Relations among school assets, individual resilience, and student engagement for youth grouped by level of family functioning

Student resilience to COVID-19-related school disruptions: The value of historic school engagement

Does historic school engagement buffer the threats of disrupted schooling - such as those associated with the widespread COVID-19-related school closures - to school engagement equally for female and male high school students? This article responds to that pressing question. To do so, it reports a study that was conducted in 2018 and 2020 with the same sample of South African students (n = 172; 66.30% female; average age in 2020: 18.13). A moderated moderation model of the 2018 and 2020 data showed that historic levels of school engagement buffered the negative effects of disrupted schooling on subsequent school engagement (R² = .43, β = -5.09, p < .05). This protective effect was significant for girl students at moderate and high levels of historic school engagement, but not at lower levels of historic school engagement. Disrupted schooling did not significantly affect school engagement for male students at any level of historic school engagement. In addition, student perceptions of teacher kindness were associated with higher school engagement and having experienced an adverse event at school with lower school engagement. The results point to the importance of facilitating school engagement and enabling school environments - also when schooling is disrupted.

A factor analytic approach to understanding health risk behaviors and resilience among multi-racial/ethnic adolescents in New Mexico

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the factor validity of health risk behaviors and resilience indicators and their covariation across a large racially/ethnically diverse adolescent population.

DESIGN

The study subsample (47% Hispanic, 31% White Non-Hispanic, 17% American Indian) was derived from the 2013 New Mexico Youth Risk Resilience Survey (YRRS; N-19,033). We conducted a confirmatory factor analysis on the 6 health risk domains identified by the CDC as contributing most to adolescent morbidity/mortality: (1) cigarette use, (2) alcohol and other illicit drug use, (3) marijuana use, (4) sexual activity, (5) nutrition habits, and (6) physical activity.

RESULTS

A 4-factor CFA model of adolescent health risk behaviors was replicated, and a hypothesized 6-factor structure based on behaviors that contribute most to adolescent morbidity/mortality was confirmed. The pattern of covarying risk behaviors differed by Hispanic, Native American, and Non-Hispanic White groups. We also confirmed a single external resilience-interference factor (decreased parental support, low school/community engagement, negative peer associations) that positively correlated with all six risk behaviors.

CONCLUSION

This study described the structure of adolescent health risk behaviors within a context of psychosocial resilience for American Indian and Hispanic adolescents in contrast to Non-Hispanic White adolescents. Our findings provided evidence for the construct validity of six health-risk behavior dimensions within a large racially/ethnically diverse adolescent sample, which reveal different patterns of loadings, degrees of model fit, and factor inter-correlations across the three racial/ethnic groups. Patterns of covarying risk behaviors differed in strength and direction by racial/ethnic group. Results suggest that interventions should target multiple behaviors and be tailored for different racial/ethnic groups. Targeting health risk and resilience indicators supports the use of multi-level health interventions at the individual, school, family, and community level by identifying individuals based on external resilience scores.

English as a Foreign Language Learners' Well-Being and Their Academic Engagement: The Mediating Role of English as a Foreign Language Learners' Self-Efficacy

Well-being is a crucial necessity within the educational setting that is also taken into account as a central aspect of people's inclination in the subject of positive psychology (PP) study which is vital for the learners' affective equilibrium and proper development and improvement. Likewise, learners' engagement has been demonstrated to have a fundamental function in education. A great amount of attention has been given to this concept and its possible indicators because of its role at the core of learners' educational achievement. Alternatively, it is commonly maintained that self-efficacy has turned into a significant mental concept enhancing the educational cycle and educational presentation that influences learners' decisions regarding their educational assignment and manners and their way of thinking and feeling when it comes to education. This review attempts to survey the role of learners' self-efficacy as a mediator on their well-being and academic engagement. In conclusion, some suggestions and commendations have been proposed for language-teaching participants in scholastic situations.

