The International Observatory on Academic Achievement - Documentary search

File number :
CS-ISC-18e

Bibliographic reference :
Deslandes, R., Bouchard, P., & St-Amant, J. C. (1998). Family Variables as Predictors of School Achievement: Sex Differences in Quebec Adolescents. Canadian Journal of Education, 23(4), 390-404.

Abstract :

Study Purpose
The authors of this Quebec (Canada) study start by looking into gender-based differences in the academic scores of adolescents 14 to 16 years old. Next, they look into the different perceptions of male and female students in terms of influence of family environment on their academic achievement.

Study Description
A total of 525 students (243 male students and 282 female students) in secondary 3 at a suburban school and a rural school completed a questionnaire. Academic achievement was determined by the general year-end grade point average (GPA), the average year-end French and mathematics scores, the students’ aspirations, time spent studying at home and absence from classes. Independent variables included family characteristics (size, structure, parental educational level), parenting style characteristics (warmth, supervision or control, autonomy) and parental engagement characteristics (emotional support, communication with teachers, parent-adolescent interactions on daily school matters, parental attitude towards school, parent-adolescent communication).

Main Results
This study has revealed that female students obtained better grades, namely a better general average and a better average in French. However, no significant gender-based differences were observed for mathematics scores, thereby countering the generally-accepted idea that male students perform better in this field. The researchers also report that female students spent more time on school work than male students and had higher aspirations (a greater number of them intended to pursue university studies).

In the case of male students, the study has revealed that the best predictors of academic achievement were parental emotional support, supervision, parent-adolescent interactions on daily school matters, parent-teacher communication, and the father’s educational level. Whereas for female students, these were parental emotional support, the father’s educational level, and parent-teacher communication.

Therefore, academic achievement for both male and female students is explained by certain common characteristics such as emotional support, the father’s educational level and parent-teacher communication; there is a negative relation for this last item because parents and teachers communicate more frequently when students experience difficulties at school). However, for male students, parental supervision and interactions on daily school matters were particularly important. The authors underline the importance of considering parental input in the gender-based differentiation of academic achievement.

Key Words :
Gender, Aspirations, Homework, Family Characteristics, Parenting Style, Parental Engagement, French, Mathematics, Interactions, School-Family-Community Partnership, Secondary/High School

Monitored Countries :
Quebec (Canada)