The effect of peers' parent-child relationships on student academic performance

Abstract

The external impact of a student's closeness to parents on peers' academic performance has not been extensively explored in the existing literature. This paper will attempt to provide evidence on the externality of parent-child relationships at present, particularly on how individual parent-child relationships affect peers' academic performance through social pathways or other mechanisms. This study uses data from the China Education Panel Survey (CEPS) conducted in 2013–14. To address selection bias, the sample is limited to schools that meet randomly-assigned conditions. The study finds that peers' parent-child relationships have a positive impact on a student's test scores in mathematics and Chinese. Psychological factors play an important role in mediating the total effect. This study represents a pioneering empirical investigation in mainland China that sheds light on the spillover effect of peers' parent-child relationships and the underlying mechanisms.