Family structure, family size and math and literacy performance: a comparative analysis among Latin American countries

This paper examines the effects of family composition on performance in math and literacy tests in primary education in Latin America. Multi-level models are used to analyze the results of both tests and the answers in a questionnaire, applied by means of the Second Comparative and Explanatory regio...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Cervini, Rubén, Dari, Nora, Quiroz, Silvia
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2016
Country:México
Institution:UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL AUTÓNOMA DE MÉXICO
Repository:Perfiles Educativos
Language:Spanish
OAI Identifier:oai:ojs.pkp.sfu.ca:article/54884
Online Access:https://perfileseducativos.unam.mx/iisue_pe/index.php/perfiles/article/view/54884
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Estructura familiar
Rendimiento escolar
Matemática
Lectura
SERCE y Modelos multinivel
Family structure
School performance
Math
Literacy
SERCE and Multi-level models
Description
Summary:This paper examines the effects of family composition on performance in math and literacy tests in primary education in Latin America. Multi-level models are used to analyze the results of both tests and the answers in a questionnaire, applied by means of the Second Comparative and Explanatory regional Study (SERCE) to 89,588 sixth grade students. It seeks to investigate the variations between countries and between schools, and their interactions with the socioeconomic and academic level of the student, the school, and the country. It is observed that in most countries a significant gap exists between the educational achievements of students from two-parent families and those from single-parent families or who are orphans. However, this gap narrows or disappears when it is controlled by socioeconomic level. A number of methodological conclusions are inferred.