Understanding the Role of School Connectedness and Its Association With Violent Attitudes and Behaviors Among an Ethnically Diverse Sample of Youth

Abstract

Interpersonal youth violence is a growing public health concern in the United States. Having a high sense of school connectedness has been found to be a protective factor for youth violence. A high school course that aims to enhance school connectedness was developed and evaluated to investigate the students' sense of school connectedness and its association with violent attitudes and behaviors. Survey data from 598 students from a predominately Asian and Pacific Islander student body were analyzed to assess their level of school connectedness and violent attitudes and behaviors. Analysis of Variance was used to identify differences in the school connectedness and violence scores related to students' demographic characteristics. The role of school connectedness in the relationship between student demographic characteristics and violent attitudes and behaviors was examined with structural equation modeling. Overall, students reported a moderately high sense of school connectedness. School connectedness was found to be negatively associated with violent attitudes but not self-reported violent behaviors. Multiple-group analyses were conducted across the ethnic groups, which found differential associations between the school connectedness and violence variables. These results highlight the value of disaggregating the Asian and Pacific Islander category and the need for future research to further contextualize and clarify the relationship between school connectedness and interpersonal youth violence. This will help inform the development of evidence-based strategies and prevention programming that focus on school connectedness to address disparities in interpersonal youth violence outcomes.

Remaining connected in the face of cyberbullying: Why social connectedness is important for mental health

“…While researchers have examined other aspects of connectedness in young people such as school connectedness (Chung-Do, Goebert, Hamagani, Chang, & Hishinuma, 2015;Millings, Buck, Montgomery, Spears, & Stallard, 2012;Niehaus, Irvin, & Rogelberg, 2016;Niehaus, Rudasill, & Rakes, 2012) or parent connectedness (Borowsky, Taliaferro, & McMorris, 2013), and internet use and social connectedness (Wu, Outley, Matarrita-Cascante, & Murphrey, 2015), very little has examined cyberbullying specifically. This paper aims to better understand the role that social connectedness may have in the mental health outcomes associated with cyberbullying in adolescents.…”

The Role of School Connectedness and Social Support in the Acculturation in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Youth in Australia

“…This finding is consistent with previous studies indicating that individuals who perceive themselves to be emotionally supported and having access to people who can assist them navigate their practical environment have a better chance of adapting to their new surroundings and managing stressful situations (Vollmann et al, ; Westerlund et al, ). Additionally, fostering positive attachment to the school through interpersonal relationships among adult school staff and classmates is modifiable and may influence positive bicultural acculturation (Chung‐Do et al, ).…”

“…School connectedness has also been shown to promote academic achievement and efficacy (Mann, Smith, & Kristjansson, ), coping, mental health and wellbeing (Frydenberg, Care, Freeman, & Chan, ; Lester, Waters, & Cross, ), and self‐esteem (Millings, Buck, Montgomery, Spears, & Stallard, ). Further, school connectedness is one of the strongest protective factors for youth high‐risk behaviours, such as substance use, violence, and suicidality (Chung‐Do, Goebert, Hamagani, Chang, & Hishinuma, ; Marraccini & Brier, ). Recent studies conducted on CALD students residing in the West (Chung‐Do et al, ) or in their country of origin (Yuen et al, ) suggest the significance of school connectedness as a key protective factor.…”

“…Further, school connectedness is one of the strongest protective factors for youth high‐risk behaviours, such as substance use, violence, and suicidality (Chung‐Do, Goebert, Hamagani, Chang, & Hishinuma, ; Marraccini & Brier, ). Recent studies conducted on CALD students residing in the West (Chung‐Do et al, ) or in their country of origin (Yuen et al, ) suggest the significance of school connectedness as a key protective factor.…”

“…Importantly, school connectedness has been shown to be a modifiable risk factor that can be promoted in school settings and positively influences the long‐term wellbeing of CALD youth (Resnick, Harris, & Blum, ). School connectedness may be especially important for disadvantaged students, including CALD youth, who are at increased risk of mental health problems (Chung‐Do et al, ). Feeling connected and accepted in a school environment potentially provides a sense of belonging leading to more positive emotions, more positive appraisals of the host culture, and potentially better acculturation (Berry, ; Sari, ).…”