Anticipating Academic Progress of Students on the Basis of Self-Discipline and Demographic Variables

Abstract

The present study was an attempt to predict academic progress of fifth-grade girl students of elementary schools in Isfahan city based on self-discipline and demographic variables. The research methodology was descriptive correlational. To this end, 196 students were elected from fifth-grade girl students of elementary school by multistage sampling method and in line with the entry requirements of the research. To collect data a demographic questionnaire and a researcher-made self-discipline questionnaire were employed. The obtained data were analyzed through regression statistical methods and correlation coefficients with the aid of SPSS 18 software. The findings revealed that students' academic progress is positively and significantly attributed to their mothers’ self-discipline and education; further, there is no significant relationship between the variables of parents’ age, father’s education, parents’ occupation, family’s economic status, the number of family members and students’ academic progress. The results of stepwise multivariate regression demonstrated that the variables of mother’s education and self-discipline were the best and most significant predictors of students’ academic progress, respectively. These findings prove the role of self- discipline and mother's education in students' academic progress and highlight the necessity to reinforce students’ self- discipline and to elevate mothers' education.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n1s1p61