Grounded in the Adaptation-Based Approach model, this study disentangles daily stress intensity (average levels) and fluctuation (intra-person stress variability) to examine their interplay on school engagement and internalizing symptoms concurrently and longitudinally using a national sample of 437 U.S. adolescents (Mage = 14.89; 55.1% female; 23.6% Latino/a, 33.9% Black, 22.9% White, 12.1% Asian American, 7.6% Bi-racial and other) with four bursts of daily diary data (15 days per burst) from 2021 to 2023. Higher stress intensity predicted slower declines in school engagement and flatter increases in internalizing symptoms over time for youth who experienced high-stress fluctuation. Findings challenge deficit-based views of stress and suggest that certain stress experiences may foster adolescent adaptation in academic and psychological adjustment over time.

The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers - Revised (M-CHAT-R) is widely used for screening children at age 2 for autism spectrum disorders (ASD), but it also identifies children at risk for broader developmental challenges. We aimed to examine whether M-CHAT-R risk status at age 2 is associated with cognitive, behavioral, adaptive, and school-related outcomes at ages 3 to 4. We used data from the French national birth Cohort ELFE, including children assessed with the M-CHAT-R at age 2. Children were classified as low or medium risk. Outcomes at ages 3-4 included general cognitive development (Child Development Inventory), non-verbal reasoning (Picture Similarities test), family and daily activities, school engagement and performance, attention regulation (teacher-rated ADHD symptoms), specific neurodevelopmental care and school-based assistance. Multivariate analyses used modified Poisson regression for binary outcomes and linear regression for continuous outcomes, adjusted for sociodemographic, child-related, and school-related factors. 9,223 children were classified as low-risk and 1,248 children as medium-risk. Medium-risk children were more often boys and from socioeconomically disadvantaged families. At 3.5 years, medium-risk children had increased likelihood of developmental delay (16.6% vs. 6.1%, RR 2.2 after adjustment) and lower cognitive and language scores (up to -0.4 SD). Despite these differences, most children attended school, and their school life was similar to that of low-risk peers. Children classified as medium-risk by the M-CHAT-R at age 2 have an increased likelihood of subtle but widespread developmental challenges at school entry. Strategies to improve access to neurodevelopmental care and school support could enhance outcomes for this group.

This study examined whether child and parent pain catastrophizing were associated with school functioning in youth with chronic pain. Relationships between catastrophizing and school absences, school tardiness, and academic performance were evaluated, and parent catastrophizing was tested as a potential mediator between child catastrophizing and school outcomes. Youth with chronic pain and their caregivers completed measures of pain catastrophizing and school functioning (school absences, school tardiness, grade point average [GPA]). Correlations, linear regressions, and PROCESS Model 4 mediation analyses were conducted. School functioning was also compared between youth attending in-person versus homeschool or online. Participants were 559 (Mage=15.2) predominantly female (76.9%) and white (90.7%) youth with chronic pain. Youth enrolled in homeschool or online had significantly higher child and parent catastrophizing than those attending in-person school. Parent pain catastrophizing was significantly associated with more absences, more tardiness, and lower GPA. Child catastrophizing was only correlated with increased absences. When both were entered into the same models, parent catastrophizing remained a significant predictor of absences and tardiness, whereas the association between child catastrophizing and absences was no longer significant. Mediation analyses demonstrated parent catastrophizing fully mediated the association between child catastrophizing and school absences; no mediation effects were observed for tardiness or GPA. Parent pain catastrophizing appears to play a critical role in school attendance for youth with chronic pain and mediates the association between child catastrophizing and school absences. Findings highlight the importance of addressing parent cognitions in interventions targeting school engagement.

Problematic gaming has become an increasingly prominent developmental concern among youth, yet little is known about its heterogeneous developmental course, predictors, and school adjustment outcomes among Chinese migrant children. The present study examined developmental trajectories of problematic gaming from Grade 3 to Grade 6, identified family-, school-, and individual-level predictors of trajectory membership, and tested whether distinct trajectories were associated with later school adjustment. A total of 1,313 Chinese migrant children (Mean age = 9.42 years, SD = 0.51; 48.7% girls) participated in a six-wave longitudinal study with six-month intervals between waves. Growth mixture modeling identified four qualitatively distinct trajectories: low-decreasing, high-onset decreasing, moderate-onset increasing, and high-increasing. Multinomial logistic regression revealed that specific variables-namely autonomy-supportive parenting, peer victimization, self-control, and internalizing symptoms-significantly differentiated trajectory membership, whereas harsh punishment, psychological control, teacher emotional support, teacher maltreatment, self-concept clarity, and externalizing problems did not show significant unique predictive effects. Further analyses indicated that children in the escalating or persistently high-risk trajectories reported lower school engagement and school well-being at Wave 6 than those in the low-decreasing group, even after adjusting for baseline levels. These findings highlight the developmental heterogeneity of problematic gaming among Chinese migrant children and suggest that interventions targeting peer victimization, internalizing symptoms, and self-control, while enhancing autonomy-supportive parenting, may help reduce high-risk gaming trajectories and promote school adjustment.

