Migration background and the measurement of home-based parental involvement in education: a psychometric evaluation of two self-report questionnaires

Home-based parental involvement in early education is linked to beneficial outcomes in children's development and may redress unequal educational outcomes associated with family background. The type of educational activities at home and the way parents provide their support may differ across parents with and without a migration background. It is unclear whether home-based parental involvement is measured as the same construct across different origin groups. In this study, the psychometric properties of two parent-report questionnaires on home-based parental involvement were evaluated in 131 Dutch mothers of kindergarten-aged children, of whom 47% had a migration background. The dimensional structure of both questionnaires was tested with Principal Component Analysis. Multi-group confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to test for measurement invariance of the 'Parenting Questionnaire' across migration background. Results supported the multidimensional nature of home-based parental involvement, as formal and informal activities formed distinct components in the involvement of this diverse parent sample. In addition, measurement invariance was largely confirmed, indicating that parent's involvement style can be validly measured across parents with and without a migration background in the Dutch context. Incorporating both formal and informal activities with involvement styles is recommended when measuring home-based parental involvement in different origin groups.