Effects of Home Environment, SES, and Maternal Test Scores on Mathematics Achievement

Abstract Determinants of young children's mathematics skills—home environment, socioeconomic status (SES), and maternal cognitive test scores—were statistically analyzed in a simple model. Four hypotheses were tested: (a) Home environment, SES, and maternal cognitive test scores each have independent effects on children's mathematics scores, controlling for the other factors; (b) the two-way relationship between maternal test scores and children's mathematics scores will be attenuated by controlling for home environment; (c) the two-way relationship between maternal test scores and children's mathematics scores will be attenuated by controlling for SES; and (d) the two-way relationship between SES and children's mathematics scores will be attenuated by controlling for home environment. The analysis supported each hypothesis. The effect of home environment on children's mathematics test scores was large, even when SES and maternal test scores were controlled. The effects of SES and maternal test scores were smaller, but by no means trivial.