Two questions were investigated in this dissertation: (1) Is the locus of control for the academic achievement environment of a child related to home environment characteristics which are different from the home environment characteristics related to the child's locus of control for his environment in general? and (2) Does locus of control act as a mediating variable between the influences of the home environment and academic achievement or does it act as an independent agent upon the quality of academic achievement? Subjects were 49 lower middle and lower class children who were participating in a longitudinal observation study of the Center for Early Development and Education, Little Rock, Arkansas. Locus of control for the academic achievement setting was found to be related to home environment characteristics which were not related to locus of control for the environment in general. Locus of control for negative achievement events in the academic setting was related to characteristics of parental warmth while locus of control for positive achievement events in the academic setting was related to home environment characteristics indicative of consistent guidelines for behavior. No relationship was found between the home environment variables studied and locus of control for the environment in general. The results indicate that locus of control may act as an independent agent in affecting the quality of academic performance as the relationship between locus of control and academic achievement was found to increase when the effects of the home were removed. (Author/AM)