THE EFFECT OF FAMILY CONTEXT VARIABLES ON LEARNING-RELATED SKILLS AND SUBSEQUENT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

Schlager, Olivia M

THE EFFECT OF FAMILY CONTEXT VARIABLES ON LEARNING-RELATED SKILLS AND SUBSEQUENT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

Open Access

Author:: Schlager, Olivia M
Graduate Program:: School Psychology
Degree:: Doctor of Philosophy
Document Type:: Dissertation
Date of Defense:: May 02, 2016
Committee Members:: Cristin Marie Hall, Dissertation Advisor/Co-Advisor
Cristin Marie Hall, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
Barbara Schaefer, Committee Member
Shirley Andrea Woika, Committee Member
Janet Agnes Welsh, Outside Member
Keywords:: family context
learning related skills
literacy development
home environment
academic achievement
Abstract:: The present study examined the contribution of various family context variables to the development of learning-related skills that are associated with positive academic outcomes. A substantial body of research underscores the strong association between certain nonacademic learning-related skills in young children and academic achievement over time. However, less is known about the potential for the family and home environment to foster or impede the development of these learning-related skills, particularly among at-risk learners with language delays and low socioeconomic status. A path model was used to test the hypothesis that learning-related skills measured in first grade would mediate the relationship between family contextual variables (parent demoralization and family stress, parent support for learning, and parent expectations and aspirations) measured at kindergarten and reading outcomes measured at second grade in a group of students oversampled for language and literacy skill deficits. This hypothesis was partially supported, with significant associations found between the parent demoralization and parent support for learning predictors and learning-related skills, which were, in turn, predictive of second grade literacy outcomes, even after controlling for baseline levels of literacy skill and learning-related skills. Implications for family-school partnerships and collaboration are discussed.

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