Parents act as primary agents in stimulating the child’s abilities to achieve success in school and social life. It appears that both the status (what parents are) and the process (what parents do) variables of the family are important predictors of academic achievement. This study makes use of a number of status and process variables characterizing the dynamics of the family in an attempt to uncover the parents’ role in shaping the academic profile in students.

The study was conducted on a total of 920 parents and their children. The sample was restricted to students starting their education at secondary level. This stage is considered to be the first of the two crucial stages in the educational life of a student and is characterized by a high demand on parental resources for educational purposes. Three measuring instruments and a demographic scale were used to assess the following parental variables:

- status variables: father and mother education level, father and mother education type and stated economic status;

- process variables: 1) child rearing practices related to democratic, overprotective, and strict, disciplinarian attitudes of the parents; 2) parental demands and restrictions; 3) home educational environment covering parental values on education, educational aspirations, academic achievement press, and educational activities.

The data was analysed with the use of step-wise regression analysis, where the three most powerful parental variables that entered the regression equation were: mother's educational level, disciplinarian attitudes and home educational environment. The data was also analysed using the ANOVA technique to identify the status and process variables evidenced in the families of high achieving students.

The results are discussed mainly by considering the relatively more easily modifiable parental process variables compared to the rather stable status variables with reference to their relation to the higher levels of academic achievement.

(Paper presented at the Second International Congress of Adolescentology Milano 94: Adolescence and Family. Milan, Italy, November 18-19, 1994).