The Contributing Role of Family, School, and Peer Supportive Relationships in Protecting the Mental Wellbeing of Children and Adolescents

Globally, mental disorders are the leading cause of disability in children and adolescents. Previous research has demonstrated that supportive relationships are a key protective factor against poor mental health in children, particularly amongst those who have experienced adversity. However, fewer studies have examined the relative impact of different types of supportive relationships. The current study examined the association between level of family adult support, school adult support, and school peer support and mental wellbeing in a sample of children (age 8-15 years, N = 2,074) from schools in the UK. All three sources of support were independently associated with mental wellbeing. Analyses demonstrated a graded relationship between the number of sources of support and the odds of low mental wellbeing (LMWB), reflecting a cumulative protective effect. While all three sources of support were best, it was not vital, and analyses demonstrated a protective effect of school sources of support on LMWB amongst children with low family support. Peer support was found to be particularly important, with prevalence of LMWB similar amongst children who had high peer support (but low family and school adult support), and those who had high family and school adult support, (but low peer support), indicating that high peer support has an equivalent impact of two other protective factors. Findings from the study highlight the crucial context schools provide in fostering positive peer relationships and supportive teacher-student relationships to promote mental health and resilience for all children, including both those with and without supportive home environments.

Toward the Impact of EFL Teachers' Self-Efficacy and Collective Efficacy on Students' Engagement

Given the centrality of students' engagement in their academic success, considerable attention has been paid to this construct and its potential predictors. Notwithstanding, a limited number of studies have focused on the role of teacher self- and collective efficacy as antecedents of student engagement. Further, no review study has been carried out to illustrate the impact of EFL teacher' efficacy on learning engagement. Hence, the current study intends to review the previous studies conducted on this topic to probe into the beneficial effects of EFL teachers' sense of efficacy on students' academic engagement. The predictability power of EFL teachers' self- and collective efficacy was confirmed through empirical and theoretical evidence. The conclusion and pedagogical implications of the finding are also discussed.

The Role of School-based Group Mentoring in Promoting Resilience among Vulnerable High School Students

This study examined the role of participation in a year-long school-based group mentoring program, Project Arrive (PA), on increasing resilience during the first year of high school among students identified as being at high risk for school dropout. Participants were 114, ninth grade students taking part in one of 32 PA mentoring groups, and 71 statistically matched comparison students (53% male, 75% eligible for free/reduced-price lunch, 62% Latinx). Using a propensity score with inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) to reduce selection bias, and a multi-level model to account for non-independence of data within mentoring groups, we examined changes from pre-test to program exit on seven external resilience resources (developmental supports and opportunities) and four internal resilience assets (personal strengths). At program exit, PA participants had higher adjusted means than comparisons on six external resources, including school support, school belonging, school meaningful participation, peer caring relationships, prosocial peers, and home meaningful participation. PA participants also had higher adjusted means on one internal asset, problem solving. Results point to the promise of group mentoring as an approach for increasing resilience among academically vulnerable adolescents.

Engajamento escolar: Efeito do suporte dos pais, professores e pares na adolescência

Resumo Este trabalho investigou a contribuição do suporte social da família, professores e pares para o engajamento escolar. Participaram 504 adolescentes, com idade média de 15,88 (DP=0,88) matriculados no ensino médio de escolas públicas. Os instrumentos foram Questionário Sociodemográfico, Brazilian Delaware Student Engagement Scale, Social Support Appraisals e Delaware School Climate Survey. Os resultados oriundos das análises de regressão hierárquica indicaram queo suporte dos professores contribuiu de forma destacada para a explicação da variância no engajamento emocional e comportamental/cognitivo. O suporte da família se mostrou preditora penas para o engajamento comportamental/cognitivo. O suporte dos pares mostrou capacidade explicativapara ambos os tipos de engajamento, depois de considerada conjuntamente a influência do suporte da família e professores. Conclui-se que o suporte social parece influenciar de forma distinta o engajamento cognitivo/comportamental e emocional. O entendimento mais aprofundado do engajamento escolar pode favorecer a realização de intervenções melhor fundamentadas no contexto escolar.

