Sibling dilution hypothesis: a regression surface analysis.

This study examined relationships between sibship size (the number of children in a family), birth order, and measures of academic performance, academic self-concept, and educational aspirations at different levels of family educational resources. As part of a national longitudinal study of Australian secondary school students data were collected from 2,530 boys and 2,450 girls in Years 9 and 10. Regression surfaces were constructed from models that included terms to account for linear, interaction, and curvilinear associations among the variables. Analysis suggests the general propositions (a) family educational resources have significant associations with children's school-related outcomes at different levels of sibling variables, the relationships for girls being curvilinear, and (b) sibling variables continue to have small significant associations with affective and cognitive outcomes, after taking into account variations in family educational resources. That is, the investigation provides only partial support for the sibling dilution hypothesis.     

Family Capital,Children's Individual Attributes,and Academic Achievement

In this study, I examined relationships between family educational capital and measures of children's individual attributes and their academic achievement. Data were collected from 905 eleven-year-old Australian children (457 boys, 448 girls) and their parents. Families were classified into four opportunity structures defined conjointly by human capital and social capital. Within each opportunity structure, relationships among the variables were examined by investigating hierarchical regression models that included terms to test for possible linear, interaction, and curvilinear associations. The findings suggest that (a) within family opportunity structures defined by human and social capital, children's ability and cognitive attitudes and their family educational capital had modest to moderate associations with academic achievement and (b) there were family opportunity structure differences in the nature of the relationships among family educational capital, children's individual attributes, and their academic performance.     

The Sibling Resource Dilution Theory: An Analysis

In this study, I examined relationships between sibling variables and children's family educational resources at different levels of family social status and children's intellectual ability. Data were collected from 900 eleven-year-old Australian children (450 boys, 450 girls) and their parents. Relationships among the variables were examined by plotting regression surfaces generated from models that included terms to test for possible linear, interaction, and curvilinear associations. Although results from some of the regression models provided tentative support for the sibling resource dilution theory, overall results suggest that acceptance of the theory must be treated with some caution. In general, the analysis indicated the possible complexity of relationships between sibling variables and family educational resources.     

影响小学生同伴接纳因素的研究

用测量表对453名小学生的社会行为、教师接纳、学业成绩、社交策略与儿童同伴接纳之间的关系进行研究.结果表明,社会行为、教师接纳、学业成绩、社交策略与同伴接纳之间存在显著相关;各变量的不同水平之间(除不适宜社交策略这一变量外)儿童同伴接纳程度存在显著差异;学业成绩、教师接纳、攻击性及提出适宜的社交策略数,对于儿童同伴接纳有较大的预测作用,但在不同性别、不同年级水平上又存在明显不同.     

Family, School, and Community Factors and Relationships to Racial–Ethnic Attitudes and Academic Achievement

This study examined family, school, and community factors and the relationships to racial–ethnic attitudes and academic achievement among 98 African American fourth-grade children. It has been posited that young people who feel better about their racial–ethnic background have better behavioral and academic outcomes, yet there is a need for more empirical tests of this premise. Psychometric information is reported on measures of parent, teacher, and child racial–ethnic attitudes. Path analysis was used to investigate ecological variables potentially related to children's racial–ethnic attitudes and achievement. Parental education and level of racial–ethnic pride were correlated and both were related to children's achievement though in the final path model, only the path from parental education level was statistically significant. Children whose teachers exhibited higher levels of racial–ethnic trust and perceived fewer barriers due to race and ethnicity evidenced more trust and optimism as well. Children living in communities with higher proportions of college-educated residents also exhibited more positive racial–ethnic attitudes. For children, higher racial–ethnic pride was related to higher achievement measured by grades and standardized test scores, while racial distrust and perception of barriers due to race were related to reduced performance. This study suggests that family, school, and community are all important factors related to children's racial–ethnic attitudes and also to their academic achievement.     

The promotive effects of family educational involvement for low-income children's literacy

Longitudinal data for 167 low-income children were analyzed to examine associations between family educational involvement during kindergarten, children's feelings about literacy, and children's literacy achievement from kindergarten through fifth grade. The promotive effect of family educational involvement for feelings about literacy and literacy achievement was moderated by maternal education such that involvement was more positively associated with literacy outcomes for children whose mothers were less educated compared with children whose mothers were more educated. In addition, children's feelings about literacy mediated associations between family educational involvement and literacy achievement. Implications for intervention efforts are discussed.     

