Psychosocial coping of urban children in catholic elementary school classrooms

Abstract

This exploratory survey of 723 kindergarten and first grade children in eight inner‐city and five more affluent urban Catholic elementary schools presents demographic characteristics, information about assets and vulnerabilities of children's psychosocial coping in the classroom, and comparisons of these items by school grouping. Chi square and analyses of variance yielded statistically significant differences in that schools located in the lower income neighborhoods were found to have more children who were younger, African‐American, and living with one parent and fewer who were Catholic. Children in inner city schools demonstrated more classroom behavioral assets supporting learning and fewer behavioral vulnerabilities inhibiting the process. Fewer inner‐city children were identified as having many behavior problems. The implications of this study are considered for future program development in school social work service provision.