Home predictors of young adolescents' school behavior and academic performance

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relation between home variables and young adolescents' school behavior/performance. 46 mother-father-adolescent triads (ages 11.5 years to 14.9 years) served as participants. Home factors included the adolescents' relation with each parent as well as a measure of each parent's personal adjustment and perception of conflict in the marriage. School measures consisted of grades and a teacher-completed assessment of internalizing and externalizing problems demonstrated by the adolescent. The results indicated that externalizing problems were related to the mother's depression level, the adolescent's relationship with the mother, and the adolescent's relationship with the father. The first 2 variables (maternal depression and mother-adolescent relation) entered into a multiple regression equation with sex of adolescent and accounted for 35% of the variance in externalizing problems. The relationship with the father was related to school grades and, in a multiple regression, combined with birth order of the adolescent to account for 15% of the variance. The results were discussed in terms of the importance of considering not only the mother-child relationship when examining cross-setting influences in the school but also the mother's personal adjustment and the father's relationship with the child.