Development of Participation in and Identification With School: Associations With Truancy

Tuomo E Virtanen,Sami Määttä,Marja-Kristiina Lerkkanen,Eija Räikkönen,Kati Vasalampi

doi:10.1177/0272431620919155

Tuomo E Virtanen, Sami Määttä + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.1177/0272431620919155

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Journal: The Journal of Early Adolescence	Publication Date: Jun 1, 2020
Citations: 8	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: University of Jyväskylä

Abstract

This longitudinal study covering two educational transitions examined 1,821 Finnish students’ participation in and identification with school and their associations with students’ academic achievement and truancy. The students were surveyed (a) at the end of primary school, (b) at the beginning of lower secondary school, (c) at the end of lower secondary school, and (d) in the first year of upper secondary education. In alignment with the participation-identification model, higher levels of participation in school activities at the end of primary school predicted higher levels of identification (i.e., feelings of belonging and valuing school) at the end of lower secondary school. This association was mediated by academic achievement. High levels of both participation and identification at the end of lower secondary school predicted lower levels of truancy in upper secondary education. The study indicates that promoting students’ participation and identification during comprehensive school prevents student disengagement from upper secondary education.

Highlights

This longitudinal study covering two educational transitions examined 1,821 Finnish students’ participation in and identification with school and their associations with students’ academic achievement and truancy
Knowing that truancy is related to multiple adverse school and postschool outcomes (Darmody et al, 2008; Maynard et al, 2012; Maynard et al, 2017; Vaughn et al, 2013), the results of the current study are needed to inform educators and other school personnel how to tackle an internationally acknowledged educational problem school truancy (OECD, 2018)
The structural equation model (SEM) with academic achievement as the mediator showed relatively good fit to the data: χ2 (1013) = 2181.03 (p < .001), root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.025, comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.905, Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) = 0.906, and SRMR = 0.042

Summary

Introduction

This longitudinal study covering two educational transitions examined 1,821 Finnish students’ participation in and identification with school and their associations with students’ academic achievement and truancy. In alignment with the participationidentification model, higher levels of participation in school activities at the end of primary school predicted higher levels of identification (i.e., feelings of belonging and valuing school) at the end of lower secondary school This association was mediated by academic achievement. Using a Finnish longitudinal data set that covers four time points between ages 12 and 17 years, the study aims to add to the lack of longitudinal studies using more than two time points (Wang & Fredricks, 2014), including the transition from primary to lower secondary school and the transition from lower secondary to upper secondary education This is Journal of Early Adolescence 41(3). Knowing that truancy is related to multiple adverse school and postschool outcomes (Darmody et al, 2008; Maynard et al, 2012; Maynard et al, 2017; Vaughn et al, 2013), the results of the current study are needed to inform educators and other school personnel how to tackle an internationally acknowledged educational problem school truancy (OECD, 2018)

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