Birth order and academic achievement of children in Transkei

This study investigated the relationship between birth order and academic achievement of 1021 randomly chosen Standard 7 pupils in Transkei, South Africa. The subjects ranged in age from 13 to 17 yr., with a mean of 15.6 yr. Two questionnaires, one for the pupils and the other for their parents, were administered to collect information on the birth order of children. Analysis of variance indicated a significant negative relationship between birth order of children and their academic achievement.     

Relationship of left-right reversals to academic achievement

The study was designed to investigate the relationship of reversal of letters and numbers to academic achievement to decide if the tendency to reversal might be used to predict achievement. Two groups of 45 predominantly white third-grade students whose chronological ages were 9.0 yr. or above were administered the California Achievement Tests and the Jordan Left-Right Reversal Test. A statistical comparison was made using scaled scores on the California Achievement Tests and raw errors on the Jordan Left-Right Reversal Test. Reversal was significantly correlated with academic achievement. Children who exhibit reversals at 9 yr. of age or older may be expected to perform less well academically than children who do not reverse letters.     

Relation of divorce to self-concepts and grade point averages of fifth grade school children

Data from 31 children (age 10.7 yr.) of divorced parents showed lower self-concept scores on the Piers-Harris Children's Self-concept Scale than 19 children of nondivorced parents, although the two sets of scores fall within the expected range.     

Role of parental emotional support in illusion of scholastic incompetence

IntroductionSelf-perceptions of competence are involved in motivational processes explaining that although pupils’ capacities are comparable, their academic achievement differs greatly. In general, pupils with an illusion of scholastic incompetence exhibit a set of negative characteristics concerning their academic functioning.ObjectiveThis article seeks to better understand the links between emotional support from parents and children's under-evaluation of their own scholastic competence.MethodSelf-reports from 626 pupils in Grades 4 and 5 (mean age: 10 years, 8 months) and one of their parents were analysed.ResultsPupils with an illusion of incompetence perceive the emotional support provided by their parents as less available and less unconditional. This difference is not echoed in their parents’ own report of the emotional support they think they give their child. However, parents of children with an illusion of incompetence do report reacting to their children's actions with criticism and disapproval more often than other parents.ConclusionThe quality of parental emotional support as perceived by the children predicts the bias they have when evaluating their own scholastic competence. Their parents’ perception also predicts this bias, albeit more modestly.     

Parental Involvement and Children's Academic Achievement in a South Africa Setting

The study ascertained the association between parental involvement and academic achievement of high school students. Structured questionnaire was the main instrument employed to gather information from 115 parents (men = 25; women = 90; age range = 28–45 years) and their 115 children (boys = 38; girls = 77; age range = 15–18 years). Correlation analysis was used to estimate the extent of association between parental involvement and their children's academic achievement. Parental involvement positively correlated with students' academic achievement. Children of parents involved in the home-based learning support activities and direct communication with their children had superior school grades than those from less involved parents.     

The effects of family composition,family health,parenting behavior and environmental stress on children's divorce adjustment

The traditional family composition model of children's divorce adjustment was compared to a family competence model. Subjects included 81 children whose parents remained married, were divorced, or were divorced and subsequently remarried. Divorced families had been separated for between 24 and 48 months. Custodial parents completed questionnaires regarding family functioning, occurrence of stressful life events, and child's psychosocial adjustment. Children completed questionnaires regarding parenting behaviors and self-esteem. A trained examiner conducted a structured diagnostic interview of the child. Multivariate analysis of covariance showed that family composition had a significant effect on the occurrence of stressful events and change in income but not children's adjustment. Hierarchical multiple regression correlations indicated the most powerful predictors of child adjustment were family competence variables which accounted for 21% of the variance in child adjustment scores. In contrast, family composition accounted for only 8% of variance in child adjustment scores. Further, hierarchical multiple regression correlations indicated that higher levels of family functioning were associated with families where parental hostility was low and parents displayed few rejecting behaviors while practicing consistent and appropriate discipline.     

Class size effects on literacy skills and literacy interest in first grade: A large-scale investigation

This article examines the impact of class size on literacy skills and on literacy interest in beginning readers from zones with specific educational needs in France. The data came from an experiment involving first graders in which teachers and pupils were randomly assigned to the different class types (small classes of 10-12 pupils vs. regular classes of 20-25 pupils).Globally, the findings reveal that class size has a (small) impact on the two basic literacy skills, reading (word recognition task) and spelling (word production task). Children with high literacy interest made more progress than children with low literacy interest. The analysis also explores the effect of four factors - early schooling, age, first language and socio-economic status - on the same type of literacy skills as above. Smaller classes most specifically improved performances in two types of population: children whose first language is French and children from intermediate and average socio-economic brackets. This means, in contrast, that neither the children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds nor the children whose first language was not French benefited from the use of smaller first grade classes. Data in this experiment are examined in the light of studies on the connections between class size, classroom procedures and pupils' engagement.     

