Nuanced associations of maternal religious beliefs and patriarchal values with children’s academic achievement

Abstract

This study examined the associations of three different measures of maternal religiosity representing symbolic and literal beliefs (subjective symbolic religiosity, belief in divine punishment, and having received formal Quranic training) with the children’s academic achievement at age 7. We used data from a 5-year longitudinal study of a nationally representative cohort of children in Turkey (N = 1,052, 44.6% female), a non-Western, industrialized country with a majority Muslim population. We estimated a model where maternal religiosity had direct and mediated associations with children’s achievement. The mediators were measures of patriarchal attitudes and practices, and parenting behaviors (provision of learning materials, academically stimulating parenting, and harsh parenting). Maternal subjective symbolic religiosity was positively associated with the child’s academic achievement. Maternal belief in divine punishment and patriarchal hierarchy in the family, however, were negatively associated with academically supportive parenting and positively associated with harsh parenting. The negative consequences of the belief in divine punishment differed by socioeconomic status (SES). In families of high SES, if the mothers’ belief in divine punishment was strong, the amount of learning materials provided to them was similar to those provided to their peers of low SES. Although maternal symbolic religiosity was positively associated with parenting and children’s academic achievement, maternal belief in divine punishment emerged as a risk factor. Furthermore, differential associations of maternal religiosity and patriarchal attitudes with parenting behaviors underscored the need to consider their differential impacts on the family.