Cognitive abilities, sociocultural background and academic achievement


Autoria(s): Diniz, António; Pocinho, Margarida Dias; Almeida, Leandro Silva
Data(s)

02/11/2011

02/11/2011

2011

Resumo

The infl uence of students’ sociocultural background on academic achievement is a well established fact. Research also points out that sociocultural background is related to students’ cognitive abilities and these have an effect on their academic achievement. However, the mediator role of cognitive abilities on the relationship between sociocultural background and academic achievement is less well known. A structural equation model that represents these relationships was tested in a sample (N= 728) of Portuguese junior high school students. Multigroup analysis of the model showed the importance of the cognitive ability mediation effect between sociocultural background and academic achievement in the 7th and 9th grades, but not in the 8th grade. This difference may be the result of the academic transition experienced in the 7th and 9th grades in the Portuguese educational system, which requires parents’ higher involvement in school.

Identificador

Psicothema, ISSN 0214-9915. 23:4 (2011) pp. 695-700

0214-9915

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.13/188

Idioma(s)

eng

Publicador

Psicothema

Direitos

openAccess

Palavras-Chave #Cognitive abilities #Sociocultural background #Academic achievement #High school #. #Centro de Artes e Humanidades
Tipo

article