School Connectedness Research Articles

Students in the margins: Lesbian, gay, and bi+ students’ perceptions of school climate and discrimination

This study examines how youth evaluate their school climate and experiences of discrimination within public schools in the Southeastern U.S. Participants included 9th (N = 499, M age = 14.67, SD = 0.66) and 10th (N = 360, Mage = 15.63, SD = 0.61) grade students who reported on their school climate and experiences of teacher and peer discrimination. Findings showed that lesbian, gay, bi+ (LGB+) participants reported significantly higher levels of peer discrimination than their heterosexual peers. Boys and 9th graders reported significantly higher levels of teacher discrimination than did girls and 10th graders, respectively. Experiences of discrimination from peers and teachers were distinctly associated with participants’ perceptions of their school climate. LGB+ adolescents reported less positive social relationships with teachers, perceptions of school discipline, opportunities for engagement, academic support, parental involvement, and school connectedness compared to their heterosexual peers. There were no significant differences in perceived exclusion based on sexual orientation. This study is an important step in continuing to understand school experiences of LGB+ adolescents within the Southeastern U.S.

Examining the association between school connectedness and use of self-regulation strategies in middle childhood

Schools are increasingly incorporating the teaching of social emotional learning (SEL)-informed self-regulation strategies. However, little is known about the social context that facilitates the use of these skills. The current study investigated whether students’ popularity (indegree), perceived number of friends (outdegree), or school connectedness, are related to their practice of self-regulation strategies. The sample was 92 2nd through 5th graders (49% girls, 48% boys, 3% non-binary) at an elementary school. Using multilevel models to account for students nested within classrooms, we found that 2nd graders who were lower in school connectedness reported greater mean use of self-regulation strategies, but this association was not evident for third through fifth graders. By contrast, students who were more popular among their peers (i.e. higher indegree) reported using self-regulation strategies on a greater proportion of school days. Findings indicate that grade level, popularity, and connectedness to schools may impact students’ use of said skills.

Supportive Relationships Mitigate the Effect of Cumulative Exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences on Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Suicide Considerations-The Arizona Youth Risk Behavior Survey.

Declining adolescent mental health is a significant public health concern during the COVID-19 pandemic. Social distancing and stay-at-home orders have led to missed social connections with peers and adults outside households, and this has increased the risk of mental health problems in children and adolescents, particularly those with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Studies have shown that strong interpersonal support improves adolescent mental health. We examined the association between ACEs and poor mental health (including stress, anxiety, and depression) and how the presence of interpersonal support from caring adults and friends and school connectedness can mitigate this relationship among adolescents in Arizona. This study analyzed data from the 2021 Arizona Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS; n = 1181), a population-based survey conducted biennially across the United States. The Arizona sample included high school students in grades 9-12 who were enrolled in public and charter schools. This study revealed that nearly three of four adolescents experienced an ACE, and one of five experienced ≥4 ACEs. Compared with adolescents who experienced zero ACEs, those with ≥4 ACEs experienced less interpersonal support from caring adults, friends, and school and more frequently reported poor mental health and suicidal thoughts. However, adolescents with interpersonal support consistently reported lower rates of mental health issues, even with exposure to multiple ACEs. Post-pandemic programs to improve social relationships with adults, peers, and schools are critical, especially for adolescents with multiple adversities.

How the Magic City Acceptance Academy’s School Environment Creates Conditions to Promote Community

Recent literature confirms that bullying, harassment, and violence continues in public schools against LGBTQ youth and students who are perceived as other due to status of race, class, or ability. The purpose of this study was to explore how the Magic City Acceptance Academy’s (MCAA) school environment creates conditions to promote community. MCAA is a charter school recently opened near Birmingham, Alabama. Principal findings are based on interviews with key school and community leaders, multiple school observations, and a review of key documents. The study uncovered processes and emphases used to cultivate an affirming school environment for students. Themes suggested that physical space, student supports and resources, evidence of affirmation, and specific student-oriented policies, serve as key factors that support overall student well-being in this innovative school environment. This article presents findings from an initial phase of a more comprehensive, case study analysis. We conclude that a welcoming and supportive school environment may contribute to the protective factor of school connectedness. We present implications for practice that may apply to educators as well as mental and community health professionals, among others. Recommendations for future research are also presented.

