Psicothema was founded in Asturias (northern Spain) in 1989, and is published jointly by the Psychology Faculty of the University of Oviedo and the Psychological Association of the Principality of Asturias (Colegio Oficial de Psicología del Principado de Asturias).
We currently publish four issues per year, which accounts for some 100 articles annually. We admit work from both the basic and applied research fields, and from all areas of Psychology, all manuscripts being anonymously reviewed prior to publication.
Rubén Fernández-Alonso1, Marcos Álvarez-Díaz1,2, Francisco Javier García-Crespo3, Pamela Woitschach4, and José Muñiz
Background: The role of homework in students’ academic performance is a widely debated topic about which there is no definitive answer. The objective of this study was to analyse the importance of parental help with homework in academic achievement, testing its cultural invariance (by country), academic invariance (by subject), and the stability of its effects over time. Method: A meta-analysis was performed using the results of PISA evaluations from 2009, 2012, 2015, and 2018 from countries which applied the family PISA questionnaire. We analysed 180 effects and confirmed the fit of the model and the heterogeneity of the effects, performing an analysis of moderators and multimodal inference. Results: Students who had more help with homework had lower academic achievement, with an overall effect (d) = 0.23, 95% CI [0.21, 0.25]. The effects were greater in Europe than in Asia. We did not find differences by subject type, and the results were stable over time. Conclusions: Family help with homework does not ensure students’ academic success, and it is more important how that help is given than how much. This conclusion is valid for different types of subjects and is stable over time, with some variation between cultures.
¿Debemos Ayudar a Nuestros Hijos con los Deberes? un Meta-Análisis con Datos PISA. Antecedentes: el papel de los deberes escolares en el rendimiento académico es un tema ampliamente debatido, no existiendo una respuesta definitiva. El presente trabajo analiza el efecto de la ayuda parental con los deberes sobre los resultados educativos, comprobando la invarianza cultural (por países) y académica (por asignaturas), así como la estabilidad temporal de los efectos. Método: se realizó un meta-análisis con los resultados PISA de los años 2009, 2012, 2015 y 2018, incluyendo los países que aplicaron el cuestionario PISA para las familias. Se analizaron 180 efectos, comprobando el ajuste del modelo y la heterogeneidad de los efectos, y realizando análisis de moderadores y análisis de inferencia con modelos múltiples. Resultados: los estudiantes que reciben más ayuda con los deberes obtienen resultados más bajos: d = 0.23, IC 95% [0.21, 0.25]. Los efectos son mayores en Europa que en Asia. No se encontraron diferencias en función de la asignatura, y los resultados son estables a lo largo del tiempo. Conclusiones: la ayuda familiar con los deberes no garantiza el éxito académico, siendo más importante cómo se hace que el cuánto. Esta conclusión es válida en todas las asignaturas y se muestra estable en el tiempo, observándose variaciones interculturales.
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https://doi.org/10.7334/psicothema2021.65