ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on differences in parental involvement in the household, along with other student demographic background characteristics, individual psychological state, and the socio-economic status of the family. It examines the direct influence of exogenous background variables, family structure, and intervening variables of family functioning on the three student outcome variables: standardized test scores, grades, and misbehavior. The intervening variables of family functioning, that is, lack of parental involvement, family income, and students' individual psychological well-being, are expected to impact the educational outcomes of students negatively. The dependent variables are standardized test scores composite for reading and math, grades composite, and a misbehavior composite scale. To get both an idea about the effect of family structure on student outcomes and an accurate sense about family structures as they exist in American society, it is useful to examine the zero-order relationship between family structure and student outcomes.
