradually decreased as the child entered middle school. Their participation has a positive effect on children's behavioral formation, even when contextual factors such as social class and family size are taken into account (Deslorges, 2008).

Frick (2010) also stated that these types of behaviors in children are often manifested in their performance types, 2010 and other different student performances. Motivation that is considered to have a significant presence of staged performance evaluation and gender. 

Nunes (2010) reported that parents from different family backgrounds provided nearly similar levels of family supervision. They also concluded that parent-child discussions were about the relationship between school-related activities and family behavior, rather than parental involvement at school. In one study, Regnar (2009) found that parents' academic supervision positively predicted primary school students' mastery goals. Clark (2013) concluded that children are more likely to achieve high grades in school if parents monitor their children's behavior after school. Bukowski (2010) also found that despite efforts by schools to involve parents, their attendance rates remained low. 

Conclusions

1. It is concluded that parents prepare their children to interact with culture, examine the cultural groups activities of children, promote understanding about children’s own culture, develop positive attitude towards culture and also develop cultural values in their children by showing positive emotions.

2. It is also concluded that parents monitor their children’s media contents, allow them only educative television programs and restrict them to spend a long time on social media. Moreover, parents have proper control of children's unauthorized access to media content and also educate their children about the negative effects of mass media.

3. Although parents show zero tolerance for verbal abuse at home, strict training and give punishment to their children for the improvement of behavior, but also try to treat the children as an equal level and show them respect for the improvement of positive behavior.

4. Parents help the children to socialize, make loving atmosphere in family to create positive development in children behavior. Parents also prepare children to participate in social groups and finally reward the child for behaving in a moral socialization.

Recommendations

1. Parents may prepare their children by interacting with different societies, communities and groups so their children examine the cultural groups activities. Teachers may also hold cultural programs at the school.

2. Parents may improve their mediation by becoming stricter with the rules and regulations they establish at home, starting to communicate or discussing the media content with their children, as well as providing alternative activities for their children to do instead of using digital media.

3. Parents may share their positive experiences with children, and set themselves a role model for children. They may encourage their children to develop strengths and try new activities. 

4. Parents may build a caring environment in the home to encourage positive behavior development in their children. Parents can also prepare their children to join social organizations and reward them for behaving in a moral manner.

References

• Aboucher, G. & Walshaw, M. (2007). Characteristics of Effective Teaching of Mathematics: A View from the West. Journal of Education, 2(2) 147-164.
• Abreu, G. & Cline, T. (2007). Parents' representations of their children's learning in multiethnic primary schools. British Educational Research Journal, 31 (6), 697-722.
• Aikens, N. L. (2009). Socioeconomic differences in reading trajectories: The contribution of family, neighborhood, and school contexts. Journal of Educational Psychology, 100(2), 235-251.
• Bickley, J. (2009). Investigating parental roles in students' learning of mathematics from a cross- national perspective. Education Research Journal, 15(2), 87-106
• Brickman, G. Masa, R. & Tucker, J. (2006). The effects of parental involvement on academic performance of Ghanaian youth: Testing measurement and relationship using structural equation modeling. Children and Youth Services Review, 35(12), 2020-2030
• Bukowski, S. L. (2010). The family-school partnership: An opportunity to promote learning competence of all students. School Psychology Review, 33(1), 83-104.
• Chandler, N. E. Bachman, H. J. & Drzal, E. (2011). Parent Involvement and Children's Academic and Social Development in Elementary School. Child Development, 81(3), 683-1024.
• Clark, W. & Williams. C. M. (2013). The effects of parental involvement on students' academic self-efficacy, engagement and intrinsic motivation. Educational Psychology, 30(1), 53-74.
• Cross, J. W. Tighe, E. & Childs, S. (2009). Family involvement questionnaire: A multivariate assessment of family participation in early childhood education. Journal of Educational Psychology, 9(2), 367-376.
• Deslorges, M. S. Chaudhry, A. H. Shafiq M. &Berhanu, G. (2008). Factors affecting students' quality of academic performance: a case of secondary school level. Journal of Quality and Technology Management, 7(2), 1-14.
• Dickinson, J. Cortina, K. S. Turner, J. C. & Midgley, C. (2009). Changes in efficacy beliefs in mathematics across the transition to middle school: Examining the effects of perceived teacher and parent goal emphases. Journal of Educational Psychology, 1(2), 102-114
• Dumas, R. Tali. R., & Mordechai, B. (2009). Mothers' parenting practices and adolescents' learning from their mistakes in class: The mediating role of adolescent's self-disclosure. Learning and Instruction, 1(9), 506-512.
• Erdley, W. H. (2010). The salience of the subtle aspects of parental involvement and encouraging that involvement: Implications for school-based programs. Teachers College Record, 1(12), 747- 774.
• Farooq, S. & Abreu, G. (2007). Parents' past experiences as a mediational tool for understanding their child's current mathematical learning. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 20(1), 75-89.
• Frick, S. A. (2010). Principal's perceptions of parental involvement in the
• Garden, R. P. & Veneziano, R. A. (2013). The Importance of Father Love: History and Contemporary Evidence. American Psychological Association, 5(4), 382-405.
• Hancock, L. & Lomax, R. (2010). Parental efficacy: Predictor of parenting behavior and adolescent outcomes. Parenting, 2(2), 127-150.
• Hill, R. K. Roberts, S. O. & Wright, L. G. (2009). From Parental Involvement to Children's Performance: The Role of Early Education and Development, 2(4), 446-467.
• Hull, S. M. (2013). Italian colonial psychiatry: outlines of a discipline, and practical achievements in Libya and the Horn of Africa. History of psychiatry, 27(4), 389-405.
• Lewis, D. K. (2012). On the relation between social information processing and socially competent behaviour in early school aged children. Children Development, 2(5), 1385-1397.
• Midgley, B. W. (2010). Content area reading and disciplinary literacy: A case for the radical center. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 56(5), 353-357.
• Nunes, E. K. (2010). Classroom management and discipline: Responding to the needs of young adolescents. Middle School Journal, 41(3), 56-63
• Pulkkinen, B. Y. (2013). The implementation of communicative and task-based language teaching in the Asia-Pacific region? Annual Review of Applied Linguistics,3(1), 36-57.
• Regnar, M. K. (2009). The Role of Teachers' Classroom Discipline in Their Teaching Effectiveness and Students' Language Learning Motivation and Achievement: A Path Method. Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research, 3(1), 57-82.
• Reuger, R. D. (2015). Integrating multi-discipline teams into forest planning: a case study in west- central Alberta. The Forestry Chronicle, , 84(3), 307-315.
• Rohner, R. M. (2011). The Role of Teachers' Classroom Discipline in Their Teaching Effectiveness and Students' Language Learning Motivation and Achievement: A Path Method. Journal of Language Teaching Research, 3(1), 57- 82
• Rothman, M. (2009). systematic Theology as a Biblical Discipline. All for Jesus: A Celebration of the Anniversary of Covenant Theological Seminary,1(4), 167-96.
• Schab, M. A. (2009). A review of e-government research as a mature discipline: Trends, themes, philosophies, methodologies, and methods. The Electronic Journal of e-Government, 14(1), 18-35.