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Summary. The influence of cognitive, achievement, and family background variables on academic self‐concept was examined for 435 students participating in a major longitudinal study in New Zealand. Family background variables included mother's marital status at the birth of the child, family socio‐economic status at the time the child was born, and family environment when the child was 7 years and 9 years of age. These factors were not significantly related to academic self‐concept at ages 9 and 11. In addition, the general emotional status of mothers when their child was 3 years and 5 years old was not significantly related to academic self‐concept at ages 9 and 11. Mother's intelligence when the child was 3 years, and mother's expectations for school performance when the child started school at age 5 were not significantly related to academic self‐concept. Similarly, cognitive and intellectual functioning at …