The linkages among the home environment and academic self-concepts on achievement of contemporary family structures of German high school students

• Main Author: O'Connor, Sharon Anne Kowchefski
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01-01-1999
• Subjects: Educational psychology; Educational sociology; Families & family life; Individual & family studies; Personal relationships; Secondary education; Sociology
• ISBN: 9780599214699; 0599214694

This study was designed to investigate the structural linkages among home environmental variables and motivational variables on mathematics, science, German language and civics achievement of German high school students. It involved a random sample of 351 students (grades seven and ten) and 430 parents from Dortmund, Germany. Three theoretical frameworks were used in the analysis. Walberg's Educational Productivity Model (1986) analyzed the interconnections among a diverse set of family processes, family structure, and SES predictor variables within the home environment section of the model. Campbell's Differential Socialization Paradigm (1997) provided a mechanism for understanding gender disparities in terms of academic self-concepts and achievement and the Shavelson, Hubner & Stanton Structural Model of Self-Concept (1976) examined the multifaceted hierarchical configuration of general and specific academic self-concepts. The results of this study disclosed that females and males closely parallel each other on all criterion variables. The best predictors for achievement for both genders were prior ability (GPA) and high subject matter self-confidences (mathematics and science). Directly influencing prior ability (GPA), were a positive general self-concept and a negative direct effect of parental pressure. Additional key findings were that females in intact (two-parent) families had high general self-concepts but necessitated high parental monitoring; and that males required high SES regardless of family structure (as family structure was insignificant across all four criterions). The author posits the disparate results from the exogenous variables as most likely attributable to various socialization and cultural miens found in technologically advanced societies. The results of the study behest parents, as the salient force in the home, to become cognizant of gender differences Within the application of their family process as these variables categorically impact upon the students' general self-concept which is a critical component of prior ability (GPA) which in turn directly influences academic achievement.