The role of cognitive ability and socioeconomic status in predicting students' academic engagement

One of the key constructs in students' academic achievement is academic engagement. The relationship between academic engagement with various variables has been studied. Research review reveals a research gap in the role of cognitive ability and socioeconomic status in predicting students' academic engagement.

The purpose of this study was to determine the role of cognitive ability and socioeconomic status on academic engagement in high school female students in Romashkan in 2017-2018.

The research method was descriptive-correlation. The statistical population of the study consisted of all high school second grade female students in Romashkan who were selected by multistage cluster sampling method. The instruments used were Rio Academic Engagement Questionnaire (2013), Neural Cognitive Ability Questionnaire (2013) and a researcher-made questionnaire of socioeconomic status and demographic information.

Correlation coefficient showed a significant positive correlation between cognitive ability and socioeconomic status with academic engagement and standard regression coefficient (beta) predicting academic engagement through cognitive ability equal to 0/412 and socioeconomic status equal to. Was 0/375 (P≥0/005). Finally, the regression results showed that about 40% of the changes in the dependent variable (students' academic engagement) can be determined through predictive variables (cognitive ability and socioeconomic status).

With increasing cognitive ability and socioeconomic status, students' academic engagement is likely to increase.