Relations of middle school students' perceptions of family and school contexts with academic achievement

The purposes of this study were to examine the relations of both family and school contexts on students' academic achievement and to explore the media ting effects of students' perceptions of their motivations and academic sel f-competence between the family and school contexts and achievement. Partic ipants were 230 fifth- and sixth-grade students. Students' perceptions of p arenting style (demandingness and responsiveness), parental involvement (pa rental values and involvement in school functions), teaching style (teacher control and responsiveness), and school atmosphere (,school responsiveness and supportive social environment) significantly predicted their school ac hievement; however, students' motivations and self-competence mediated the relations between students' contexts and their academic achievement. Furthe rmore, parental values, teacher responsiveness, school responsiveness, and supportive social environment predicted students' motivations and academic competence above and beyond parenting style, parental involvement, and teac her control. The importance of students' supportive relationships and the i nternalization of the messages conveyed to them underscore the need for a c ontextual view by school psychologists when consulting with parents and edu cation staff regarding achievement concerns. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, In c.