Abstract
Background: Several studies in Western countries addressed the parental education as directly affecting the academic performance of their children; however, in the Middle East Countries, only a few studies reported this issue. The current study aimed to address the reciprocity of the parental education and academic performance of their children in the medical college of University of Tabuk, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Method: 103 medical students were enrolled in this cross-sectional study that was carried out during April to June 2014. The participants filled the questionnaire and student performance was stratified as "excellent and average,'' indicated by grade point average (GPA) >= 4 and GPA < 4 (out of 5), respectively.
Results: Male were found to have significantly higher GPA (mean +/- SEM) as compared to female (P < 0.0001). Significant positive correlation is observed in the overall study population (P = 0.0264; R = 0.04835) and male students (P = 0.0014; R = 0.1644); however, female students were found to have no significant correlation (P = 0.4165; R = 0.01617) with their father's level of education.
Conclusion: Reciprocity of father's education and the male medical student is observed in the present study; however, it is not so with the female medical student. Therefore, fathers need to pay attention to the academic performance of their daughters in Saudi Arabia. (C) 2016 Indian Journal of Medical Specialities. Published by Elsevier, a division of Reed Elsevier India, Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved.