Resilient and low performer students: personal and family determinants in european countries / Estudiantes resilientes y de bajo rendimiento: determinantes personales y familiares en países europeos

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Students' academic achievement depends on their personal, family and sociocultural characteristics. This study aims to identify the personal and family factors of European students who do not perform as expected, whether by surpassing expectations (resilient) or by failing to meet them (low performers). METHOD: The sample was composed of 117,539 fourth grade students who completed the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) test, from 23 European Union countries. Academic performance was evaluated via a reading comprehension test. For each country, two binary logistic regression models were used, one for resilient students and the other for low performers. Variables related to the students and their families were used as predictor variables. RESULTS: Significant differences were found between European countries in terms of the proportion of resilient and low performing students. The two variables with the most predictive power were student confidence with reading, and having done early literacy activities. CONCLUSIONS: Students' personal characteristics and family conditions are instrumental in students being considered resilient or low performers

RESUMEN

ANTECEDENTES el rendimiento académico de los estudiantes depende de sus características personales, familiares y socioculturales. El presente trabajo trata de identificar los factores personales y familiares de los estudiantes europeos que no obtienen el rendimiento esperado, bien sea porque superan las expectativas previas (resilientes), o porque rinden por debajo de lo esperado (low performers). MÉTODO: la muestra está formada por 117.539 estudiantes de cuarto grado que realizaron la prueba de Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), pertenecientes a 23 países de la Unión Europea. El rendimiento académico se evaluó mediante una prueba de compresión lectora. Para cada país se utilizaron dos modelos de regresion logística binaria, uno para los alumnos resilientes y otro para los low performers. Como variables predictoras se utilizaron variables asociadas al alumno y a su familia. RESULTADOS: se han obtenido diferencias importantes entre los países europeos en relación a la proporción de alumnos resilientes y low performers. La confianza de los estudiantes en la lectura y el haber realizado actividades de alfabetización temprana son las dos variables con mayor poder predictivo. CONCLUSIONES: las características personales del alumnado y sus condiciones familiares son determinantes para que los estudiantes sean considerados resilientes y low performers