ABSTRACT This study examines teachers’ classroom leadership practices as instructional leadership and their relationship with student engagement in Omani primary and elementary public schools. Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, quantitative data were collected through questionnaires measuring classroom leadership and student engagement, followed by semi-structured interviews with teachers. The findings showed high levels of classroom leadership and student engagement across behavioural, emotional, and cognitive dimensions. Classroom leadership practices significantly predicted student engagement, with participation leadership emerging as the strongest predictor. Qualitative findings showed that teachers viewed instructional leadership as part of everyday classroom practice, reflected in lesson organisation, supportive relationships, active participation, and responsiveness to students’ needs. The study highlights the importance of teacher-enacted classroom leadership in strengthening student engagement and offers implications for teacher professional development and educational leadership policy.

Familial context influences children's sleep routines, yet population-level evidence linking school engagement and self-regulation to bedtime consistency is limited. Data were drawn from the 2022-2024 National Survey of Children's Health, including US children aged 6-11 years (N = 46,149). Sequential logistic regression models examined associations between bedtime consistency and school engagement, self-regulation, household and school context, adverse childhood experiences, caregiving factors, and demographics. Lower behavioral self-regulation, task persistence, and homework completion, perceived school unsafety, family structure, adverse childhood experiences, lack of caregiver emotional support, parenting stress, and older age were associated with higher odds of bedtime inconsistency (Wald F(16, 43,084) = 36.53, p < 0.001). In the fully adjusted model, low behavioral self-regulation (aOR = 1.41), low task persistence (aOR = 1.69), and low homework completion (aOR = 1.72) remained significant. Model explanatory power was modest (Nagelkerke R2 = 0.126). Supporting behavioral regulation and coordinated family-school strategies may promote sleep regularity. Bedtime inconsistency reflects both school-based behavioral functioning and broader family context.

Identifying unsupported children and young people via police contact: a retrospective cross-sectional observational study.

Although student engagement is critical for academic success and well-being, little is known about its heterogeneity and developmental trajectories among vocational high school students, as well as the potential role of growth mindset in these processes. To address these gaps, this study adopts a person-centered longitudinal approach to examine these issues. A total of 1,079 vocational high school students were surveyed three times, with a six-month interval between each survey (MT1age = 15.91, SDT1age = 0.71; 47.36% girls). Latent profile analyses at each wave identified three engagement profiles: low, moderate, and high. Building on the profiles identified, latent transition analysis revealed diverse developmental patterns, with 57.18% of participants experiencing at least one profile transition across the study period, indicating within-person change in student engagement. The moderate engagement class showed the greatest stability (35.68%), followed by the high engagement (4.54%) and low engagement (2.60%) classes. Moreover, growth mindset was a significant predictor of both engagement profile membership at each wave and transitions between profiles over time. Specifically, students with a stronger growth mindset were more likely to belong to higher engagement profiles at all three time points, and growth mindset measured at time n (Tn) predicted a greater likelihood of transitioning toward the high engagement profile rather than moving downward from Tn to Tn+1. These findings indicate that student engagement follows distinct developmental trajectories during vocational high school. Developing targeted interventions based on growth mindset may help promote student engagement or reduce the risk of disengagement over time.

