Cold sweats, head shakes, and memories of hardship are the common reactions when adults are introduced to a high school mathematics teacher. Observations show that few adults enjoyed mathematics in their youth. This study aimed to investigate the ways in which students internalize the mathematics attitudes of their parents. Additionally it examined the students' adoption or rejection of their parents' attitudes and investigated differences due to gender, level of mathematics course taken, and socioeconomic status. Instruments measuring self-efficacy beliefs in mathematics, as well as value placed on learning the content were administered to all juniors, seniors, and their parents in a suburban school district. In addition to offering parents an opportunity to provide further insight concerning the sources of their children's mathematics self-efficacy beliefs, interviews provided an additional layer of information to provide context and expanded upon the quantitative data. Results reveal that the relationship between a parent and child's belief systems is a complex one and varies according to student mathematics level, parent's level of mathematics attitudes and socioeconomic status. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]