Family Environment Resources and Reading Performance by Adolescents

Abstract

This study aimed to verify the association between the resources of the family environment and teenage reading. A total of 106 adolescents of both sexes, aged between 11 and 16 years, without learning difficulties, participated in the study. For data collection, a narrative text, a multiple-choice questionnaire about the text and an adapted Family Environment Resources questionnaire were used. Descriptive and inferential analysis was performed using Spearman, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal Wallis correlation tests, with a significance level of 5%. Resources that promote proximal processes and parenting practices contributed to better reading performance. In contrast, the predictable activities category contributed negatively. Thus, the environment and resources influenced the adolescents’ reading performance. It is concluded that the elaboration of school measures and public policies is important to strengthen the family-school relationship, expand family resources and make the environment favorable to teaching.