School Connectedness and Adolescent E-cigarette Susceptibility in an Urban Sample of Middle and High School Students.

Adolescent school connectedness generally protects from risk behaviors such as tobacco use; however, its relationship to e-cigarette use is unclear. This study examines the relationship between adolescent school connectedness and e-cigarette susceptibility in a diverse longitudinal sample. This secondary analysis of a school-based intervention surveyed 608 middle (66%) and high school (34%) students from 10 schools at 3 time points over 1year. At baseline, respondents had a mean age of 14years, 54% were female, and 71% were BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color). Logistic regression models examined unadjusted and adjusted associations between school connectedness (both baseline and concurrent) and e-cigarette susceptibility over time. E-cigarettes represented the most prevalent form of current nicotine-containing product use in spring 2019 (2.3%), and most respondents reported no e-cigarette susceptibility (69%). E-cigarette susceptibility remained relatively stable during the study. Higher baseline school connectedness levels were associated with lower odds of e-cigarette susceptibility over time. Similarly, higher concurrent school connectedness scores were associated with lower odds of e-cigarette susceptibility over time: spring 2019 (OR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.32, 0.47), fall 2019 (OR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.34, 0.72), and spring 2020 (OR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.47, 0.87). Findings were similar for middle and high school students and did not differ significantly after adjusting for other covariates. Adolescents' school connectedness appears to protect from e-cigarette susceptibility over time, underscoring the importance of promoting positive school experiences to reduce adolescent risk e-cigarette use.

Psychosocial conditions during school-age as determinants of long-term labour market attachment: a study of the Northern Swedish Cohort from the 1980s to the 2020s

BackgroundThis study, conducted on a Swedish population cohort, explores how internalized (depressive and functional somatic) and externalized (smoking, drinking, truancy, vandalism, delinquency) mental health symptoms, as well as close interpersonal relations (family climate and school connectedness) reported during adolescence, influence the work-life course up to late midlife.MethodsWe examined repeated measurements of labour market status from age 16 to 56 using sequence analyses. We identified five different labour market attachment (LMA16-56) trajectories, namely ‘strong,’ ‘early intermediate,’ ‘early weak,’ ‘late weak,’ and ‘constantly weak.’ Multinomial logistic regressions were employed to relate each of the nine determinants to the identified trajectories.ResultsWhen compared to the risk of ‘strong’ LMA16-56, adversity in all conditions, except for vandalism, entailed a higher risk of the ‘constantly weak’ trajectory. Moreover, all conditions, except for functional somatic symptoms, entailed a higher risk of the ‘late weak’ LMA16-56. The risk of the ‘early intermediate’ LMA16-56 was non-significant across all the conditions.ConclusionsThis study contributes to existing knowledge through its novel exploration of labour market attachment and the revelation of the significance of proximal interpersonal relationships in attachment outcomes. Additionally, the study reaffirms the importance of externalizing behaviour, while suggesting that internalized symptoms in adolescence might have a less influential, though not negligible, role. These results underscore the importance of addressing acting out behaviour and nurturing human relationships during compulsory basic education, when the entire age group is still within reach. This approach aims not only to reduce frictions in the school-to-work transition but also to prevent midlife labour market attachment problems that may arise with delayed intervention.

Adolescent School Belonging and Mental Health Outcomes in Young Adulthood: Findings from a Multi-wave Prospective Cohort Study

School belonging, sometimes referred to as school belonging or school connectedness, involves dimensions like positive affect towards school, relationships with teachers, and feeling socially valued. Previous research points to immediate benefits for students’ mental health and wellbeing; however, evidence on the potential long-term benefits of school belonging for mental health—once young people leave the school setting—is limited. This study used data on 1568 adults from the Australian Temperament Project (ATP), a 16-wave longitudinal study which has tracked participants since infancy. The short form of the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) School Life Questionnaire was used to assess secondary school belonging at age 15–16 years whilst young adult mental health symptoms were evaluated using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21) at 19–20, 23–24, and 27–28 years. Generalised Estimating Equation models were used to examine the link between secondary school belonging and mental health symptoms in young adulthood. Results showed that higher levels of all aspects of school belonging were associated with lower mental health symptoms across young adulthood (β range − 0.05 to − 0.20). Associations were similar by gender. These findings underscore the importance of adolescent school belonging and in particular school status in reference to feeling socially valued, as a long-term protective factor that can mitigate against later depression, anxiety, and stress.

