Scott L. Hunsaker
Mary M. Frasier
Lisa L. King
Betty Watts-Warren
Bonnie Cramond
Sally Krisel

Historically, the study of family influences on the achievement of economically disadvantaged youth has focused on status variables. A moderate, positive correlation has been found between socioeconomic status and children’s academic achievement. However, status variables have been criticized for oversimplifying a complex problem. In their stead, family process variables have been studied. Family processes, such as support of education and aspirations for children’s academic attainment, have been shown to influence positively the achievement of children. Studies continue to be done from both a status and a process point of view. More recent studies of status have focused on family structure variables. These studies have shown a correlation between single parenting and low academic achievement. However, the presence of extended family members has been shown to overcome this problem in many instances. Further, some researchers have shown that the relationship of single parenthood with academic achievement is mediated through processes in the family that support academic achievement.

In lieu of studying status and process variables, more recent studies have begun to investigate the impact of contexts on family processes that affect academic achievement. In this context research, it is recognized that families do not operate in isolation to influence achievement, but that communities and schools also have importance. Schools can be particularly helpful when they teach in ways that are congruent to the culture of the family and find ways of involving the family in the school culture.

Studies of these same issues within the field of gifted education have followed the same path as the general achievement research. Status variables have been found to correlate directly with the performance of students on measures used to identify them as gifted. More recently, researchers have begun to look at the influence of context on the family processes that affect which students are identified for gifted programs and influence how they are served. Studies of context reveal that gifted students exist and are nurtured within economically disadvantaged families, but point to the need to focus on individual expressions of giftedness within cultural contexts when making decisions about the placement and programming. As indicated here, advances have been made in understanding the relationships among families, academic achievement, and gifted education. However, a general lack of studies focusing on these issues makes apparent the need for further research of this type.

Reference:

Family Influences on the Achievement of Economically Disadvantaged Students: Implications for Gifted Identification and Programming
Scott L. Hunsaker
Mary M. Frasier
Lisa L. King
Betty Watts-Warren
Bonnie Cramond
Sally Krisel
 

Conclusions

1. Academically competent students exist in all ethnic and socioeconomic groups.
2. The existence of poverty or single parent family situations does not coincide with a lack of interest in academic achievement. Families of economically disadvantaged students need to be dealt with individually and not within the context of social stereotypes.
3. The school needs to be aware that the culture of the family may not match that of the school. Identification of strengths and interpretations of behaviors need to be sensitive to these cultural differences.
4. Research into the educational needs of economically disadvantaged students has centered around identification and instrumentation. A wider context, involving culture and environmental factors, needs to be included in studies of these students.