The Social Ecology of Achievement in Pre-Adolescents: Social Support and School Attitudes.

The aim of this study was to assess the interrelations of social support and school attitudes as predictors of achievement across a culturally and economically diverse sample of preadolescent children. Parent and peer support were assessed along with parent and peer attitudes toward school. Achievement indices were the child's own attitudes, grades, Stanford Achievement scores, and teacher ratings of school adaptation and competence. Of particular interest was the extent to which support and attitudes interact with a number of potentially significant demographic factors, including grade level, gender, ethnicity, and school economic level. Findings indicated that parent support and school attitudes were associated with most achievement indices. Friends' attitudes were predictive of children's attitudes, school adaptation, and academic competence. Support from friends was related to higher achievement for low-income and minority children. The findings affirm the importance of the child's social ecology to school performance and suggest that intervention strategies be targeted in this direction. (Contains 14 references.) (EV) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. THEE SOCIAL ECOLOGY OF ACHIEVEMENT IN PRE-ADOLESCENTS: SOCIAL SUPPORT AND SCHOOL ATTITUDES' Mary J. Levitt , Jerome L. Levitt, Gaston L. Bustos, Noel A. Crooks, Jennifer D. Santos, Paige Telan, and Marcia E. Silver Florida International University' Abstract U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) NixThis document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality.U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) NixThis document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. Parental and peer social support and school attitudes were assessed as predictors of achievement in a culturally and economically diverse sample of preadolescent children. Parent support and school attitudes were associated with most achievement indices. Friend attitudes were predictive of children's attitudes, school adaptation, and academic competence. Support from friends was related to higher achievement for low-income and minority children. The findings affirm the importance of the child's social ecology to school performance and suggest that intervention strategies be targeted in this direction. 1 PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) 'Presented at the meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Montreal, 1999. This research was funded by The Spencer Foundation. 'Dept. of Psychology, North Miami, FL 33181. Email: levittmj @fiu. edu