The role of academic self‐concepts, parent expectations and teacher–student interactions in socio‐economic gaps in educational attainment

Caoimhe Dempsey; Selina McCoy

doi:10.1111/bjep.70025

The role of academic self‐concepts, parent expectations and teacher–student interactions in socio‐economic gaps in educational attainment

Caoimhe Dempsey
, Selina McCoy

School of Applied Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundLow socio‐economic status (SES) is a persistent risk factor for educational attainment. Parent expectations and student's academic self‐concepts contribute to this link; however, few studies have examined how changes in these constructs over time contribute to SES gaps in attainment and how teachers may buffer against the consequences of these changes.AimsWe examine SES differences in (a) changes in parent expectations and academic self‐concepts from primary to secondary school and (b) interactions between teacher–student interaction quality and parent expectations to uncover the role these processes play in SES differences in attainment.Sample and MethodsUsing the Growing Up in Ireland cohort (N = 5190), children reported on their academic self‐concepts (9 and 13 years); quality of teacher interactions (13 years); and third‐level attainment (20 years). Primary caregivers reported on their educational expectations and SES (9 and 13 years).ResultsFrom 9 to 13 years, children from low SES families experience a steeper drop in academic self‐concept and no rise in their parents' expectations compared with their high SES peers. Both initial levels and changes in children's self‐concepts and parents' expectations predicted attainment, with parents' expectations a stronger influence in low SES families. Teacher–child interactions at age 13 moderated the effect of parents' expectations on attainment; however, this was cumulative for low SES children and compensatory for high SES children.ConclusionsWe discuss how findings regarding these developmental processes can be used in school policy and practices aimed at addressing SES differences in educational attainment.

Original language	English
Journal	British Journal of Educational Psychology
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.70025
Publication status	Published - 5 Sep 2025

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SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities

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10.1111/bjep.70025

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@article{7ca4b3d7745f4a11b58474fdaf0fed83,

title = "The role of academic self‐concepts, parent expectations and teacher–student interactions in socio‐economic gaps in educational attainment",

abstract = "AbstractBackgroundLow socio‐economic status (SES) is a persistent risk factor for educational attainment. Parent expectations and student's academic self‐concepts contribute to this link; however, few studies have examined how changes in these constructs over time contribute to SES gaps in attainment and how teachers may buffer against the consequences of these changes.AimsWe examine SES differences in (a) changes in parent expectations and academic self‐concepts from primary to secondary school and (b) interactions between teacher–student interaction quality and parent expectations to uncover the role these processes play in SES differences in attainment.Sample and MethodsUsing the Growing Up in Ireland cohort (N = 5190), children reported on their academic self‐concepts (9 and 13 years); quality of teacher interactions (13 years); and third‐level attainment (20 years). Primary caregivers reported on their educational expectations and SES (9 and 13 years).ResultsFrom 9 to 13 years, children from low SES families experience a steeper drop in academic self‐concept and no rise in their parents' expectations compared with their high SES peers. Both initial levels and changes in children's self‐concepts and parents' expectations predicted attainment, with parents' expectations a stronger influence in low SES families. Teacher–child interactions at age 13 moderated the effect of parents' expectations on attainment; however, this was cumulative for low SES children and compensatory for high SES children.ConclusionsWe discuss how findings regarding these developmental processes can be used in school policy and practices aimed at addressing SES differences in educational attainment.",

author = "Caoimhe Dempsey and Selina McCoy",

year = "2025",

month = sep,

day = "5",

doi = "10.1111/bjep.70025",

language = "English",

journal = "British Journal of Educational Psychology",

issn = "0007-0998",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",

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T1 - The role of academic self‐concepts, parent expectations and teacher–student interactions in socio‐economic gaps in educational attainment

AU - Dempsey, Caoimhe

AU - McCoy, Selina

PY - 2025/9/5

Y1 - 2025/9/5

N2 - AbstractBackgroundLow socio‐economic status (SES) is a persistent risk factor for educational attainment. Parent expectations and student's academic self‐concepts contribute to this link; however, few studies have examined how changes in these constructs over time contribute to SES gaps in attainment and how teachers may buffer against the consequences of these changes.AimsWe examine SES differences in (a) changes in parent expectations and academic self‐concepts from primary to secondary school and (b) interactions between teacher–student interaction quality and parent expectations to uncover the role these processes play in SES differences in attainment.Sample and MethodsUsing the Growing Up in Ireland cohort (N = 5190), children reported on their academic self‐concepts (9 and 13 years); quality of teacher interactions (13 years); and third‐level attainment (20 years). Primary caregivers reported on their educational expectations and SES (9 and 13 years).ResultsFrom 9 to 13 years, children from low SES families experience a steeper drop in academic self‐concept and no rise in their parents' expectations compared with their high SES peers. Both initial levels and changes in children's self‐concepts and parents' expectations predicted attainment, with parents' expectations a stronger influence in low SES families. Teacher–child interactions at age 13 moderated the effect of parents' expectations on attainment; however, this was cumulative for low SES children and compensatory for high SES children.ConclusionsWe discuss how findings regarding these developmental processes can be used in school policy and practices aimed at addressing SES differences in educational attainment.

AB - AbstractBackgroundLow socio‐economic status (SES) is a persistent risk factor for educational attainment. Parent expectations and student's academic self‐concepts contribute to this link; however, few studies have examined how changes in these constructs over time contribute to SES gaps in attainment and how teachers may buffer against the consequences of these changes.AimsWe examine SES differences in (a) changes in parent expectations and academic self‐concepts from primary to secondary school and (b) interactions between teacher–student interaction quality and parent expectations to uncover the role these processes play in SES differences in attainment.Sample and MethodsUsing the Growing Up in Ireland cohort (N = 5190), children reported on their academic self‐concepts (9 and 13 years); quality of teacher interactions (13 years); and third‐level attainment (20 years). Primary caregivers reported on their educational expectations and SES (9 and 13 years).ResultsFrom 9 to 13 years, children from low SES families experience a steeper drop in academic self‐concept and no rise in their parents' expectations compared with their high SES peers. Both initial levels and changes in children's self‐concepts and parents' expectations predicted attainment, with parents' expectations a stronger influence in low SES families. Teacher–child interactions at age 13 moderated the effect of parents' expectations on attainment; however, this was cumulative for low SES children and compensatory for high SES children.ConclusionsWe discuss how findings regarding these developmental processes can be used in school policy and practices aimed at addressing SES differences in educational attainment.

UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bjep.70025

U2 - 10.1111/bjep.70025

DO - 10.1111/bjep.70025

M3 - Article

SN - 0007-0998

JO - British Journal of Educational Psychology

JF - British Journal of Educational Psychology

ER -

The role of academic self‐concepts, parent expectations and teacher–student interactions in socio‐economic gaps in educational attainment

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