A contextualized view on long-term predictors of academic performance.

Abstract

Several studies show that parents' and teachers' perceptions of children's academic competence are important predictors of children's subsequent academic performance. However, there is a lack of evidence on what precedes these perceptions as well as the dynamics within a comprehensive model. The aim of this study was to investigate the simultaneous influences of child (general intelligence, prohlem behavior) and family (socioeconomic status, migration background) characteristics as well as parents' and teachers' perceptions of children's competence on children's academic performance in a 3-year longitudinal study with 221 children (52% girls) who were 5 to 7 years of age when they were first measured {M = 6.15 years, SD = 0.80 years). Structural equation modehng analyses revealed that parents' and teachers' perceptions of children's competence were positively associated with children's general intelligence and negatively associated with family adversity and child prohlem behavior. Further, parents' perceptions fully mediated the association between family adversity as well as child problem hehavior and academic performance. Teachers' perceptions partially mediated the association between child prohlem hehavior and academic performance.

The Predictive Validity of Four Intelligence Tests for School Grades: A Small Sample Longitudinal Study

“…The general intelligence indices of all four intelligence tests showed significant predictive validity for averaged school grades three years after intelligence assessment, which is in line with previous studies, showing that intelligence is a positive predictor of scholastic achievement (Deary et al, 2007; Gut et al, 2012, 2013; Roth et al, 2015). Therefore, our results support the use of the general intelligence indices of the IDS, RIAS, SON-R 6-40, and WISC-IV in order to make predictions of a child's averaged school grades.…”

“…However, in a single study, the expected effects may be smaller, as seen, for example, in Gut et al (2012, 2013), for several reasons. In the present study, for instance, the analyzed sample showed slightly higher general intelligence scores than the population and had a narrow range in school grades, which were all in the passing range.…”

“…We analyzed the general intelligence indices only, as the Technical Manuals (e.g., Reynolds and Kamphaus, 2003) as well as previous research (Glutting et al, 2006) do not recommend the use of specific indices for high-stakes decisions because of lowered reliability and validity compared to the general intelligence indices. On the basis of previous research (e.g., Glutting et al, 2006; Deary et al, 2007; Gut et al, 2012, 2013; Roth et al, 2015), we expected that the general intelligence indices would positively predict averaged school grades as well as school grades in mathematics and language (German) with medium to strong effect sizes.…”

How do parent expectations promote child academic achievement in early elementary school? A test of three mediators.

“…Multiple developmental studies have shown that parent academic expectations in early elementary school predict later child academic achievement (Entwisle et al, 2005; Gut et al, 2013; Sy & Schulenberg, 2005). Most of these studies controlled for confounding factors, such as family SES, and lend credence to the hypothesis that parental expectations influence child academic outcomes over time (Child Trends, 2015).…”

Promoting parent academic expectations predicts improved school outcomes for low-income children entering kindergarten

“…Similarly, Gut, Reimann, and Grob (2013) demonstrated that parent academic expectations at school entry predicted children’s grade point averages three years later. Parents with lower incomes and less education typically have lower academic expectations for their children and feel less efficacious in their capacity to help them succeed than do more economically-advantaged parents (Bandura, Barbaranelli, Caprara, & Pastorelli, 2001).…”