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Psychological Sciences

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Kathleen Hoover-Dempsey

Professor of Psychology & Human Development, Emerita

Professor Hoover-Dempsey's research focuses on parental involvement in children's and adolescents' education and the influence of family engagement on student learning outcomes. Grounded in a theoretical model of the parental involvement process, she and her colleagues have examined specific questions including: Why do parents become involved in actively supporting their students' learning? How does family their involvement influence students' development of beliefs, attitudes, skills and behaviors essential to successful school learning? She has developed and evaluated school-based interventions designed to increase the incidence and effectiveness of school and teacher invitations to parental involvement, and has consulted with varied national, state, and research programs designed to enhance the effectiveness of parental involvement and family-school partnerships.

Current work focuses on parental involvement among Latino families of public school students, the contributions of parental involvement to student learning beliefs and behaviors, and constructs central to the development of effective family-school partnerships.

Representative Publications

  • Hoover-Dempsey, K.V., Green, C.G., & Whitaker, M.W. (2010). Motivation and commitment to partnerships for families and schools. In S. L. Christenson & A. L. Reschly (Eds.), Handbook of School-Family Partnerships (pp. 30-60) New York: Routledge/Taylor and Francis Group.
  • Hoover-Dempsey, K.V., Ice, C.L., & Whitaker, M.W. (2009). "We're way past reading together:" Why and how parental involvement in adolescence makes sense. In N.E. Hill & R. K. Chao (Eds.), Families, schools and the adolescent: Connecting families, schools, and the adolescent (pp. 19-36). New York: Teachers College Press.
  • Green, C.L., Walker, J.M.T., Hoover-Dempsey, K.V. & Sandler, H.M. (2007). Parents' motivations for involvement in children's education: An empirical test of a theoretical model of parental involvement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 99(3), 532-544.
  • Hoover-Dempsey, K.V., Walker, J.M.T., Sandler, H.M., Whetsel, D., Green, C.L., Wilkins, A.S., & Clossen, K.E. (2005). Why do parents become involved? Research findings and implications. Elementary School Journal, 106(2), 105-130.
  • Hoover-Dempsey, K.V., Walker, J.M., Jones, K.P., & Reed, R.P. (2002). Teachers Involving Parents (TIP): An in-service teacher education program for enhancing parental involvement. Teaching & Teacher Education, 18(7), 843-867.
  • Hoover-Dempsey, K.V., Battiato, A.C., Walker, J.M., Reed, R.P., DeJong, J., & Jones, K.P. (2001). Parental involvement in homework. Educational Psychologist, 36(3), 195-209.
  • Hoover-Dempsey, K.V., & Sandler, H.M. (1997). Why do parents become involved in their children's education? Review of Educational Research, 67, 3-42.
  • Hoover-Dempsey, K.V., Bassler, O.C., & Burow, R. (1995). Parents' reported involvement in students' homework: Strategies and practices. Elementary School Journal, 95, 435-450.