Is parental divorce a critical stressor for young adolescents? Grade point average as a case in point.

Previous studies have shown parental divorce to be associated with poor functioning of children and adolescents. Almost all of the studies attempting to delineate these effects, and to shed light on the differences between boys and girls, have limited data collection to postdivorce. This practice has left a void in the picture of divorce--specifically in the area of predivorce effects. The purpose of the present study was to examine academic functioning of young adolescents with respect to both pre- and postdivorce effects. Fifty-eight young adolescents (29 from families which subsequently divorced and 29 from families which remained intact) were studied. Results indicated that boys from subsequently divorcing homes had significantly poorer academic functioning prior to their parents' divorce than did boys whose families remained intact and girls whose parents divorced. Differentially, girls from subsequently divorcing families showed a decline in academic functioning which began prior to divorce and continued beyond the time of divorce. Possible explanations for these gender differences are explored, and the importance of examining predivorce effects is addressed.     

儿童网络使用与学业成就：有调节的中介模型

摘 要 为探讨网络使用对学业成就的影响及其作用机制,从自我效能感理论的角度使用问卷对425名小学生进行调查。结果表明：（1）网络使用完全通过学习效能感的中介作用正向预测学业成就;（2）学习效能感中介作用受到开放性的调节,即在开放性高的个体中,学习效能感在网络使用与学业成就之间的中介效应不显著;在开放性低的个体中,学习效能在网络使用与学业成就之间有显著的中介效应。研究结果揭示了网络使用对学业成就的影响与作用机制,对家长、教育工作者根据儿童的个人特质对网络使用进行适度引导有启示意义。     

歧视知觉、抑郁和农村留守儿童的学业成绩：纵向中介模型

以1147名双亲外出儿童和父亲外出儿童为被试,采用追踪研究设计,探讨了农村留守儿童歧视知觉和学业成绩之间的相互作用关系以及抑郁在其中的中介作用。结果发现:（1）农村留守儿童的学业成绩显著负向预测其随后的歧视知觉,但是歧视知觉不能显著预测其随后的学业成绩;（2）抑郁在留守儿童的学业成绩和歧视知觉之间起着纵向中介作用。这表明,学业成绩是降低留守儿童歧视知觉水平的重要资源,良好的学业成绩不仅可以直接降低农村留守儿童的歧视知觉,而且还能通过降低其抑郁水平来降低农村留守儿童的歧视知觉水平。     

Group Counseling Children of Divorce in the Elementary Schools: Understanding Process and Technique

One approach to counseling the children of divorced or separated parents includes the children in peer-group counseling sessions. The authors offer guidelines and techniques for elementary school counselors in establishing such a group-counseling program.     

歧视知觉、抑郁和农村留守儿童的学业成绩：纵向中介模型

以1147名双亲外出儿童和父亲外出儿童为被试,采用追踪研究设计,探讨了农村留守儿童歧视知觉和学业成绩之间的相互作用关系以及抑郁在其中的中介作用。结果发现:（1）农村留守儿童的学业成绩显著负向预测其随后的歧视知觉,但是歧视知觉不能显著预测其随后的学业成绩;（2）抑郁在留守儿童的学业成绩和歧视知觉之间起着纵向中介作用。这表明,学业成绩是降低留守儿童歧视知觉水平的重要资源,良好的学业成绩不仅可以直接降低农村留守儿童的歧视知觉,而且还能通过降低其抑郁水平来降低农村留守儿童的歧视知觉水平。     

Generalizability in the Mediation Effects of Parental Expectations on Children’s Cognitive Ability and Self-concept

Previous research involving Hong Kong Chinese parents and their children showed that parental home involvement, beliefs of their children’s cognitive ability and their expectations for academic achievement mediated the relationship between their children’s cognitive ability and school achievement scores. This mediation effect was interpreted as the cognitive-affect model of academic achievement. The current research confirms the generalizability of the findings and tests the hypothesis that there are cultural differences in the mediation effects with the inclusion of non-Chinese students and their parents as a comparison group. The responses from 103 Chinese speaking (CS) and 163 non-Chinese speaking (NCS) primary students and parents from two schools in Hong Kong were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Student measures included self-concept, cognitive ability and academic achievement in mathematics, English and Chinese. Parent measures included home involvement, beliefs of their child’s cognitive ability and expectations of academic success. Initial model showed that parental expectations mediate the link between cognitive ability and academic achievement for both CS and NCS groups, with parental involvement predicting English achievement for only the NCS group. After the inclusion of academic self-concept, the model showed that CS parental expectations also mediate the link between self-concept and academic achievement. However, the model showed that the parental expectations of NCS play a lesser role in mediating the link between academic self-concept and their children’s academic achievement. Despite the differences, the results provide evidence for the generalizability of the cognitive-affect model.     

