The action to improve teenagers' scientific literacy is an important part of the whole nation's scientific literacy construction. This study investigated the chain mediating effect of scientific epistemological beliefs and scientific self-efficacy on the relationship between family socioeconomic status (SES) and students' achievements in science. Using a questionnaire adapted from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), we evaluated middle school students' achievements in science and relevant characteristics (N=651, 16.17±0.54 years old). We know that the students' achievements in science are also used as an indicator of students' scientific literacy. The results showed that: (1) family SES, scientific epistemological beliefs, scientific self-efficacy and students' achievements in science were positively correlated with each other; (2) family SES positively affect scientific epistemological beliefs and scientific self-efficacy respectively; (3) scientific epistemological beliefs and scientific self-efficacy have a chain mediating effect on the relationship between family SES and students' achievements in science. These results suggested that improving the scientific literacy of disadvantaged students can be promoted by enhancing scientific epistemological beliefs and self-efficacy.

family socioeconomic status  /  achievements in science  /  scientific epistemological beliefs  /  scientific self-efficacy  /  chain mediating effect