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Li M, Lu Z, Xu L. Influences of High School Physical Learning Environments on Students' Anxiety in China. HERD-HEALTH ENVIRONMENTS RESEARCH & DESIGN JOURNAL 2023; 16:187-205. [PMID: 37464584 DOI: 10.1177/19375867231187151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND High school students are at an increased risk of developing generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) due to significant pressure to achieve academic success. AIM Although it is known that a school's physical learning environment can influence students' GAD, there is limited research examining this relationship. To fill this knowledge gap, a cross-sectional study was conducted among 230 students from two high schools in China. METHODS A survey questionnaire captured students' GAD self-evaluations (dependent variables), perceptions/preferences of their school physical environment (independent variables), and social and personal conditions (confounding variables). Bivariate analysis showed that students' GAD scores were associated with multiple factors related to the learning environment, physical activities, and personal characteristics. The multivariate analysis examined the relationship between GAD scores and physical learning environment variables while controlling for confounding variables. RESULTS The results indicated that adequate lighting (B = -0.154, p = .029) and perceived effectiveness of using self-service cafeterias in reducing anxiety (B = -0.138, p = .044) were significantly associated with GAD scores. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide evidence for the importance of designing high schools with students' mental health in mind. Specifically, school administrators and designers should consider how to improve the physical learning environment by incorporating natural light, a self-service cafeteria, and spaces for physical activities to promote students' mental well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengqi Li
- College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
- School of Architecture, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Zhipeng Lu
- School of Architecture, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Leiqing Xu
- College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
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Nguyen AJ, McDaniel H, Braun SS, Chen L, Bradshaw CP. Contextualizing the Association Between School Climate and Student Well-Being: The Moderating Role of Rurality. THE JOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH 2021; 91:463-472. [PMID: 33821509 PMCID: PMC10568539 DOI: 10.1111/josh.13026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In rural communities, understanding and improving school climate may benefit youth facing unique contextual challenges to well-being. As education research rarely focuses on rural schools, we aimed to examine school climate and student well-being with a particular focus on rural schools, compared to suburban schools. METHODS Cross-sectional survey data were collected from 62,265 students in 22 rural and 78 suburban Maryland middle and high schools. Student self-report data were collected on school climate (safety, engagement, and environment) as well as internalizing problems, behavior problems, stress, substance abuse, and future orientation. Multiple-group, multilevel models were fit to compare between rural and suburban schools. RESULTS On average, rural students reported significantly lower perceptions of safety and engagement than suburban students. Safety and engagement were generally associated with higher youth well-being. A number of moderated effects were observed, which generally suggested stronger associations between school-level climate-particularly engagement-and more positive outcomes for rural compared to suburban students. CONCLUSIONS Students' perceptions of safety and engagement were associated with student well-being, in some cases with stronger associations for rural students. These findings suggest that efforts to improve school climate may be particularly impactful for rural students.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda J Nguyen
- School of Education & Human Development, University of Virginia, 405 Emmet Street South, PO Box 400281, Charlottesville, VA, 22904
| | - Heather McDaniel
- School of Education & Human Development, University of Virginia, 405 Emmet Street South, PO Box 400281, Charlottesville, VA, 22904
| | - Summer S Braun
- School of Education & Human Development, University of Virginia, 405 Emmet Street South, PO Box 400281, Charlottesville, VA, 22904
| | - Lingjun Chen
- University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, PO Box 301402, Houston, TX, 77230
| | - Catherine P Bradshaw
- School of Education & Human Development, University of Virginia, 405 Emmet Street South, PO Box 400281, Charlottesville, VA, 22904
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Levesque RJR. In Memoriam: David B. Estell. J Youth Adolesc 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10964-019-01049-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Zhang D, Cui Y, Zhou Y, Cai M, Liu H. The Role of School Adaptation and Self-Concept in Influencing Chinese High School Students' Growth in Math Achievement. Front Psychol 2018; 9:2356. [PMID: 30555381 PMCID: PMC6282037 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
A longitudinal designed research study was conducted to provide empirical evidence regarding the influences of three dimensions of students’ school adaptation on their math achievement growth over the first year of high school. These dimensions included learning adaptation, stress management, and personal communication. Student math achievement growth was measured using the student growth percentile (SGP) score. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test for the possible mediating role of self-concept behind those three relationships. Based on the model comparison, it was discovered that school adaptation significantly and positively influences student math achievement growth via mediating effects of student academic self-concept, as opposed to showing a direct impact on students. The findings of this study have important implications for educators and parents to aid students in their pursuit of academic success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danhui Zhang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment toward Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yiran Cui
