Predictors of the IQ-achievement gap in France: A longitudinal analysis

Abstract

Why do some children under-perform at school relative to their level of cognitive abilities? So far, previous studies on the topic have been conducted on cross-sectional data or have focused on a limited range of predictors. In this large longitudinal study on 23,258 French middle school students, we examined the relative effects of a wide range of contextual and individual factors on academic performance beyond the effect of non-verbal IQ. Data were analyzed using a structural equation modeling approach, cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Cross-sectional models revealed that self-efficacy, school environment, parental education and sex were the most predictive factors of achievement independently from non-verbal IQ (the latter being by far the best predictor). A longitudinal analysis showed that school environment and parental education also significantly affected progression between grade 6 (11–12 years old) and grade 9 (14–15 years old), while non-verbal IQ and other factors played a minor role.