Parents who read tend to have adolescent children who also read

What is it about?

We know that reading is important, and that many Chilean adolescents do not read very often. We also know that students' gender (female students read more than male students) and reading achievement are good predictors of how much they like to read. Using data from Chile, this study found that, beyond the influence of gender and achievement, parents' reading motivation and frequency predicted how much adolescent students reported liking to read. This finding is noteworthy because adolescents are thought to be influenced by their peers and so much by their parents. Additionally, this study also found that the negative association between low socioeconomic status and students' reading motivation is partly absorbed for families who report high levels of motivation and reading frequency. This means that the reading motivation of students coming from the lowest quintiles might be promoted if their parents are encouraged to read more frequently.

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Photo by Prasanna Kumar on Unsplash

Photo by Prasanna Kumar on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This research shows that for Chilean teenagers, how much they enjoy reading is not just about whether they are boys or girls, or how well they read, but also how much their parents like to read and do it often. It is interesting because we usually think teenagers care more about what their friends think. The study also suggests that if parents from poorer families read more and show they enjoy it, their kids might also start liking to read more. This is important because it offers a simple way to help kids from less wealthy backgrounds find joy in reading, which can benefit their education and future.