Youth Perceptions of Life at School:Contextual Correlates of School Connectedness in Adolescence.

Janis L. WhitlockCornell University

Previous research show that human beings develop in

multiple social ecologies but school connectedness and the role it plays in a variety of adolescent health and academic outcomes has only recently come under close investication.

This study proposes a definition of school connectedness grounded in commonalities of several development-linked theories and uses a mixed method approach and theoritically based developmental model to examine contextual correlates to school connectedness in the 8th, 10th and 12th grade.

The survey used in the study examined the relationship between school connectedness and four developmental supports.

Introduction

The concept of school connectedness possesses

chameleon-like characteristics. This idea has assumed multiple forms and names over time.Research shows that these assumptions which bring the concept of school connectedness an link it to developmental support were drawn from developmental ecological models ,social capacity theory and youth development theory.These theories emphasize that there is a mutual influencial relationship between individuals and contexts and in connection with this research implicitly or explicitly identify the role that collective identity plays in individual developmental processes and outcomes.

School Connectedness

In this study connectedness is refered to as a

psychological state of belonging in which individual youth perceive that they and other youth are cared for, trusted and respected by collections of adults that they believe hold the power to make institutional and policy decisions.

Note connectedness is not only viewed as something merely recieved but also reciprocated as well.

CONT

Youth development theory best explains the specific

conditions under which young people might come to feel connected to a particular socializing domain such as school.

Connectedness occurs in virtually all youth development theories and is almost universally envisioned as a mediator between contextual supports and opportunities and short and long term youth outcomes.

Findings show connectedness is largely dependent on three environmental conditions; high expectations for academic success, perceived support by school and safe school environments.

Contextual conditions that promote school connectedness

This study test one hypothesis and explore two research

questions useful in constructing theory about youth connectedness to school.

Its hypothesized that perceived developmental support scores in schools would be positively associated with higher levels of perceived school connectedness above and beyond student level demographic characteristics.

First research question ; was designed to better understand how youths in the 8th ,10th,and 12th grade described relationship with their school and in particular to determine to what extent the way they talked about this relationship aligned with the assumptions embedded in the theoritical model tested by the survey

Study Aim

Second research question was to examine the

extend to which youth perceptions of their relationship to school varied by grade.

METHOD PARTICIPANT

A total 350 youths from 8th, 10th, and 12th grade accross the study community received a survey and 108 of these same participants participated in focus groups. They were demographically identical to the survey sample.

CONT

110-items surveys was administeres anonymously

during class time and required 30 to 40 mins o complete.

For focus group discussions questioning was from general to specific and intergrated key questions into a questioning structure using responses on survey respondent had given to open-ended question .

An lastly six more formal questions were frequently asked if they didnt naturally emerge from the discussion.

procedure

Four independent variables were developed fro use

in this study ; meaningful roles -; four items assessed youth

perception that their school offered ways for youth their age to be meaningfully involved in the school and in activities that assist them in preparing for the future. Safety-; assessed youth perceptions that school and community environments were safe.Academic engagement, and creative engagement

Depentent variable was school connectedness.

Survey measures

School connectedness; 7 items measured-; dyadic youth-adult relationship, the extent to which individual youth

respondents felt that they and other youth were respected trusted and cared for by the collective

community of adults and the institutions associated with them, lastly the extend to which youths care and trust

adults in their schools.

Demographic and Contextual Control VariablesSingle items that measure grade,sex,and ethnicity were considered as dermographic characteristics also single

items that measure relationship with parents and peers, extracurricular group participation, and academic status

at school were included as other contextual control variables.

Data analysisSurvey Date

survey data were examined first through comparison of means and correlations

accross and between devlopmental support and connectedness variables.Hierarchical

regression analysis on school connectedness by dermographic,control, and school developmental support variables was

conducted in AMOS. Regression analysis was used to examine grade related diferences in

each developmental support and school connectedness variable.

Results

Graded related trends in perceived developmental support and school connectedness

Overrall the means were increasingly lower accross grades.survey results showed that younger participants

consistently reported greater levels ofdevelopmental support and connectedness than older youths.In cases where there was significant difference older youth are

significantly less likely to perceive developmental support than younger peers.

Developmental support and school connectednessResults show that grade is inversely related to school

connectedness and sex is related such that females are more likely than male participants to feel connected to

school. Lastly it also shows that there was no significant interaction effects between any of the developmental

supports and control variables.

Focus Group findings

Results from both qualitative and quantative

dimensions of this study suggest that connectedness is linked to perceived developmental support in the school context independent of demorgraphic and contextual control variables.

Findings suggest that young peoples likelihood of feeling individually and collectively cared for trusted and respected at school were influenced by a nuanced and varied set of exchanged,experiences, pressures and opportunities at school

Discussion

The survey showed support for the hypothesis that feeling developmentally supported through opportunities for meaningful roles, safety and both academic and creative engagement is associated with school connectedness.Focus

groups helped to explain these relationships and suggested that institutional policies and practices as well as perceived academic pressure may also

contribute to connectedness.Also both survey and focus group revealed differences by grade

such that older youth were more likely than their younger peers to perceive lower levels of school

connectedness and several perceived developmental support.