Predictors of academic performance during early adolescence: A contextual view

Abstract

Utilising the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS: 88), this study examined some of the frequently used indicators of social capital and resource capital as predictors of academic performance of 24,599 middle school adolescents (12,111 males and 12,244 females) ranging in age from 13–16 years. Sixty-eight per cent were White, 12.2% were Black, and 12.9% were Hispanic. The participants were drawn from a stratified national sample of over 1000 public and private schools in the United States. Data from NELS: 88 were analysed using indicators of social capital and resource capital. Preliminarily modelling indicated the need to separate social capital into two components: parental networks and student networks. Resource capital, including parent education, parent income, and educational items in the home, was most predictive of academic performance. In addition, student reported misbehaviour (behaviour) in school was included as a mediating variable. The findings indicated that both indicators of social capital were not strong contributors to academic performance among adolescents. Resource capital indicators were found to be stronger contributors to academic performance. The context variable (hypothesised as a mediator variable) of student misbehaviour in school was found to be the best predictor of academic performance. The results are discussed in relation to social capital theory and future research of viable predictors of academic performance among adolescents.

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