Master's Theses

Department

Social Work

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Abstract

The purpose of the researcher was to investigate family support and academic achievement with respect to ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status. The independent variables were family support, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, family structure, and number of siblings. The dependent variables were scores from the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills. They were Reading total, Language total, Mathematics total, and Total battery. The sample consisted of 195 freshman high school students. Four composite null hypotheses were tested employing Three-Way Analysis of Variance (general linear model) at the .05 level. A total of 76 comparisons were made plus 36 recurring. Of the 76 comparisons, 24 were for main effects and 52 were for interactions. Of 24 main effects, 9 were statistically significant at the .05 level. Of the 52 interactions, 1 was statistically significant at the .05 level. The following interaction was statistically significant: the independent variables Ethnicity and Socioeconomic Status for the dependent variable Mathematics total. The results of the present study appeared to support the following generalizations: 1. white students have higher achievement for Reading total than those who belong to other groups, 2. female students have higher achievement for Language total than male students, 3. students who perceive maximum family support have higher achievement for Mathematics total than those who have lower family support, 4. Asian students have higher achievement in Mathematics total than Hispanic and other students, 5. students who perceive maximum family support have higher achievement for Reading total than the two lowest levels of family support (70-79, and 69 and lower), 6. students who perceive maximum family support have higher achievement for Language total than the two lowest levels of family support (70-79, and 69 and lower), 7. students who perceive maximum family support have higher achievement for Total battery than the two lowest levels of family support (70 - 79, and 69 and lower), 8. White students have higher achievement for Language total than any other group, 9. White students have higher achievement for Total battery than Asian and other students, and 10. Ethnicity and Socioeconomic Status should be interpreted concurrently for the dependent variable Mathematics total.

Keywords

Counseling

Advisor

Dr. Bill C. Daley

Date of Award

Spring 1996

Document Type

Thesis - campus only access

Rights

© The Author(s)

Comments

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