RESEARCH REPORT NO. 39 
"A Comparative Study of Underahievers and 
Adequate Achievers " 
by 
Ashara Sucaromana, Oraphin Choochom 
1987 
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        The objectives of this study were divided into three categories. Firstly, it aimed to study the degree of association between the levels of achievment (underchievers and adequate achievers) and the backgrounds’ of students. Secondly, it aimed to compare two groups of students bactors : personal problems, child-rearing practices, home-environments, and achievement motive. Thirdly, it aimed to search for the effective predictors which could predict school learning achievment. Subjects were 1,415 Mathyom suksa 2 students from secondery schools in Bangkok Metropolitan Area by Multistage Random Sampling. The instruments used for collecting data were a student background questionnaire, a standard progressive matrices test, a child-rearing practices questionnaire, a home-environment questionnaire, an achievement motive questionnnaire. and personal problem questionnaire which was adapted from Mooney Problem Check Lists. 
        Data were analysed by percentage caculation, Chi-Square test, t-test and stepwise multiple regression analysis. 

Results of the study are summarized as follows : 
        1. There is an association between student’s achievement and sex (male or female), between student’s achievement and family’s incomes. 
        2. When comparing two groups of students (underachievers and adequate achievers it is found that : For personal problem factors, the underachievers had more problems than the adequate achievers for the following subfactors : 
            2.1 the relationship with teacher, the relationship with parents, student self-concept, student adjustment and physical health. There is no significant differences between the means of the two groups on the relationship with peer groups. 
            2.2 Forthechild-rearing practices factor, the underachievers scored lower on a reasoning child-rearing subtest than the adequate achievers. On the other hand the adequate achievers scored lower on a laisser-faire child-rearing and an autocratic child-rearing subjects. 
            2.3 For the home-environment factor, the adequate achievers had better home-environments than the underachievers for the following subfactors : the family relationship, a parent expectation, and the family economic status. 
            2.4 The adequate achievers had a higher achievement motive than the underachievers. 
        3. By performaing Regression Analysis, it is found that : 
            3.1 For predicting students’ achievement (underachievers), predictors are the reasoning child-rearing, the laisser-faired child-rearing and the achievement motive. The R2 is 9.90 
            3.2 Predictors used to predict students’ achievement of the adequate achievers are the achievement motive and the family economic status. The R2 is 5.10. 



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