A Qualitative Exploration of the Facilitators and Barriers of Cognitive Engagement Among Ninth-Grade Students in Accelerated Curricula

In this study, we used an extreme case approach to examine the facilitators and barriers of cognitive engagement among freshmen in Advanced Placement (AP) or Pre-International Baccalaureate (IB) courses. Twelve ninth-grade AP/IB students participated in semistructured interviews focused on cognitive engagement. After analyzing the data using a generic approach with an emphasis on constant-comparative methods, we identified five themes related to facilitators (i.e., students’ role, teachers’ role, parents’ role, school connectedness, and technology's role) and three themes related to barriers (i.e., student perceptions, negative academic experiences, and distractions). Most themes aligned with a priori themes derived from the literature. The findings can help educators understand what accelerated students perceive as helpful or harmful in promoting their level of cognitive engagement, which, in turn, may influence their academic achievement.

Parental marital Relationship and depressive symptoms in adolescent boys and girls: The role of self-compassion and school connectedness

Parental marital Relationship and depressive symptoms in adolescent boys and girls: The role of self-compassion and school connectedness

Family and school factors related to internalizing and externalizing problems in adolescence

ABSTRACT Family and school factors are among the most important determinants of internalizing and externalizing problem behavior in adolescents. The aim of this study is to explore how certain family and school factors explain internalizing and externalizing problems after one year. In addition to individual-level variables, school level variables are taken into account. This multilevel study was conducted among 507 adolescents (mean age 13.44; 52.3% girls) who reported their internalizing problems (anxiety, depressive symptoms), externalizing problems (aggressive and norm-breaking behavior), parental knowledge of their whereabouts, parental rule setting, school connectedness and teacher support. At the school level, the aggregated scores for school connectedness and teacher support were calculated. The results show that the differences between schools explained 13.4% of the variance in externalizing problem behavior although it did not account for internalizing behavior. Parental knowledge and school connectedness were significant predictors of both internalizing and externalizing problems. At the school level, aggregated teacher support predicted fewer externalizing problems. While some of the results are partially in line with previous findings, others were found to be contradictory. The implications for practice are provided.

The Mediating Effect of Classroom Management Strategies of Teachers on the Relationship Between School Connectedness and Academic Resilience of High School Students

This study determined the mediating effect of classroom management strategies of teachers on the relationship between school connectedness and academic resilience of high school students particularly the senior high school students of Sto. Tomas National High School, Davao del Norte Division. The descriptive-correlational research design was utilized in this study with a sample size of 300 senior high school students. Sets of adapted survey questionnaires were used in obtaining data from the respondents which were subjected for content validity and reliability analysis. The data were analyzed using the Mean, Pearson-r, Multiple Regression Analysis, and Medgraph using Sobel z-test. The results revealed that the levels of classroom management strategies of teachers, school connectedness, and academic resilience of high school students are evident most of the time. Moreover, significant relationship existed between these variables. A strong association between classroom management strategies and academic resilience also exist, thus the two variables show significant relationship between them. The study also suggests that classroom management strategies significantly mediates the relationship between school connectedness and academic resilience of the students.

A Novel Approach for Evaluating a Schoolwide Antiracist Curriculum Intervention

This manuscript describes our effort to apply a novel approach to understanding student outcomes associated with a schoolwide antiracist intervention. We report a multimethod quantitative approach to evaluate a 10-week antiracist intervention designed and implemented by school staff by examining patterns of student intervention engagement and measures of key constructs that connect to antiracism, psychological well-being, and school connectedness. Our novel approach combines schoolwide surveys with smaller samples of daily diary participants, documenting variation in intervention engagement and examining postintervention outcomes. Our findings are limited by high attrition rates, small sample size, and data collection during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, our methods offer a promising transferable approach to evaluate school-based antiracist interventions by examining patterns and predictors of intervention engagement, as well as daily fluctuations in student experience throughout the intervention period.

Assessment of the Psychometric Properties of the Perceived Empathic and Social Self-Efficacy Scale in Chinese Adolescents.

