Paths to achievement: A study of family influence on children's achievement in China and the United States.

Abstract

This dissertation investigates two important issues regarding family influence on children's achievement: cultural and developmental contexts. Chinese and American cultural values were contrasted. It was argued that Chinese value educational attainment, hard work, and familism, whereas Americans value occupational success, natural ability, and individualism. These values have important implications for family effects on children's achievement. A total of 1393 American and Chinese first-, third-, and fifth-grade children were tested with culturally fair achievement tests in math and reading. The children and a majority of their mothers were interviewed. Fathers were asked to fill out a questionnaire. Some of the major results were: (a) Chinese children performed in math at a higher level than their American counterparts. American children, on the other hand, had an early advantage in reading performance. (b) Compared to American parents, Chinese parents were found to have higher expectations for their children, to be more involved in their children's school work, and to use more punishment as a disciplinary technique for poor school performance. Also evident was Chinese parents' early emphasis on achievement. (c) Family factors were found to account for a large portion of variance (up to 48%) in children's achievement outcomes. Different outcomes (i.e., performance on achievement tests, academic self-concept, and achievement-related behaviors) were accounted for by different family factors. (d) Clear cross-cultural and developmental differences were found in the way family factors influenced children's achievement. Family socio-economic status was found to play a more important role in the American than in the Chinese children's achievement, through the family process variables such as parental expectations and home learning environment. On the other hand, parental expectations were found to be related to children's academic self-concept to a greater degree in China than in the United States. (e) Results also showed subject-specificity in family influence. Math performance was less related to family factors than was reading performance. These results were discussed in terms of the role of socio-cultural contexts in family influence on children's development. Directions for future research were also discussed.