A Comparison of Goal Setting and Reputational Orientations of African Adolescents From Refugee Backgrounds in Intensive English Centers and Mainstream Secondary School Classrooms

We compared the goals, reputations and behaviours of three groups: African adolescents from refugee backgrounds in Australian Intensive English Centres (IEC), African adolescents who have transitioned from an IEC into mainstream schooling, and Australian mainstream adolescents. We posit the need for African adolescents from refugee backgrounds to identify with the dominant social group within the IEC and mainstream settings is important for the goals they set, the reputations they choose, and the manner in which they pursue them. To this end, we conducted a cross sectional comparison through Reputation Enhancing Goals Theory, an approach congruent with sociocultural adaptation. We found African adolescents in IEC contexts set academic goals associated with a conforming reputation, whereas African adolescents in mainstream schooling set social goals associated with a non-conforming reputation. Australian mainstream students had an equal split between academic and social goals and conforming/non-conforming reputations. Each of the three groups indulged in behaviours congruent with the goals set and reputation sought. A series of multiple-mediation models revealed significant indirect effects on a number of variables via School Connectedness, Control over most important goal, and to a lesser extent Goals. African adolescents in mainstream schooling attempt to adapt to another dominant culture (i.e., mainstream peers) on transitioning from IEC, but face confusion about who they are and who they wish to be. The implications for adolescents from African refuge backgrounds is, that while placing them in IECs for up to two years is laudable, further support is needed when they transition to mainstream schooling.

Potencial resiliente en familias con adolescentes que consumen y no consumen alcohol

La adolescencia es un periodo crítico para el inicio y desarrollo de las adicciones. Para los padres de familia cada vez son más comunes las adversidades relacionadas con el consumo de alcohol de sus hijos adolescentes y las consecuencias para el desarrollo de estos. El propósito de esta investigación fue establecer si el funcionamiento familiar predice el potencial resiliente de padres con hijos adolescentes que consumen o no consumen alcohol. Participaron de manera voluntaria 140 padres y madres de familia con un hijo adolescente que presentaba un consumo riesgoso de alcohol y 187 padres y madres de familia con un adolescente que no consumía alcohol. Se aplicaron las escalas de Potencial Resiliente (García & García- Méndez, 2013) y Funcionamiento Familiar (García-Méndez, Rivera, Reyes-Lagunes, Díaz-Loving, 2006). Los resultados de las regresiones paso a paso indican que el Potencial Resiliente de los padres y madres de familia es predicho por los factores de Ambiente Familiar Positivo y Mando/Problemas en la Expresión de las Emociones de la Escala de Funcionamiento Familiar.

Developing a comprehensive school connectedness scale for program evaluation

BACKGROUND

Evidence show that school connectedness is important to youth wellness. However, considerable inconsistency in the concepts and measures of school connectedness exists across studies. In addition, many measures do not capture the multifaceted dimensions of the school connectedness construct. This study examined the psychometric properties of a school connectedness scale that aimed to measure comprehensively the key constructs of school connectedness.

METHODS

The scale was developed with teachers and tested with an ethnically diverse sample of 717 high school students enrolled in a school connectedness course using confirmatory factor analysis.

RESULTS

Confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated the association of the 15 items with the 5 factors identified in the literature-school involvement, academic motivation, school attachment, teacher support, and peer relations (χ(2) = 439.99, df = 83, p < .0001, Comparative Fit Index = 0.991, Tucker-Lewis index = 0.988, root mean square error of approximation = 0.077). Cronbach coefficient alphas for the factors ranged from 0.73 to 0.93.

CONCLUSIONS

Although further tests need to be conducted to assess its validity and reliability, this newly developed scale may provide researchers a tool to measure comprehensively school connectedness for program evaluation.