There is a burgeoning interest in nurturing adolescents' social and emotional skills, acknowledging the significant influence these abilities have on adolescents' social development and overall well-being. The Perceived Empathic and Social Self-Efficacy Scale (PESSE) emerges as a promising tool designed to capture adolescents' self-perceptions regarding their self-efficacy in empathic and social domains. This study seeks to investigate the psychometric properties of the Chinese Version of the Perceived Empathic and Social Self-Efficacy Scale (PESSE) by examining its factor structure, measurement invariance across gender and age groups, along with its predictive validity concerning adolescent subjective and social well-being. A sample of 512 adolescents (233 boys, 265 girls) aged 10-16 years old (M = 12.69, SD = 1.49) from mainland China participated in this study. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and multi-group CFA were employed to assess the two-factor structure and the measurement invariance of the PESSE across gender and age groups. The results demonstrate that the Chinese PESSE maintains robust psychometric properties as the original version, establishing its reliability (Cronbach's alpha for empathic self-efficacy scale was 0.82, for social self-efficacy scale was 0.85) and validity for assessing adolescents perceived empathic and social self-efficacy. Additionally, findings consistently highlight positive correlations between perceived empathic and social self-efficacy and indicators for adolescents' subjective well-being (self-esteem, positive and negative affect, and symptoms of depression and anxiety) and social well-being (perceived peer support online prosocial behavior, school connectedness, and social relationship). This study supports that the PESSE is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing adolescent perceived empathic and social self-efficacy, underlining the importance of fostering empathic and social self-efficacy skills in adolescence.

The relationship between school connectedness and depression: A three-level meta-analytic review

The relationship between school connectedness and depression: A three-level meta-analytic review

Relationship Between Bully Victimization and Emotional Difficulty in Adolescence: Hope and School Connectedness as Mediator

Relationship Between Bully Victimization and Emotional Difficulty in Adolescence: Hope and School Connectedness as Mediator

Interpersonal violence and suicide risk: Examining buffering effects of school and community connectedness

BackgroundExposure to interpersonal violence is associated with elevated suicide risk. Preventing suicide among high-risk adolescents is most often discussed from a clinical treatment perspective, resulting in a gap in research examining whether school and community connectedness can buffer the relationships between forms of interpersonal violence and suicide risk in clinical samples of adolescents. MethodsBaseline data from 294 adolescents who received substance use treatment were analyzed to help fill this gap in research. Adolescents in this sample were at greater risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors given their histories of substance use disorders and high rates of interpersonal violence, with 57% reporting experiencing at least one form of abuse/violence. Independent variables included lifetime exposure to physical abuse, sexual abuse, and weapon violence; moderators included various measures of school and community connectedness. Multinomial logistic regression models were estimated to examine the main and interaction effects predicting a three-category measure of suicide risk: non-suicidal, suicidal ideation only, and prior suicide attempts. ResultsSexual abuse survivors had the highest predicted probability of a prior suicide attempt when reporting lower levels of teacher support, school-based positive peer interactions, or neighborhood social connection, but at higher levels of these protective factors, their predicted probability was similar to those not exposed to sexual abuse. The same protective pattern was observed for physical abuse survivors with high neighborhood social connection. ConclusionThe buffering effects observed in this study identified dimensions of school and community social connectedness as protective factors for youth exposed to abuse. Although promoting social connectedness is often cited as a universal suicide prevention approach, tailored efforts to enhance connectedness within this population may also be a promising secondary prevention strategy. Thus, in addition to clinical treatment, more emphasis should be placed on systems-level approaches to reducing risk among youth most vulnerable to suicide.

Engagement, Mental Health, and Substance Use Under In-Person or Remote School Instruction During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Adolescents' school engagement, mental health, and substance use have been major concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly given disruptions to school instruction. We examined how the instructional setting was associated with academic and health-related outcomes within an adolescent cohort followed during the pandemic. During 3 semi-annual follow-up surveys, adolescents (N = 1066 students; 2242 observations) from 8 California high schools responded to items measuring academic self-efficacy, school connectedness, internalizing and externalizing problems, and use of substances. Separate generalized estimating equation models predicted outcomes based on the instructional setting. Relative to in-person instruction, students in remote instruction reported lower academic self-efficacy (Beta: -0.11; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.22, -0.01) and school connectedness (Beta: -0.37; 95% CI: -0.48, -0.25), greater odds of past 30-day internalizing problems (AOR: 1.46; 95% CI: 1.09, 1.95), externalizing problems (AOR: 1.36; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.82), and cigarette, cigar, smokeless tobacco, or hookah use (AOR: 2.50; 95% CI: 1.06, 5.91), but lower odds of past 30-day e-cigarette use (AOR: 0.50; 95% CI: 0.30, 0.86). Multiple adverse outcomes related to school engagement, mental health, and substance use were associated with remote instruction. To reduce such impacts under future emergencies, schools should rely sparingly on remote instruction and provide appropriate supportive resources.

