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Gender differences in mathematical achievement development: a family psychobiosocial model

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Abstract

This study proposes a family psychobiosocial model on gender differences in cognitive development. Specifically, the aim is to investigate how family biological, socioeconomic, and psychological factors predict child mathematics achievement (MAch) development. The data were obtained from the Millennium Cohort Study. Children’s pattern construction scores collected at ages 5 and 7 years worked as MAch (n = 18,497). The predictors were family data collected when the children were 9 months. The results of path analyses for all students indicate that all three factors in the family psychobiosocial model play some roles in children’s MAch development. Analyses for the female and male students separately reveal that girls’ positive MAch development was significantly predicted by four psychobiosocial factors (fewer mother in-pregnancy alcohol intakes, more family income, higher mother education levels, and more mother cognitive stimulation); boys’ MAch development is predicted by only one factor (higher mother education levels). The results support the psychobiosocial model as a whole. Family psychobiosocial factors, especially social factors, impact children’s cognitive development more for females than for males.

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Data Availability

The initial datasets are available to researchers upon request to the U.K. Data Service.

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Funding

This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (NSTC 110–2511-H-004–001-MY3). The funder only provides financial support and does not substantially influence the entire research process, from study design to submission. The authors are fully responsible for the content of the paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Education, National Chengchi University, 64, Zhinan Rd. Sec. 2, Taipei, 11605, Taiwan

    Mei-Shiu Chiu

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  1. Mei-Shiu Chiu
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Prof. Dr. Mei-Shiu Chiu. She is currently a professor of education at National Chengchi University, Taiwan. She received a B. A. and an M. A. Degree in Education from National Taiwan Normal University and completed her doctoral study at the Faculty of Education, Cambridge University, U.K.

Current themes of research:

Her primary interest is affective education. Research topics focus on the design, implementation, and effectiveness evaluation of learning, teaching, and assessment in a variety of areas of knowledge (e.g., mathematics, science, and energy); interactions between emotions, cognition, and culture; and multiple research methods and data analysis methods (including educational and data science methods). She has developed several research-based educational theories, relevant assessment tools, as well as school and teacher development courses for educational and research practices.

Relevant publications:

Chiu, M.-S. (2022). Transcend socioeconomic status constraints to mathematics and science achievement by collaborative problem-solving: The female people-smartness hypothesis. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 944,329. 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.944329.

Chiu, M.-S. (2021). Gender differences in effects of father/mother parenting on mathematics achievement growth: A bioecological model of human development. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 36(3), 827–844. 10.1007/s10212-020–00,506-0.

Chiu, M.-S. (2021). An ecological approach to adolescent mathematics ability development: Differences in demographics, parenting, mathematics teaching, and student behaviors and emotions. Educational Studies, 47(2), 155–178. 10.1080/03055698.2019.1672522.

Chiu, M.-S., Xiong, W., and Kuan, P.-Y. (2021). Graduates’ career success predicted by mathematical and affective abilities, effective higher-education learning and economic contexts: A bioecological positivity to success model. Journal of Education and Work, 34(3), 313–330. 10.1080/13639080.2021.1931668.

Chiu, M.-S. (2020). Exploring models for increasing the effects of school information and communication technology use on learning outcomes through outside-school use and socioeconomic status mediation: The ecological techno-process. Educational Technology Research and Development, 68, 413–436. 10.1007/s11423-019–09,707-x.

Chiu, M.-S. (2018). Effects of early numeracy activities on mathematics achievement and affect: Parental value and child gender conditions and socioeconomic status mediation EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 14(12), em1634. 10.29333/ejmste/97191.

Chiu, M.-S. (2016). Using demographics to predict mathematics achievement development and academic ability and job income expectations Open Journal of Social Sciences, 4, 103–107. 10.4236/jss.2016.47017.

Current themes of research:

Population health sciences using large-scale medical datasets.

Relevant publications:

Risk of dementia associated with body mass index, changes in body weight and waist circumference in older people with type 2 diabetes: The Edinburgh Type 2 Diabetes Study (in submission).

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Chiu, MS. Gender differences in mathematical achievement development: a family psychobiosocial model. Eur J Psychol Educ 38, 1481–1504 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-022-00674-1

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