How to breakthrough disparities in scientific literacy of different family background: The mediating role of self-directed learning efficacy and the moderating role of family support

In the 21st century, dominated by artificial intelligence and technological innovation, scientific literacy has become a core competency for global citizens. As a crucial environment for student development, the family not only provides ascribed capital (e.g., economic capital, cultural capital) but also offers emotional support, influencing students' self-directed learning efficacy, thereby playing a pivotal role in cultivating scientific literacy that transcends traditional perceptions. Grounded in social cognitive theory, this study utilizes PISA 2022 data from six East Asian regions (China's Hong Kong SAR, China's Macao SAR, China's Taiwan Province, Singapore, South Korea, Japan), involving 34,968 students to investigate how family background influences scientific literacy. The results indicate: (1) Family background significantly and positively predicts students' scientific literacy. (2) Students' self-directed learning efficacy partially mediates the relationship between family background and scientific literacy. (3) Family support moderates the first half of this mediating pathway. Based on these findings, we recommend: prioritizing support for disadvantaged family backgrounds to promote equity in scientific literacy; enhancing self-directed learning efficacy to foster higher-order scientific thinking; and emphasizing family emotional support to cultivate a nurturing home environment.