Socio-Economic Differentials in Japanese Eighth-Grade Students' Educational Expectations

An Examination of Mediation Effects of Students' Academic Self-Evaluation

Abstract

 This paper examines to what extent eighth-grade students' academic self-evaluation mediate the effect of socio-economic status on educational expectations in Japan. Data used for this paper are from the Survey of Attitudes Toward Study and Actual Learning and the Survey of Actual Academic Performance conducted by Benesse Corporation in 2006. Main results are as follows. First, parents' educational level has positive effects on students' self-evaluation of school grades and expected academic achievement with an effort. Second, both self-evaluation of school grades and expected academic achievement with an effort have positive effects on educational expectations. Third, about 20-30% of the effects of parents' educational level on students' educational expectations are mediated by actual academic performance. Fourth, self-evaluation of school grades and expected academic achievement with an effort partially mediate the effects of parents' educational level on students' educational expectations that are not mediated by actual academic achievement.