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment toward Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuan Zhou
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment toward Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Mengfei Cai
- Department of Psychology, West Virginia Wesleyan College, Buckhannon, WV, United States
| | - Hongyun Liu
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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Understanding Students' Transition to High School: Demographic Variation and the Role of Supportive Relationships. J Youth Adolesc 2017; 46:2129-2142. [PMID: 28776119 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-017-0716-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Accepted: 06/21/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The transition to high school is disruptive for many adolescents, yet little is known about the supportive relational processes that might attenuate the challenges students face as they move from middle to high school, particularly for students from more diverse backgrounds. Identifying potential buffers that protect youth across this critical educational transition is important for informing more effective support services for youth. In this study, we investigated how personal characteristics (gender, nativity, parent education level) and changes in support from family, friends, and school influenced changes in socioemotional adjustment and academic outcomes across the transition from middle to high school. The data were drawn from 252 students (50% females, 85% Latina/o). The results revealed declines in students' grades and increases in depressive symptoms and feelings of loneliness across the high school transition, with key variation by student nativity and gender. Additionally, stable/increasing friend support and school belonging were both linked to less socioemotional disruptions as students moved from middle to high school. Increasing/stable school belonging was also linked to increases in school engagement across the high school transition. These findings suggest that when high school transitions disrupt supportive relationships with important others in adolescents' lives, adolescents' socioemotional well-being and, to a lesser extent, their academic engagement are also compromised. Thus, in designing transition support activities, particularly for schools serving more low-income and race/ethnic minority youth, such efforts should strive to acclimate new high school students by providing inclusive, caring environments and positive connections with educators and peers.
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Smith ML, Mann MJ, Georgieva Z, Curtis R, Schimmel CJ. What Counts When it Comes to School Enjoyment and Aspiration in the Middle Grades. RMLE ONLINE: RESEARCH IN MIDDLE LEVEL EDUCATION 2016; 39:1-13. [PMID: 29098057 PMCID: PMC5663305 DOI: 10.1080/19404476.2016.1226100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Young adolescents, and the middle level educators who work with them, face many exciting but demanding challenges during this key period of development. According to stage-environment fit theory, the degree to which middle grades students perceive a good fit between their school environment and their needs impacts their academic and life outcomes. The authors endeavored to build on middle level research by studying the extent to which students' needs are supported by school environment factors and how this "fit" relates to two academic outcome variables: school enjoyment and aspiration. The sample consisted of middle grades students (N = 1,027) between the ages of 10 and 14. Hierarchical logistic regression analyses were conducted. After controlling for age, ethnicity, and gender, four subscales (Social Skills Needs, Mental Health Needs, Academic and Career Needs, and School Support) were entered as potential predictors. Both models were significant and accounted for ~20% of the variance. This study suggests that middle level educators, counselors, and administrators may benefit from considering ways to enhance the match between students' and the middle grades' learning environment, especially by considering non-academic factors as a way to provide indirect, but powerful, support for academic and life success.
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Milam AJ, Furr-Holden CDM, Cooley-Strickland MC, Bradshaw CP, Leaf PJ. Risk for exposure to alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs on the route to and from school: the role of alcohol outlets. PREVENTION SCIENCE : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR PREVENTION RESEARCH 2014; 15:12-21. [PMID: 23408286 DOI: 10.1007/s11121-012-0350-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Despite the national push encouraging children to walk to school, little work has been done to examine what hazards children encounter on the route to school. This study examined the association between the presence of alcohol outlets on children's route to school and perceived safety on the route to school as well as exposure to alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs (ATOD). Data come from a community-based epidemiological study of 394 urban elementary school students. Participants' residential address, school location, and alcohol outlet data were geocoded and the route to school was mapped. The route to school layer and the geocoded alcohol outlet data were joined to determine the number of alcohol outlets children pass on the route to school. Logistic regression models estimated the association between the presence of alcohol outlets on the route to school, alcohol and drug exposure, and self-reported safety. Children with an alcohol outlet on the route to school were more likely to be offered ATOD (OR = 2.20, p = 0.02) as well as be exposed to drug selling (OR = 1.72, p = 0.02) and seeing people using drugs (OR = 1.93, p = 0.02). After adjusting for individual-level variables, the relationship between presence of alcohol outlets and being offered ATOD and seeing people using drugs remained significant. However, after adjusting for individual-level control variables and a proxy for the larger neighborhood context, the association between the presence of alcohol outlets and exposure to ATOD was no longer significant. As national campaigns are encouraging children to walk to school, it is essential to consider what children are exposed to on the route to school.