小学生学业负担与数学成绩的关系研究:基于潜在剖面分析

应用潜在剖面分析方法对广州市58所学校的六年级学生数学成绩进行潜在分类,并分析不同类别学生的学业负担状况。结果表明,学生样本按数学成绩可以分为三个类别:数学成绩良好组、数学成绩中等组、数学成绩较差组。此外,学业负担的轻重对不同数学成绩层次的学生会产生不同程度的影响。     

Differences in Concentration Ability Among Low- and High-SES Israeli Students: A Follow-Up Study

Eighty students participated in a follow-up study investigating the relationship between the ability to concentrate and academic achievement among low-socioeconomic-status (LSES) and high-socioeconomic-status (HSES) 4th graders. The results indicated that the differences between the ability to concentrate and academic achievement found when the students were in the 1st grade (Norman & Breznitz, 1992) persisted, in part, to the 4th grade. Compared with HSES children, LSES children obtained significantly lower scores on measures of academic achievement and concentration. Additional measures of school behavior included in the present study revealed that LSES children were more likely to be characterized by aggressive-impulsive behavior. This behavior accounted for most of the differences found between HSES and LSES pupils on the academic and concentration measures.     

The longitudinal association between internalizing symptoms and academic achievement among immigrant and non‐immigrant children in Norway

The aim of this study was to explore the longitudinal relation between internalizing symptoms and academic achievement, as two processes of children and youth development, among children in Norway, and whether having an immigrant background moderated this association. Data collected from 4,458 students in Norway in four waves over three years were analyzed with multi‐group latent growth curve modeling (LGM ). Results showed that internalizing symptoms level remained unchanged over time both for immigrant and non‐immigrant children, while levels of academic achievement increased only for children of immigrants with both parents born outside of Norway. Further analyses supported a reciprocal relation between internalizing symptoms and academic achievement and revealed that the initial level of academic achievement predicted the rate of change in internalizing symptoms over time, but not vice versa. Moreover, immigrant background did not moderate the associations in the model, however, children of immigrants with both parents born abroad initially had lower levels of academic achievement, but showed an increase in academic achievement, compared to their non‐immigrant peers as well as to peers with one native‐born parent after controlling for gender and their grade at the first observation. The implications for policy and practice were discussed.     

Differential Effects of Family Structure on Religion and Spirituality of Emerging Adult Males and Females

This study examined measures of religion and spirituality in a sample of male and female emerging adult college students whose parents were either divorced or intact using the Personal Religious Inventory, the Duke University Religion Index, the Daily Spiritual Experiences Scale, the Spiritual Transcendence Scale, and the Spiritual Involvement and Beliefs Scale. Data were collected online, and 66% of participants received extra credit for participating. A main effect of sex was found, as females reported significantly higher scores than men on all but one measure of religion and spirituality, and the dataset was separated by sex. No differences were found between males from divorced and intact families. However, females from intact families scored significantly higher on all religion and spirituality measures than females from divorced families. This study suggests that females may respond differently than males to their parents’ divorce in the context of religion and spirituality, and discusses possible reasons.     

家校合作对青少年学业成绩的影响：一个有调节的中介模型

本研究基于广州市基础教育质量监测项目,以2380名初中生及其家长为被试,构建一个有调节的中介模型,考察了家校合作对青少年学业成绩的影响机制。研究发现：（1）家校合作对青少年学业成绩具有显著的正向预测作用;（2）在家校合作对青少年学业成绩的影响中,亲子沟通发挥了部分中介作用;（3）独生状况调节了家校合作→亲子沟通→学业成绩的后半段,即相对于非独生子女而言,独生子女亲子沟通对学业成绩的促进作用更为显著。     

家校合作对青少年学业成绩的影响：一个有调节的中介模型

本研究基于广州市基础教育质量监测项目,以2380名初中生及其家长为被试,构建一个有调节的中介模型,考察了家校合作对青少年学业成绩的影响机制。研究发现：（1）家校合作对青少年学业成绩具有显著的正向预测作用;（2）在家校合作对青少年学业成绩的影响中,亲子沟通发挥了部分中介作用;（3）独生状况调节了家校合作→亲子沟通→学业成绩的后半段,即相对于非独生子女而言,独生子女亲子沟通对学业成绩的促进作用更为显著。     

Birth rank as a determinant of academic achievement:results from a European survey of primary school children

ABSTRACT

The present study investigates the relationship between birth rank and academic achievement of children in a cross-country study to examine whether firstborn children perform better in primary school than later-born children when controlling for individual, social and parental characteristics. Data were drawn from the School Children Mental Health in Europe (SCMHE) study, which included samples from Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Lithuania, Romania and Turkey (n = 7,518). Children’s academic performance in reading and mathematics was evaluated by teachers and parents reported sociodemographic variables including birth rank and parental attitudes. Controlling for individual, sociodemographic variables and parental attitudes in multinomial regressions, first- or second-born children displayed greater performance in mathematics and in reading as compared to children whose birth rank was third or above. Children from large families, especially when they are not first- or second-born appear to be at greater risk for academic difficulties and should benefit from targeted prevention efforts.