Research on the influence of family capital on academic achievement of first-generation college students in China

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to explore the influence of family capital (including family economic capital, family cultural capital and family social capital) on the academic achievement (including ability development, academic performance and self-concept) of first-generation college students. METHODS: The questionnaires are based on the CFPS (China Family Panel Studies) database and tailored to the specific circumstances. Data was collected from 1524 first-generation college students from five universities in Liaoning Province. SPSS 23.0 and AMOS 24.0 were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Family economic capital significantly predicted ability development (standardized regression coefficient = 0.198, P < 0.001) and academic performance (standardized regression coefficient = 0.220, P < 0.001); Family cultural capital significantly predicted ability development (standardized regression coefficient = .114, P < 0.001), academic performance (standardized regression coefficient = 0.217, P < 0.001) and self-concept (standardized regression coefficient = 0.160, P < 0.001); Family social capital significantly predicted academic performance (standardized regression coefficient=0.084, P < 0.01) and self-concept (standardized regression coefficient = 0.156, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Family capital can significantly affect the academic achievement of first-generation college students. To bridge the gap of academic achievement caused by family capital for first-generation college students and promote class mobility, special attention should be paid to the internal actions of students in higher education fields, the connection between different fields should be strengthened, and humanistic care for disadvantaged groups should be implemented.