The Impact of Family Social Capital on Migrant Children’s Academic Performance: The Mediating Effect of Perceived Personal Discrimination

To explore the relationship among parental involvement, intergenerational closure, perceived personal discrimination, and academic performance in migrant children, 755 migrant children from three primary and secondary schools in eastern China were sampled. The results indicated that both parental involvement and intergenerational closure positively correlated with the academic performance of migrant children. Parental involvement was a negative predictor of migrant children’s perceived personal discrimination while intergenerational closure cannot significantly predict migrant children’s perceived personal discrimination. Perceived personal discrimination can negatively predict migrant students’ academic performance and had a mediating effect on the relationship between parental involvement and academic performance. However, the mediating effect of perceived personal discrimination on the relationship between intergenerational closure and academic performance was not significant. To promote the academic development of migrant children, suggestions are put forward concerning the enhancement of the parental involvement of migrant children and the alleviation of their perceived discrimination. Highlights Parental involvement predicted migrant children’s perceived personal discrimination (PPD). Intergenerational closure did not predict migrant children’s PPD. PPD mediated the relationship between parental involvement and academic performance. PPD did not mediate the relation of intergenerational closure and academic performance.