The interaction between school poverty and agreeableness in predicting educational attainment

Nieuwenhuis, J.G.

doi:10.1016/j.paid.2018.02.002

The interaction between school poverty and agreeableness in predicting educational attainment

Title

The interaction between school poverty and agreeableness in predicting educational attainment

Author

Nieuwenhuis, J.G. (TU Delft OLD Urban Renewal and Housing)

Date

2018

Abstract

This study examined the relation between school poverty and educational attainment of adolescents, and tested whether personality trait agreeableness moderated this link. The sample consisted of 4236 adolescents, whose math abilities were assessed twice, at ages around 13/14 and 15/16. Agreeableness was assessed at age 13. School poverty was measured as the proportion of children eligible for free school meals in the school. The results showed a negative relation between school poverty and educational attainment, however, this negative relation was weaker for adolescents with higher levels of agreeableness. Specifically, in low poverty schools, agreeableness did not predict differences in educational attainment. The results were in line with the diathesis-stress model. This suggests that higher levels of agreeableness can contribute to resilience and better coping with contextual stressors in the school environment.

Subject

School poverty
Agreeableness
Adolescence
Educational attainment
Person-environment interaction
ALSPAC

To reference this document use:

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:8b0a7b90-f571-4d68-925d-289128da4bba

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2018.02.002

ISSN

0191-8869

Source

Personality and Individual Differences, 127, 85-88

Part of collection

Institutional Repository