This study investigated the mediating role of digital competence on the relationship between parental involvement and school connectedness among public Senior High School students in the Department of Education, Tagum City Division, Davao del Norte. Utilizing a quantitative approach with a descriptive-correlational research design and path analysis, data were gathered from 300 students selected through stratified random sampling. Adapted and expert validated 5-point Likert scale questionnaires were used to measure the variables. The findings revealed that the level of digital competence was high mean 3.76, with safety emerging as the highest-rated indicator mean 3.96 and content creation as the lowest mean 3.60. The level of parental involvement was also high mean 3.92, driven predominantly by instruction mean 3.98. Similarly, school connectedness registered a high level mean 3.16, marked by strong connections with adults mean 3.98 and low negative connectedness mean 1.93. Correlation analysis demonstrated significant positive relationships between digital competence and school connectedness r-value of.365 and the p-value of &lt;0.05, and between parental involvement and school connectedness r-value of .534 and the p-value of &lt;0.05. This indicates that parental involvement and school connectedness have a significant relationship. Significantly, the mediation analysis verified that the relationship between parental involvement and school connectedness is partially mediated by digital competence 3.2728, p &lt; 0.05 p-value: 0. 00106.In conclusion, the study provides empirical proof that while supportive home environments directly improve school engagement, digital competence acts as a vital bridge that further amplifies student connection to the academic community. It is recommended that school administrators and educators implement targeted digital literacy initiatives focusing on digital problem-solving and content creation, expand active student participation opportunities, and establish institutional programs that guide parents in fostering their children's 21st-century technological skills.

Teen dating violence (TDV) is associated with poor school outcomes such as lower grades, difficulty concentrating, reduced attendance, and decreased overall school engagement. Gender, ethnicity, age, and sexual risk behaviors are risk factors often associated with TDV as well as school outcomes, yet little is known about the effect of their interactions on school outcomes. This study fills this knowledge gap by analyzing data from the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance (N = 6,818) to explore the moderating effects of gender, ethnicity, age, and sexual risk behaviors on the relationship between TDV and school outcomes (grades and difficulty concentrating). χ2 and t tests conducted revealed that individuals who experienced TDV had poorer school outcomes than those who did not. Moderation analyses found that age and ethnicity moderated the effect of TDV on difficulty concentrating in school. Findings signal the need for tailored multicomponent violence prevention interventions in schools.

Parental engagement is a critical determinant of the sustainability and effectiveness of school feeding initiatives, particularly in day public secondary schools where learners depend heavily on community support. This study examined the factors influencing parental engagement in school feeding initiatives in Nyamagana District, Tanzania. Anchored in Social Capital Theory, the study adopted a mixed-methods approach within a pragmatic research paradigm. Quantitative data were collected from parents using structured questionnaires, while qualitative data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with school heads, ward education officers, and district education officials. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and multiple regression analysis, while qualitative data were analysed thematically. The findings reveal that parental engagement is significantly influenced by socio-economic factors, parental awareness and attitudes, and school-related institutional factors. Economic capacity, clarity of parental roles, effective communication, and inclusive school leadership emerged as key predictors of engagement. The study concludes that strengthening parental engagement requires deliberate strategies that address structural economic constraints, enhance awareness, and foster participatory school governance. The study recommends targeted parental sensitisation, flexible participation mechanisms, and strengthened school–community partnerships to enhance the sustainability of school feeding initiatives.

Purpose: This study examines the structural relationships among community participation, teacher engagement, and school discipline in private secondary schools in Lagos State, Nigeria, with particular attention to the mediating role of teacher engagement. Methodology: A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design was used. Data were collected from 500 teachers selected through a multi-stage sampling technique. Measurement and structural models were tested using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4. Results: The results indicate that community participation has no significant direct effect on school discipline. However, community participation significantly predicts teacher engagement, and teacher engagement has a strong positive effect on school discipline. Teacher engagement fully mediates the relationship between community participation and school discipline, indicating that community participation's influence on discipline operates primarily through teachers’ psychological engagement. Novelty and contribution: This study contributes to the literature by integrating Social Capital Theory and the Job Demands–Resources model within the context of urban private secondary schools. It provides empirical evidence that teacher engagement is a critical mechanism linking community participation to disciplinary effectiveness in market-driven educational settings. Practical and social implications: School proprietors and administrators should prioritise strategies that transform community participation into a supportive resource for teachers. Policies that strengthen teacher engagement may yield greater improvements in school discipline than direct disciplinary interventions alone.

