Relations of middle school students' perceptions of family and school contexts with academic achievement

• Published in: Psychology in the schools Vol. 38; no. 6; pp. 505 - 519
• Main Authors: Marchant, Gregory J., Paulson, Sharon E., Rothlisberg, Barbara A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01-11-2001; Wiley
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Biological and medical sciences; Context Effect; Educational Environment; Educational psychology; Family Environment; Family Influence; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Middle School Students; Middle Schools; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Pupil and student. Academic achievement and failure; Student Attitudes; Student Motivation; Human; Academic achievement; School age; Social perception; Motivation; Teacher pupil relation; Family environment; Self perception; Child; Academic ability; School environment; Parent child relation
• ISSN: 0033-3085; 1520-6807
• DOI: 10.1002/pits.1039

The purposes of this study were to examine the relations of both family and school contexts on students' academic achievement and to explore the mediating effects of students' perceptions of their motivations and academic self‐competence between the family and school contexts and achievement. Participants were 230 fifth‐ and sixth‐grade students. Students' perceptions of parenting style (demandingness and responsiveness), parental involvement (parental values and involvement in school functions), teaching style (teacher control and responsiveness), and school atmosphere (school responsiveness and supportive social environment) significantly predicted their school achievement; however, students' motivations and self‐competence mediated the relations between students' contexts and their academic achievement. Furthermore, parental values, teacher responsiveness, school responsiveness, and supportive social environment predicted students' motivations and academic competence above and beyond parenting style, parental involvement, and teacher control. The importance of students' supportive relationships and the internalization of the messages conveyed to them underscore the need for a contextual view by school psychologists when consulting with parents and education staff regarding achievement concerns. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.