Family and ability correlates of academic achievement

Relationships were examined among family social status, family learning environments, intellectual ability, and the mathematics and word achievement of boys and girls. Data were collected from 516 (250 boys, 266 girls) 11-yr.-old Australian children and their parents. Analysis indicated that the relationships between the predictor and achievement variables varied for boys and girls and differed depending on the achievement measure being examined. Generally, the family and ability measures combined to have large associations with word scores, while intellectual ability was the only significant predictor of mathematics achievement.     

Family and ability correlates of academic achievement: social status group differences

In a set of interrelated investigations in 2001-03, García Bacete and Rosel Remirez, Marjoribanks, and García Bacete and Villanueva Badenes examined relationships among intellectual ability, family environment, and academic achievement. Analysis in this follow-up study showed that relationships among ability, environment, and achievement varied for children from different social status groups.     

小学高年级儿童的学业成绩、亲社会行为与同伴接纳、拒斥的关系

本研究以小学高年级402名学生为研究对象,探讨了儿童的学业成绩、亲社会行为与同伴接纳、同伴拒斥之间的关系。结果发现:(1)不同学业成绩组儿童的亲社会行为存在显著差异,学习优秀儿童的亲社会行为水平最高,学习中等儿童居中,学习困难儿童的亲社会行为水平最低。(2)多元线性回归分析表明,儿童的亲社会行为能显著地正向预测其同伴接纳、负向预测其同伴拒斥;但学业成绩只能显著地正向预测同伴接纳,而对同伴拒斥无显著的预测作用。(3)亲社会行为对男、女生的同伴接纳的预测作用大于学业成绩的预测作用。     

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。     

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。     

Relationship influences on teachers' perceptions of academic competence in academically at-risk minority and majority first grade students

This study examined the associations among child demographic variables, teacher perceptions of parent-teacher and student-teacher relationship quality, and teacher perceptions of children's academic abilities in an ethnically diverse sample of 607 academically at-risk first grade children. Relative to relationships with African American children and parents, teachers rated their relationships with White and Hispanic children and parents more positively. Measures of relationship quality added unique variance to teachers' perceptions of children's abilities, controlling for parent educational level and measured ability. Relationship variables fully mediated the association between African American status and teachers' perceptions of children's abilities. Implications of the findings for teacher in-service and professional development and for parent involvement programs are discussed.     

Sibling correlates of young adults' status attainment: ethnic group differences

I used longitudinal data to examine relationships between sibling variables and young adults' status attainment at different levels, based on earlier measures of adolescents' educational and occupational aspirations. My analyses involved 21-year-old Australians from Anglo-Australian, Greek, and Southern Italian families. Regression surfaces were plotted from models that included terms to test for possible linear, interaction, and curvilinear associations among the variables. My study showed that the number of children in a family and birth order continue to be significantly associated with young adults' status attainment, even after incorporating the mediating influences of adolescents' aspirations. The investigation also suggested ethnic group differences among sibling variables, adolescents' aspirations, and young adults' status attainment.     

Ethnicity,school attitudes,intelligence and academic achievement

Regression surface analysis was used to examine relations between school-related attitudes and measures of academic achievement at different levels of intellectual ability, for children from different Australian ethnic groups. The sample included 660 eleven-year-old children from lower social status families, with 250 Anglo Australian children, 170 Greek, 120 Southern Italian, and 120 English children. Regression surfaces were constructed from models that examined possible linear, interaction, and curvilinear relations between the variables. The findings suggest the propositions that: (a) at each level of intelligence, increases in the affective component of school attitudes are not associated with changes in academic achievement, (b) at each level of the affective component of school attitudes, increments in intelligence test scores are related to increases in academic achievement scores, and (c) the relations between academic achievement, intelligence, and the cognitive-behavioral component of school attitudes vary for children from different ethnic groups. The results suggest that the manipulation of the cognitive-behavioral aspects of school attitudes may influence the academic performance of low social status children from different ethnic groups but educational programs that focus on the affective components of school attitudes may not be effective in changing children's academic achievement.     

