The influence of family on academic performance of Mozambican university students

Abstract

Past research indicates that the family plays an important role in academic outcomes. This is an important topic for unequal family contexts such as those in Mozambique. The objective of this study is to explore the influence of family on academic performance and to determine whether self-efficacy and perceived progression mediate this relationship among university students in Mozambique. Testing these influences was proposed to be done through path analysis. The study involved 202 Mozambican university students aged 18 and 58 years (M = 28.36, SD = 8.16, Mdn = 26). Participants were measured on socio-demographic family characteristics, family values and beliefs, family expectations and family support, self-efficacy, goal progress, and academic performance. Overall, the results show that the family did indeed influence academic performance through academic self-efficacy and perception of progress toward academic goals. However, self-efficacy was less influenced by the information provided but more associated with support from material resources. Implications for practice involve interventions aimed to improving family support, which can act as a filter against negative contextual influences. Future research would benefit from exploring other contextual influences, such as those of colleagues and teachers, and their effect on self-efficacy.