New research from Hebrew University shows that how well parents understand their children and manage their own emotions greatly affects homework time. Parents who are good at understanding their kids are more supportive and help them become more independent and motivated to learn. On the other hand, parents who have trouble managing their emotions are more likely to act negatively, which can make it harder for children to stay engaged and do well in their learning.

Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have uncovered new insights into the mechanisms that contribute to parental ability to support their children academically. Led by Dr. Naama Gershy and PhD student Racheli Cohen from the School of Education, in collaboration with Prof. Maayan Davidov from the School of Social Work and Social Welfare, the study explored why so many parents struggle to support their children during homework.

The research shows that parents' emotional and cognitive processes can greatly influence their interactions with their children during homework time. By studying 101 Israeli parents and their elementary-aged children, the researchers identified factors that can either help or hinder the support parents provide at home.

Children usually spend about 1 to 2 hours a day on homework, but this varies with age and school demands. Many parents find it challenging to balance their own responsibilities while supporting their children academically, which can lead to stress and conflict. Improving this dynamic is crucial.

One key finding is the role of parental mentalization—the ability to perceive and interpret their children’s thoughts and feelings. Parents who are good at mentalization are more supportive and less controlling, creating a better homework environment that can boosts children’s independent learning and motivation. Conversely, parents who struggle with managing their emotions tend to express negative behaviors, like frustration or discouragement, which can make homework stressful and curtail their child’s engagement.

"Our research sheds light on how parents’ emotional and mental  processes impact their involvement in their children’s education," explained Dr. Gershy. "Understanding these factors can help develop strategies that improve parent-child interactions during homework, and hence increase parental ability to support and encourage their children’s learning ."

Practical applications of these findings could include parent training programs and educational strategies to improve parents’ awareness of their emotional states and mentalization skills, aiming to enhance parental support and foster better academic outcomes and relationship.

The research paper titled “Why Things Can Go Wrong When Parents Try to Help Children With Their Homework: The Role of Parental Emotion Regulation and Mentalization” is now available at Journal of Educational Psychology and can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000873.

Researchers:

Racheli Cohen¹, Naama Gershy¹, Maayan Davidov²

Institution:

1. The Seymour Fox School of Education, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
2. The Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social Welfare, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem is Israel’s premier academic and research institution. With over 23,000 students from 90 countries, it is a hub for advancing scientific knowledge and holds a significant role in Israel’s civilian scientific research output, accounting for nearly 40% of it and has registered over 11,000 patents. The university’s faculty and alumni have earned eight Nobel Prizes, two Turing Awards a Fields Medal, underscoring their contributions to ground-breaking discoveries. In the global arena, the Hebrew University ranks 81st according to the Shanghai Ranking. To learn more about the university’s academic programs, research initiatives, and achievements, visit the official website at http://new.huji.ac.il/en