The purpose of the study was to investigate the relation between parent's
expectation and expectation-related variables, and the development of young
children. Using Bronfenbrenner's ecological P-P-C model, the study illuminated
the inclusive relational networks which systematically form mutual connection
among parent's expectation variables influencing the development of young
children. Subjects in this study were 243 parents and their children's teachers in
K city. Collected data were analyzed with SPSS and AMOS statistical softwere.
The results of this study are as follows; First, the proposed hypothetical model
explaining the relation was well fitted to the empirical data. Variables which had
effect directly and indirectly on parent's expectation and the development of
young children were parent's expectation, authoritative parenting attitude,
approach/avoidance, intensity of response, adaptation, a state of feeling, the
discussion on bringing-up children, the frequency of communication, the
recognition of teachers, the recognition of the advantage of communication,
informational support, material support, evaluative support, father's scholarship,
and mother's scholarship. The most powerful variable on the development of
young children was parent's expectation, and the most effective variable on
parent's expectation was authoritative parenting attitude. Second, parents'
expectation mediated the relations between ecological system variables and the
development of young children.