Family environment and parental encouragement in context of academic achievment among high and low achievers

ABSTRACT Study habits, attitudes of students toward the learning environment at school, the nature of the family environment, and parental encouragement are all factors that influence students’ academic achievement at all levels. The study’s goal is to look at the relation between parental encouragement and higher secondary school students’ academic achievements. The appropriate data were gathered from 160 students from higher secondary school using the survey research technique and the parental encouragement scale. The study’s main findings show that parental encouragement has a significant influence on the academic achievement of the students studied.

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Perception of Autonomy and Connectedness Prior to the Onset of Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa

Zeitschrift für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie und Psychotherapie ◽

10.1024/1422-4917/a000150 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 40 (1) ◽

pp. 61-68 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Julia Huemer ◽

Maria Haidvogl ◽

Fritz Mattejat ◽

Gudrun Wagner ◽

Gerald Nobis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Anorexia Nervosa ◽

Risk Factor ◽

Bulimia Nervosa ◽

Family Environment ◽

Significant Influence ◽

Diagnostic Interview ◽

Individual Autonomy ◽

Mothers And Fathers ◽

Image Test ◽

Restrictive Type

Objective: This study examines retrospective correlates of nonshared family environment prior to onset of disease, by means of multiple familial informants, among anorexia and bulimia nervosa patients. Methods: A total of 332 participants was included (anorexia nervosa, restrictive type (AN-R): n = 41 plus families); bulimic patients (anorexia nervosa, binge-purging type; bulimia nervosa: n = 59 plus families). The EATAET Lifetime Diagnostic Interview was used to establish the diagnosis; the Subjective Family Image Test was used to derive emotional connectedness (EC) and individual autonomy (IA). Results: Bulimic and AN-R patients perceived significantly lower EC prior to onset of disease compared to their healthy sisters. Bulimic patients perceived significantly lower EC prior to onset of disease compared to AN-R patients and compared to their mothers and fathers. A low family sum – sister pairs sum comparison – of EC had a significant influence on the risk of developing bulimia nervosa. Contrary to expectations, AN-R patients did not perceive significantly lower levels of IA compared to their sisters, prior to onset of disease. Findings of low IA in currently ill AN-R patients may represent a disease consequence, not a risk factor. Conclusions: Developmental child psychiatrists should direct their attention to disturbances of EC, which may be present prior to the onset of the disease.

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Discriminant Validation of the Test of Reading Performance (TORP) for Identifying Children at Risk of Reading Difficulties

European Journal of Psychological Assessment ◽

10.1027//1015-5759.16.2.139 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 16 (2) ◽

pp. 139-146 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Padeliadu Susana ◽

Georgios D. Sideridis

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Elementary School Students ◽

Reading Difficulties ◽

Reading Performance ◽

Low Achievers ◽

Children At Risk ◽

School Students ◽

Students At Risk ◽

Group A ◽

The Mean

Abstract This study investigated the discriminant validation of the Test of Reading Performance (TORP), a new scale designed to evaluate the reading performance of elementary-school students. The sample consisted of 181 elementary-school students drawn from public elementary schools in northern Greece using stratified random procedures. The TORP was hypothesized to measure six constructs, namely: “letter knowledge,” “phoneme blending,” “word identification,” “syntax,” “morphology,” and “passage comprehension.” Using standard deviations (SD) from the mean, three groups of students were formed as follows: A group of low achievers in reading (N = 9) including students who scored between -1 and -1.5 SD from the mean of the group. A group of students at risk of reading difficulties (N = 6) including students who scored between -1.5 and -2 SDs below the mean of the group. A group of students at risk of serious reading difficulties (N = 6) including students who scored -2 or more SDs below the mean of the group. The rest of the students (no risk, N = 122) comprised the fourth group. Using discriminant analyses it was evaluated how well the linear combination of the 15 variables that comprised the TORP could discriminate students of different reading ability. Results indicated that correct classification rates for low achievers, those at risk for reading problems, those at risk of serious reading problems, and the no-risk group were 89%, 100%, 83%, and 97%, respectively. Evidence for partial validation of the TORP was provided through the use of confirmatory factor analysis and indices of sensitivity and specificity. It is concluded that the TORP can be ut ilized for the identification of children at risk for low achievement in reading. Analysis of the misclassified cases indicated that increased variability might have been responsible for the existing misclassification. More research is needed to determine the discriminant validation of TORP with samples of children with specific reading disabilities.

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