A Prospective Study of Mexican American Adolescents' Academic Success: Considering Family and Individual Factors

Overview

Journal J Youth Adolesc

Specialties Pediatrics
Psychology
Social Sciences

Date 2011 Aug 25

PMID 21863379

Citations 9

Authors

Mark W Roosa

Megan ODonnell

Heining Cham

Nancy A Gonzales

Katherine H Zeiders

Jenn-Yun Tein

George P Knight

Adriana Umana-Taylor

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Mexican American youth are at greater risk of school failure than their peers. To identify factors that may contribute to academic success in this population, this study examined the prospective relationships from 5th grade to 7th grade of family (i.e., human capital [a parent with at least a high school education], residential stability, academically and occupationally positive family role models, and family structure) and individual characteristics (i.e., externalizing symptoms, bilingualism, gender, and immigrant status) to the academic performance of 749 Mexican American early adolescents (average age = 10.4 years and 48.7% were girls in 5th grade) from economically and culturally diverse families as these youth made the transition to junior high school. Results indicated that while controlling for prior academic performance, human capital and positive family role models assessed when adolescents were in 5th grade positively related to academic performance in 7th grade. Further, being a girl also was related to greater 7th grade academic success, whereas externalizing symptoms were negatively related to 7th grade academic performance. No other variables in the model were significantly and prospectively related to 7th grade academic performance. Implications for future research and interventions are discussed.

Citing Articles

Family Obligation, Parenting, and Adolescent Outcomes Among Mexican American Families.

Yan J, Hou Y, Shen Y, Kim S J Early Adolesc. 2024; 42(1):58-88.

PMID: 38343898 PMC: 10857849. DOI: 10.1177/02724316211016064.

The mediating effect of geospatial thinking on the relationship between family capital and academic achievement in geography.

Zhang J, Su T, Liang X, Xu Y, Wang Z, Yu Y Front Psychol. 2023; 14:1067198.

PMID: 36874825 PMC: 9983327. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1067198.

Reconsidering the "Acculturation Gap": Mother-Adolescent Cultural Adaptation Mis/Matches and Positive Psychosocial Outcomes among Mexican-Origin Families.

Yan J, Sim L, Song J, Chen S, Kim S J Youth Adolesc. 2022; 51(7):1409-1425.

PMID: 35397085 PMC: 10354750. DOI: 10.1007/s10964-022-01606-4.

Examining Socio-Cultural and Neighborhood Factors Associated with Trajectories of Mexican-Origin Mothers' Education-Related Involvement.

Bhargava S, Bamaca-Colbert M, Witherspoon D, Pomerantz E, Robins R J Youth Adolesc. 2017; 46(8):1789-1804.

PMID: 28050689 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-016-0628-6.

School Belonging, Generational Status, and Socioeconomic Effects on Mexican-Origin Children's Later Academic Competence and Expectations.

Hernandez M, Robins R, Widaman K, Conger R J Res Adolesc. 2016; 26(2):241-256.

PMID: 27231419 PMC: 4876870. DOI: 10.1111/jora.12188.

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