Abstract Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) without intellectual disability may be identified late in adolescence when the presenting complaint is dominated by internalizing distress and functional decline rather than explicit neurodevelopmental concerns. Social anxiety is among the most frequently reported comorbidities in adolescents with ASD. We report the case of an adolescent with late identified ASD and prominent social anxiety who received an autism adapted cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) program. Case presentation Maxence is a 13-year-old boy referred for progressive social withdrawal, severe freezing in evaluative school situations, and escalating screen-related behaviours with family conflict. A multi-informant multidisciplinary assessment supported autism spectrum disorder level 1 without intellectual disability, with prominent social anxiety and clinically significant alexithymic features. Treatment was complicated by low initial motivation, over-analysis, poor emotional differentiation, avoidance of homework tasks, and screen use as a rapid tension regulator. Treatment followed a phase-based autism-adapted cognitive behavioral programme combining a highly predictable therapeutic frame, early somatic cue detection, minimal emotional labeling, brief protective scripts, planned graded exposures with reduction of safety behaviors, structured family guidance, and school coordination. The intervention was adapted by lowering performance demands, using body-first emotional work, replacing silence with brief rescue sentences, making exposure predictable and repeatable, and modifying the tension-to-screen-for-relief contingency rather than focusing on screen time alone. Symptoms and functioning improved from baseline to post-treatment and at 3-month follow-up, with reduced anxiety and freezing, better engagement in school and daily activities, and improved regulation of screen use. Conclusions This case study supports an integrated mechanistic formulation and a structured autism adapted CBT approach to reduce the cost of exposure and restore functional engagement in late-identified autistic adolescents with prominent social anxiety.

ABSTRACTBackgroundSchools are critical settings for supporting student mental health; research is needed to identify key levers for addressing the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on students' relationships.MethodsDrawing on survey data from rural high school students (N = 2902), we examine the associations between ACEs scores and multiple developmental relationships (parenting adults, teachers, peers, neighbors, program leaders). School‐level engagement and support, and teacher relationships were also examined as potential protective factors.ResultsHigher ACEs scores were associated with weaker developmental relationships across all groups. However, positive relationships with teachers and supportive school engagement and support slightly moderated the negative influence of ACEs on youths' relationships with parenting adults.Implications for School Health Policy, Practice, and EquityDistrict and school leaders should support educators in building strong relationships with students by protecting their capacity, providing trauma‐informed professional development, and ensuring access to mental health services for students and staff.ConclusionsBuilding strong relationships with teachers and fostering a supportive and engaging school environment can be key strategies for buffering the risks associated with adversity and ultimately supporting young people's development of strong, healthy relationships.

This article examines the characteristics of psychological counseling for students in a comprehensive school, focusing on the relationships between levels of psychological distress, school engagement, and subjective satisfaction with counseling support. Key factors determining the accessibility, quality, and perceived effectiveness of school counseling are identified, and practical recommendations for optimizing counseling practices in a comprehensive school setting are proposed. A cross-sectional empirical analysis is presented, which shows that students seeking psychological help, on average, exhibit higher levels of distress. Satisfaction with counseling is statistically positively correlated with engagement and negatively correlated with the level of distress. The results highlight the importance of increasing school engagement and a differentiated approach to counseling: students with severe distress require in-depth assessment and, possibly, specialized assistance. It is recommended to integrate programs (SEL, social and emotional learning) and systemic monitoring of the emotional state of students.

Children with long-term conditions (LTC) or disabilities often face participation restrictions in early learning and child care (ELCC), but little is known about their specific challenges. This study used latent class analysis (LCA) to identify non-categorical profiles of children's disability-related difficulties, capturing the heterogeneity of conditions rather than condition-specific categories, and examined socio-demographic and child care participation characteristics informing common challenges and needs. Data drawn from the 2023 Survey on ELCC Arrangements-Children with LTC and Disabilities included 1977 children aged 0-5 (98% of survey sample). LCA identified groups based on parent-reported difficulties, activity limitations, LTC and disabilities. Child care participation, difficulty finding child care, extra support needs and school participation were compared across the total sample and identified classes. A four-class model provided the most meaningful solution. Class 1 (Relatively Healthy, 48%) included children likely to have difficulty learning, remembering, or concentrating sometimes. Class 2 (Activity Limitations and LTC, 14%) included children likely to have activity limitations (90%) and LTC (80%). Class 3 (LTC, 28%) included children most likely to have LTC (95%) but no activity limitations. Class 4 (Children with Disabilities, 10%) included children most likely to have multiple difficulties and disabilities, activity limitations and LTC. Relatively healthy children were most often reported in excellent or very good health (88%), were least likely to require extra support (42%) or have difficulty finding child care (37%) and were less often enrolled in school (34%), whereas children with disabilities were least likely to be in excellent or very good health (50%), most likely to require extra support (94%) and often enrolled in school (50%). Children with LTC or disabilities are a diverse group with varying extra support needs and patterns of participation in ELCC and school engagement. These differences highlight the importance of inclusive, responsive strategies to reduce access gaps and promote early educational engagement.

