Abstract
BackgroundConducting research on the antecedents of teacher connectedness (TC) is key to inform intervention and policy that can leverage the public health potential of teachers for young people’s well-being. As part of the EU-funded Teacher Connectedness Project, this study aims to examine the contribution of a variety of school-level factors (including type of school, school size, student–teacher ratio, students per class and teacher gender).MethodsSample consisted of 5335 adolescents aged 11, 13 and 15 years that had participated in the HBSC study in England. Multilevel multinomial regression was used to examine the contributions of sociodemographic and school-level factors to TC.ResultsTC was lower in older adolescents and those from less affluent families, but similar in boys and girls. Regarding school-level factors, it was not the size of the school but the ratio of students per teacher which was significantly associated to TC, with higher student–teacher ratio being significantly associated with lower odds of medium-to-high TC. Some differences between mixed and all-girls schools were also found.ConclusionsHealth promotion strategies targeting student–teacher relationships need to consider how TC changes by age and SES and give attention to school-level factors, in particular the student–teacher ratio.
Highlights
Schools are fundamental sites for young people from an educational point of view, and from a public health perspective.[1]
When relationships are built that foster commitment with school, young people are more likely to involve in pro-school activities and avoid risk behaviours.[12]
Family affluence, student–teacher ratio, type of school II and school location were significantly associated with teacher connectedness (TC) (P < 0.01)
Summary
Schools are fundamental sites for young people from an educational point of view, and from a public health perspective.[1]. An important domain in the current way school factors that act as determinants of health are conceptualized is the character of teacher–student relationships.[4] Connectedness with both school and teachers have been associated with a variety of positive educational and health outcomes.[5,6,7,8,9] The mechanisms by which school environment influences young people’s health are not currently completely understood but teacher connectedness (TC) seems to act both as a health asset[10] and a protective factor, especially for the involvement in risk behaviours.[11]. As part of the EU-funded Teacher Connectedness Project, this study aims to examine the contribution of a variety of school-level factors (including type of school, school size, student–teacher ratio, students per class and teacher gender)
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