Resource factors for mental health resilience in early childhood: An analysis with multiple methodologies

BACKGROUND

Given that relatively little is known about the development of resilience in early childhood, this longitudinal study aimed to identify preschool resource factors associated with young children's mental health resilience to family adversity.

METHODS

A community sample of 474 young Australian children was assessed in preschool (mean age 4.59 years, 49% male), and again two years later after their transition into formal schooling. At each assessment, standard questionnaires were used to obtain ratings from both parents and teachers about the quality of children's relationships with parents and teachers, children's self-concept and self-control, mental health (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire), and family adversities (including stressful life events and socioeconomic disadvantage).

RESULTS

Greater exposure to cumulative family adversities was associated with both greater teacher- and parent-reported child mental health difficulties two years later. Multiple methodologies for operationalizing resilience were used to identify resources associated with resilient mental health outcomes. Higher quality child-parent and child-teacher relationships, and greater child self-concept and self-control were associated with resilient mental health outcomes. With the exception of child-teacher relationships, these resources were also prospective antecedents of subsequent resilient mental health outcomes in children with no pre-existing mental health difficulties. Child-parent relationships and child self-concept generally had promotive effects, being equally beneficial for children facing both low- and high-adversity. Child self-control demonstrated a small protective effect on teacher-reported outcomes, with greater self-control conferring greater protection to children under conditions of high-adversity.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that early intervention and prevention strategies that focus on fostering child-adult relationship quality, self-concept, and self-control in young children may help build children's mental health and their resilience to family adversities.

The Role of School Engagement in Strengthening Resilience among Male Street Children

Globally, considerable numbers of at-risk children continue to disengage from school by dropping out and adopting street life for various reasons. These children survive in environments that are devoid of resilience-promoting resources. In South Africa, non-governmental organisations accommodate street children in shelters and send them to schools. This qualitative South African study examined whether or not school engagement strengthened resilience among male school-going street children in residential care. We conducted three semi-structured focus group interviews with the street children who volunteered participation in this study. The study involved 17 street children aged between 11 and 17 years. The participants had lived on the streets for periods ranging from three months to five years. The participants were in Grades 6–11. The transcribed interviews were thematically analysed. The findings showed that school engagement strengthened resilience among the participants by promoting pro-social change, future orientation, opportunities for support, learning of basic skills and restoration of childhood. The findings show researchers, health-care and educational practitioners that through school engagement, schools can expose street children to healthy and supportive social and academic environments in order to enable them to regain their childhoods, remain in school and function resiliently. The findings therefore, reconfirmed school engagement as a powerful, multifaceted resilience-promoting resource even for children with street life experiences.

Resilience and patterns of health risk behaviors in California adolescents

OBJECTIVES

Assess whether adolescent health risk behaviors cluster, and whether resiliency factors are associated with observed clusters.

METHODS

The cross-sectional population-weighted 2003 California Health Interview Survey was used (N=4010). Four gender-specific clusters were based on smoking, alcohol use, low fruit/vegetables consumption, and physical inactivity. Resiliency factors included parental supervision, parental support, role model presence and adolescent mental health. Conditional regression was used to measure the association of individual health risk behaviors and clusters with resiliency factors.

RESULTS

Health risk behaviors clustered as follows: "Salutary Adherents" (no reported health risk behaviors), "Active Snackers" (physically active, low fruit/vegetable consumers), "Sedentary Snackers" (physically inactive, low fruit/vegetable consumers), and "Risk Takers" (smokers, alcohol users, many also physically inactive and low fruit/vegetable consumers). Greater parental supervision was associated with lower odds of being in unhealthful clusters. Among males, having greater parental support reduced odds of being an "Active Snacker" or "Sedentary Snacker." Among females, role model presence reduced odds of being in unhealthful clusters, while depressiveness increased the odds.

CONCLUSIONS

Health promoting interventions should address multiple health risk behaviors in an integrated fashion. Gender-specific, ethnically-targeted, family-centered strategies that address parenting, particularly parental supervision would be useful. Addressing depressiveness may be especially important for female adolescents.