Objective:Pediatric brain tumor survivors (PBTS) experience social difficulties, including fewer friendships. The presence or absence of a best friend may meaningfully reflect broader functioning. This study compared the psychosocial functioning of PBTS with and without best friends.Methods:PBTS (N=65; 55.4% female; 84.2% white; Mage= 10.12±1.32; range 8–12) completed measures of psychosocial functioning. Parents completed measures of parenting practices. PBTS were asked to identify a best friend and describe their friendship. Survivor-reported best friends were contacted and reported on dyadic friendship quality. Analyses compared survivors’ functioning based on the presence of a best friend and evaluated friendship quality ratings between survivors and their best friend.Results:Twelve PBTS (18%) could not identify a best friend. PBTS without a best friend were more years off-treatment (p =.029), engaged in less prosocial behaviors (p =.007, d =0.86), and indicated worse peer relations (p =.025, d =1.00). Parents of PBTS without a best friend reported lower parental warmth behaviors (p =.035, d =0.98). Of PBTS with a best friend, 43.4% reported their friendship developed after diagnosis and 61% identified meeting in school. Friendship quality only differed for PBTS and their best friend for companionship and recreation (p =.010, d = −0.63).Conclusions:PBTS with a best friend have high quality friendships and differ in psychosocial functioning from those without a best friend. Targeting facilitative parenting behaviors, school engagement, and friendship could improve PBTS functioning. Emphasizing friendship in research and clinical care may ensure PBTS have the psychosocial support and skills needed to develop these relationships.

Student engagement is a central indicator of the success of Physical Education, Sports, and Health (PJOK) learning in elementary schools because it is directly related to the quality of movement learning experiences, mastery of motor skills, and the development of positive attitudes toward physical activity. However, the level of student engagement is not solely determined by learning methods but is also influenced by internal psychological factors such as mental toughness and learning motivation. This study aims to conceptually and empirically synthesize recent findings regarding the influence of these two variables on student engagement in PJOK learning in elementary schools. The method used was a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) with a structured selection procedure of reputable scientific articles published in the past seven years through Google Scholar, Garuda, SINTA, DOAJ, and ERIC databases. Articles meeting the inclusion criteria were analyzed using a descriptive-thematic approach to identify patterns of relationships and consistency of findings. The results of the synthesis indicate that mental toughness positively contributes to students' emotional regulation, self-confidence, resilience, and persistence in facing the challenges of PJOK activities. On the other hand, learning motivation—especially intrinsic motivation—consistently correlates positively with active engagement, enthusiasm, and the courage to try movement skills. Simultaneously, these two variables complement each other in fostering sustained engagement. These findings emphasize that strengthening psychological aspects needs to be an integral part of the PJOK pedagogical strategy to improve the quality of student engagement in elementary schools.

Relationships among childhood trauma, perceived barriers to completing high school, and college aspirations for incarcerated youth.

School dropout is an issue that requires the attention of institutions. Related research indicates that both family (e.g., parental monitoring) and personal (e.g., academic motivation and school engagement) factors affect adolescents’ decision to quit school. As no studies have jointly examined these variables in Italian adolescents over time, this two-wave study aimed to investigate the role of parental monitoring in the relationships among academic motivation, school engagement, and dropout intention. This study enrolled 377 adolescents (boys = 178; Mage = 14.41, SDage = 0.72) from two public upper secondary schools in Italy, and followed them over 6 months from November 2024 (T0) to May 2025 (T1). They completed a questionnaire at T0 and T1 comprising the following measures: parental monitoring, academic motivation, school engagement, and dropout intention. Structural equation modelling showed a good fit to the data, χ2(54) = 84.589, p = 0.005, RMSEA = 0.04 [0.02–0.05], CFI = 0.99, TLI = 0.98, SRMR = 0.02. At T0, parental monitoring was positively associated with academic motivation and school engagement and negatively associated with dropout intention. A positive reciprocal association was observed between academic motivation and school engagement at T0 and T1. Academic motivation and school engagement at T0 were negatively associated with dropout intention at T1. Parental monitoring at T0 had a significant indirect effect on dropout intention at T1 via academic motivation and school engagement at T0. These findings suggest that interventions targeting family and personal factors may reduce school dropout rates among adolescents.