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Parental Care and Intrusiveness as Predictors of the Abilities–Achievement Gap in Adolescence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 1998

Ruth Feldman ,
Daniel Guttfreund  and
Hannoch Yerushalmi
Ruth Feldman
Affiliation:
Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
Daniel Guttfreund
Affiliation:
Student Counseling Service, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
Hannoch Yerushalmi
Affiliation:
Student Counseling Service, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
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Abstract

In this study we examined relations between adolescents' perception of parental care and intrusiveness and the abilities–achievement gap. Cognitive abilities and academic achievement were assessed for 200 Israeli 10th graders. Representations of maternal and paternal care and intrusiveness and externalizing and internalizing symptoms were self-reported. Gender differences were found for the abilities–achievement gap. Boys' achievement in mathematics and language was significantly lower than could be expected from abilities in these domains. Representations of maternal care predicted achievement while aptitude and socioemotional symptoms were controlled and moderated the relations of abilities and achievement. Paternal representations were unrelated to abilities or achievement. Among boys, maternal intrusiveness had a unique contribution to the prediction of achievement, above and beyond abilities, socioemotional symptoms, and maternal care. The relevance of the findings to cognitive and attachment perspectives on adolescent achievement is discussed.

Keywords

Adolescenceparent–child interactioneducational attainment
Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines , Volume 39 , Issue 5 , July 1998 , pp. 721 - 730
Copyright
© 1998 Association for Child Psychology and Psychiatry

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