Family Environments and Children’s Outcomes

Abstract

In the article, theoretical orientations and empirical studies are examined that have investigated relationships between family learning environments and children’s school‐related outcomes. A family model is proposed that involves associations among family background (human and economic capital, parents’ aspirations, and cultural contexts), intermediate family settings (sibling structure, family type, and family disruption), and immediate family settings (family social and cultural capital). It is suggested that our understanding of children’s school performance will be enriched by examining the intricate nature of the interrelationships among family and school settings, individual characteristics, and outcomes, for children from different family social and cultural contexts.