Janis L. Whitlock
Cornell University
Introduction

 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.
School Connectedness

 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.
CONT

 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.
Contextual conditions that promote
school connectedness

 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.
Study Aim

 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
CONT

 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.
procedure

 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.
Survey measures

 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.
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 Variables
Single 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 analysis

survey data were examined first through
Survey Date
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 connectedness
Results 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

Discussion

 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
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.
