Learning behaviours, attention and anxiety in Caribbean children - Beyond the 'usual suspects' in explaining academic performance

Research suggests learning-related behaviours, anxiety and attention may in fluence academic performance. This research, however, has been limited to c hildren from industrialized countries. Studies of children in developing co untries have usually concentrated on children's cognitive abilities and hom e background. Contributions of learning behaviours, anxiety, attention prob lems, cognitive ability and home background to the academic performance of village children (N = 61; ages 6-12) on St Vincent, the West Indies, were i nvestigated. Teachers provided academic scores and rated children using the Learning Behaviours Scale and using a modified version of the Revised Beha viour Problem Checklist. Children's cognitive ability was assessed using th e Raven Colored Progressive Matrices and their academic skills were assesse d using a locally standardized achievement test;. Stimulating home experien ces, caregiver involvement, affluence and caregiver education were assessed using the MC-HOME Inventory and by interviews. Hierarchical regression ind icated that anxiety, attention and learning-related behaviours explain 32-3 5 percent of the variance in academic scores. In contrast, home background and cognitive ability account for only 11-14 percent and 6-22 percent respe ctively Results suggest that academic performance may be improved in this p opulation by reducing children's anxiety levels and promoting appropriate l earning behaviours.