小学生不同课堂情境的成就归因及再归因训练

在广泛调查的基础上,考察了小学生对不同课堂情境的成就归因特点;并运用韦纳的归因训练模式与策略指导相结合的方法,根据不同课堂的成就情境对小学生进行再归因训练。结果表明：小学生把课堂成就归因于努力、策略、能力、基础、兴趣、目的、难度。教法、心境和家境等１０个主要因素,这些因素除家境外,均在不同课堂的成就情境中存在显著的差异;韦纳的归因训练模式与策略指导相结合的再归因训练能有效地改变小学生对不同课堂情境的成就归因倾向,增强其学习动机水平,提高学业成绩。     

Teacher-child relationship quality and academic achievement of Chinese American children in immigrant families

This study examined the cross-sectional relations between teacher-child relationship quality (TCRQ) and math and reading achievement in a socio-economically diverse sample of Chinese American first- and second-grade children in immigrant families (N=207). Teachers completed a questionnaire measuring TCRQ dimensions including closeness, conflict, and intimacy, and children completed a questionnaire measuring overall TCRQ. Standardized tests were used to assess children's math and reading skills. Analyses were conducted to (a) test the factor structure of measures assessing TCRQ among Chinese American children, (b) examine the associations between teacher- and child-rated TCRQ and children's academic achievement, controlling for demographic characteristics, and (c) examine the potential role of child gender as a moderator in the relations between TCRQ and achievement. Results indicated that teacher-rated TCRQ Warmth was positively associated with Chinese American children's reading achievement. Two child gender-by-TCRQ interactions were found: (a) teacher-rated TCRQ Conflict was negatively associated with girls' (but not boys') math achievement, and (b) child-rated Overall TCRQ was positively associated with boys' (but not girls') reading achievement. These findings highlight the valuable role of TCRQ in the academic success of school-aged children in immigrant families.     

Sibling Correlates of Young Adults' Status Attainment: Ethnic Group Differences

I used longitudinal data to examine relationships between sibling variables and young adults' status attainment at different levels, based on earlier measures of adolescents' educational and occupational aspirations. My analyses involved 21-year-old Australians from Anglo-Australian, Greek, and Southern Italian families. Regression surfaces were plotted from models that included terms to test for possible linear, interaction, and curvilinear associations among the variables. My study showed that the number of children in a family and birth order continue to be significantly associated with young adults' status attainment, even after incorporating the mediating influences of adolescents' aspirations. The investigation also suggested ethnic group differences among sibling variables, adolescents' aspirations, and young adults' status attainment.     

Correlations among family environment, academic achievement, and academic attainment in a large sample of young Australian adults

In a set of interrelated Australian and Spanish investigations in 2001-2004, relationships were examined among intellectual ability, family environment, and academic achievement. This follow-up study used longitudinal data from young Australian adults (4,397 men, 4,703 women; M age = 20.2 yr., SD = 0.4), to investigate relationships among earlier academic achievement, family influences, and academic attainment. From multiple regression and commonality analyses the findings indicated that earlier achievement and family influences were important as separate variables in explaining differences in later academic attainment (18.6% and 14.8%, respectively, for men; 14.5% and 11.5%, respectively, for women). In addition, earlier achievement and family influences reinforced each other to account for additional shared variance (9.1% for men, 6.3% for women) in young Australian adults' academic attainment.     

Exploring pathways from television viewing to academic achievement in school age children

The author's purpose in this study was to test 4 hypotheses that proposed different paths for the influences of children's television viewing on their academic achievement. Data were drawn from the 1997 Child Development Supplement (CDS) to the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID). The population for this study included 1,203 children between the ages of 6 and 13 years from the CDS-PSID data set. The author used structural equation modeling to test pathways from children's television viewing to their academic achievement. The author assumed that children's television viewing hindered their academic achievement by reducing certain traits that related to academic achievement. Results showed that 3 hypothetical models fit the data--the time-displacement hypothesis, the mental effort-passivity hypothesis, and the attention-arousal hypothesis. A 4th hypothetical model, the learning-information hypothesis, which proposed that children's television viewing practices stimulate their academic achievement, was not supported. In sum, children who watched more television tended to spend less time doing homework, studying, and reading for leisure. In addition, their behaviors became more impulsive, which resulted in an eventual decrease in their academic achievement.     

小学儿童数学态度与数学成就的纵向联系：学业拖延和数学元认知的作用

为深入探讨小学儿童的数学态度、学业拖延、数学元认知与数学成就之间的纵向联系及内在作用机制,对515名三、五年级小学生进行为期半年的追踪研究。结果表明:(1)学业拖延在儿童的数学态度与数学成就之间发挥着即时和纵向中介作用;(2)不同水平数学元认知个体在纵向中介模型中“数学态度→数学成就”这一路径上存在差异。这意味着较积极的数学态度有利于减少小学儿童的学业拖延行为,进而提高其数学成就,而高数学元认知则能够监控和调节个体的数学态度,使其发挥积极作用,从而提高数学成就。该发现为有效促进儿童的数学学习提供了重要实践启示。