Examining School Connectedness as a Mediator of School Climate Effects

Abstract

Researchers have suggested that good-quality school climates foster a sense of connection to the school and in this way contribute to fewer emotional and behavioral problems. However, few studies have directly assessed the role of school connectedness as a mediator of school climate effects. Using path analysis, this brief report examined whether four aspects of student perceived school climate (cohesion, friction, competition among students, and overall satisfaction with classes) were indirectly associated with subsequent early adolescent conduct problems and depressive symptoms through school connectedness. Participants were four hundred and eighty-nine 10-to 14-year old middle school students involved in two waves of a study. The results showed that school connectedness mediated the relations between perceived cohesion, perceived friction, and overall satisfaction with classes and subsequent student conduct problems 1 year later. School connectedness was not, however, predictive of subsequent depressive symptoms and thus did not mediate the school climate effects on early adolescent emotional problems.

School Environment and Adolescent Depressive Symptoms: A Multilevel Longitudinal Study

“…11,12 Such schools may foster an increased sense of connectedness or belonging in students. 24 Adolescents who feel connected to their school tend to have better peer relationships, motivation, and achievement, 43 and have been repeatedly found to be at reduced risk of emotional problems, including depressive symptomatology. 15,17,44 Alternatively, school socioeducational environments may influence the development of depressive symptoms in students via stressful life events.…”

“…21 Mixed evidence has also been characteristic of studies based on student perceptions only, with some studies showing a positive association between perceived school climate and lower depressive symptoms, 22,23 but not others. 24,25 In this study, we use longitudinal multilevel modeling in a large populationbased prospective sample of adolescents to examine the association between overall school socioeducational environment and adolescent depressive symptoms over time. We investigate this relation adjusting for previous depressive symptoms and relevant potential confounders that have previously been associated with depressive symptomatology at the individual and school levels, including family adversity and relationships, 26,27 associated internalizing (anxiety) and externalizing (conduct) problems, 28,29 and school size.…”

School Racial Climate and the Academic Achievement of African American High School Students: The Mediating Role of School Engagement

“…When individuals within a school feel connected to each other, students experience positive academic outcomes (Kuperminc, Leadbeater, & Blatt, 2001;Loukas, Suzuki, & Horton, 2006;Blum, McNeely & Nonnemaker, 2002;Ruus, Veisson, Leino, Ots, Pallas, Sarv et al, 2007;Whitlock, 2006). The quality of a school's climate is characterized by four levels of interactions: 1) interactions among students, 2) interactions between school personnel and students, 3) interactions among school personnel, and 4) interactions between the school, families, and community (Richman, Bowen & Woolley, 2004).…”

Prevalence of Childhood Depression: The Effects of Teacher-Students Relationship as Predictor Factors to Depressive Symptoms

“…Some studies have focused on school climate from the student perspective, identifying factors such as students' perceived achievement motivations; perceptions of fairness, order, and discipline; as well as other perceived institutional and organizational structures (Khoury-Kassabri, Benbenishty, & Avi 2005;Kuperminc, & Blatt, 2001;Loukas, & Horton, 2004;Roeser, et al, 2001). Other studies have focused on the perspectives of teachers, administrators, and other school personnel (Bruns, et al, 2004).…”