Naslov
Family characteristics, hope and optimism as determinants of academic achievement among adolescents

Autori
Raboteg-Šarić, Zora ; Merkaš, Marina ; Majić, Martina

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u zbornicima skupova, cjeloviti rad (in extenso), znanstveni

Izvornik
Positive Psychology in Education, Book of Selected Papers / Miljković, Dubravka ; Rijavec, Majda - Zagreb : Faculty of Teacher Education, University of Zagreb & ECNSI, 2011, 73-88

ISBN
978-953-7210-25-0

Skup
The 3rd International conference on advanced and systematic research - ECNSI 2009., The 1st Scientific research symposium: Positive psychology in education

Mjesto i datum
Zadar, Hrvatska, 12.11.2009. - 14.11.2009

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
hope; optimism; family cohesion; economic stress; academic achievement

Sažetak
Optimism and hope are theoretically similar constructs that are related to various indicators of adolescents’ psychological well-being and their academic achievement. The relationship between family socioeconomic status and students’ academic achievement is well established, while little is known about different family characteristics as determinants of students’ hope and optimism. The aim of the present study was to examine to what extent students’ academic achievement is determined by their hope and optimism, as well as to examine the relationship between these variables and students’ individual and family characteristics. Secondary school students (n = 401) completed a self-administered questionnaire that included the Children’s Hope Scale (Snyder et al., 1997), the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R, Scheier et al., 1994), the Family Cohesion Scale (Bloom, 1985) along with scales assessing family economic pressure and standard of living. Data on students’ academic achievement and parents’ education were also collected. The results showed that academic achievement is significantly associated with students’ gender, optimism and hope and their parents’ educational status. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that only hope is a significant predictor of students’ achievement when students’ gender and parents’ education are controlled. Family cohesion is an important determinant of students’ hope and optimism, while a low level of family cohesion is associated with a low standard of living and higher economic stress in a family. The practical implications of these findings are discussed, such as the importance of family and social context for development of students’ hope, optimism and academic achievement.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Psihologija

POVEZANOST RADA