Effects of Demographic and Affective Characteristics on Physics Achievement: a Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Abstract

In this study the process of how socioeconomic status, specifically parents' education, income and students' prior learning affect the children's academic achievement and affective characteristics (attitude and self-efficacy) were examined. The study was performed on 205 17-18-year-old students. Parents' years of schooling was also found to be statistically important as socioeconomic factor to be considered in both policy and research on school-age children. It is found that parents' education and students' prior learning have direct effect on achievement and affective characteristics. On the other hand, family income has indirect effect on achievement and affective characteristics through student prior learning.