Victimization and cybervictimization: The role of school factors.

Victimization and cybervictimization can negatively affect the subjective experience of well-being. This effect can be mediated by school factors, even if a deep understanding of these factors still needs to be determined. The present study examined how peer network, teacher support, and school connectedness mediated the relationship between victimization, cybervictimization, and well-being. We developed two mediation models, considering victimization (Model 1) and cybervictimization (Model 2) as predictors, well-being as the outcome, peer network, teacher support, and school connectedness as parallel mediators, and gender as a covariate variable. The sample comprised 563 Italian students (Mage = 11.5; 45% females). Students filled out a purpose-built questionnaire investigating victimization and cybervictimization, peer network, teacher support, school connectedness, and well-being. Two multiple mediation models were run using Process. The two models showed similar patterns [Model 1: F(8, 169) = 34.35, p ≤ .001, R2 = .34; Model 2: F(8, 169) = 40.13, p ≤ .001, R2 = .34]. Indeed, victimization (Model 1) and cybervictimization (Model 2) had negative significant effects on peer network, teacher support, and school connectedness. However, their direct effects on well-being were not significant, as peer network and school connectedness emerged as complete mediators between victimization (Model 1) and cybervictimization (Model 2) and well-being. Males displayed higher levels of well-being compared to females. Peer network and school connectedness play a crucial role in mediating the impact of victimization and cybervictimization on well-being. Educators and policymakers should prioritize fostering supportive peer network and strengthening school connectedness to create an environment that mitigates the negative effects of victimization and cybervictimization, enhancing overall student well-being.

Perspective of Early Childhood Education Teachers on School Connectivity to Parental Support in the Context of Blended Learning During a Pandemi

Although we are now seeing a point where we can control the pandemic, its impact on education remains a major highlight. Schools around the world have been forced to make deep changes by switching to distance learning and adopting blended learning methods that integrate face-to-face and online learning. This transition not only creates challenges for students, teachers, and parents, and creates new opportunities to improve the way we educate and connect. This research explores the views of Early Childhood Education teachers in Semarang regarding School Connectedness and parent support during the pandemic. With 74 Kindergarten A and Kindergarten B teachers as participants, using the Ex post facto quantitative method in the 2021-2022 school year, this research utilized an online questionnaire via Google Forms. Ordinal regression analysis shows that parental support significantly influences School Connectedness (Wald = 7.318, sig. = 0.007). The novelty of the research lies in its focus on PAUD teachers in Semarang who are facing the challenges of distance learning and blended learning due to the pandemic. The benefits involve a deeper understanding of the crucial role of parental support in strengthening teacher-school-student relationships. The results of the research can be a basis for schools, teachers and parents to develop strategies to improve School Connectedness in the future, especially in an ever-changing learning context. Thus, this research contributes to our understanding of the factors that influence the quality of education in the pandemic era.

What Fosters School Connectedness? The Roles of Classroom Interactions and Parental Support.

Although research has identified the impact of school connectedness on a variety of outcomes for adolescents, much less work has focused on identifying its precursors. This study examined the relative influences of classroom interactions and parental support on elements of school connectedness among a sample of 4838 students (Mage = 15.84, SD = 0.29; 49.1% female) in the United States from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2018 data. The results showed that three domains of classroom interactions (i.e., classroom management, instructional support, and emotional support) and parental support played unique roles in predicting school connectedness (i.e., teacher support and school belonging). Specifically, classroom management positively predicted both teacher support and school belonging; instructional support, especially directed instruction, positively predicted teacher support; emotional support was unrelated to teacher support and school belonging. Parental support positively predicted school belonging, but not teacher support. Overall, these findings highlight the roles of both teachers and parents in providing developmentally appropriate support to facilitate school connectedness.