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Affiliation(s)
- A J Milam
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, 8th floor, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA,
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Singh AA. The Use of Popular Opinion Leader (POL) Groups and the Reduction of “Gay Bullying” in Middle School: A Case Study Inquiry of Group Leader Experiences. JOURNAL FOR SPECIALISTS IN GROUP WORK 2013. [DOI: 10.1080/01933922.2013.800177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Farmer TW, Hamm JV, Lane KL, Lee D, Sutherland KS, Hall CM, Murray RA. Conceptual Foundations and Components of a Contextual Intervention to Promote Student Engagement During Early Adolescence: The Supporting Early Adolescent Learning and Social Success (SEALS) Model. JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSULTATION 2013. [DOI: 10.1080/10474412.2013.785181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Teachers' attunement to students' peer group affiliations as a source of improved student experiences of the school social–affective context following the middle school transition. JOURNAL OF APPLIED DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.appdev.2010.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Petrin RA, Farmer TW, Meece JL, Byun SY. Interpersonal competence configurations, attachment to community, and residential aspirations of rural adolescents. J Youth Adolesc 2011; 40:1091-105. [PMID: 21720860 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-011-9690-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2011] [Accepted: 06/17/2011] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Adolescents who grow-up in rural areas often experience a tension between their attachment to the rural lifestyle afforded by their home community and a competing desire to gain educational, social, and occupational experiences that are only available in metropolitan areas. While these diverging pressures are well-documented, there is little information about linkages between rural high school students' views of their communities, their postsecondary aspirations, and their school adjustment. To address this issue, this study examined perceptions of community and residential aspirations in an ethnically diverse sample of 8,754 rural adolescents (51.5% female) in relationship to their competence and risk status in high school. Participants were from 73 rural high schools across 34 states. In addition, ratings on participants' school adjustment were provided by teachers (n = 667). High competence students (i.e., those in configurations of high positive and low negative teacher-rated characteristics) expressed positive perceptions of their rural lifestyle and many, particularly girls, indicated an interest in staying in or returning to their home community. Low competence youth (i.e., those in configurations of low positive and high negative teacher-rated characteristics) appeared to be less connected to their community and were more likely to express their intent to leave and not return. These results appear to qualify current concerns about "rural brain drain" and also suggest that the lack of attachment to the community may be a compounding risk factor for rural adolescents who have significant school adjustment problems.
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Benner AD. The Transition to High School: Current Knowledge, Future Directions. EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW 2011; 23:299-328. [PMID: 21966178 DOI: 10.1007/s10648-011-9152-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
In the American educational system, school transitions are frequent and predictable, but they can disrupt student functioning across developmental domains. How students experience school transitions has been a focus of research for some time, but the high school transition has received less attention, and the limited research often focuses on a particular developmental domain (e.g., academics and socioemotional well-being) to the exclusion of a more integrated model. This review relies on life course theory to establish an organizational framework for interpreting and connecting the diffuse and sometimes disparate findings on the high school transition, including adolescent developmental trajectories and the influence of social ties, changing sociocultural contexts, and stratification systems. Conclusions identify aspects for future inquiry suggested by current knowledge and the tenets of the life course perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aprile D Benner
- Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
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Stability and change in rural youths' educational outcomes through the middle and high school years. J Youth Adolesc 2010; 40:1077-90. [PMID: 21140200 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-010-9614-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2010] [Accepted: 11/19/2010] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
There is a dearth of literature that examines rural youths' school transition and adaptation over the middle and high school years. Given rural education challenges, this study examines rural youths' developmental trajectories of self-reported grades and affective and behavioral educational outcomes (i.e., school belonging, value of education, school misbehavior, and extracurricular activity participation). The cohort-sequential study consisted of 3,312 African American and White youth (50% female) who were surveyed over three and a half years, including the transition to high school. The results reveal significant changes in the outcomes from sixth to twelfth grade. For example, on average, school misbehavior increased over time while perceived school belonging decreased over time. Gender and race differences emerged; African American youth reported placing higher importance on education and less participation in school activities than White youth. The discussion focuses on the importance of examining rural adolescents' educational pathways during the high school transition.
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Supportive school climate and student willingness to seek help for bullying and threats of violence. J Sch Psychol 2010; 48:533-53. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jsp.2010.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 220] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2009] [Revised: 07/12/2010] [Accepted: 07/30/2010] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Robertson DL, Farmer TW, Fraser MW, Day SH, Duncan T, Crowther A, Dadisman KA. Interpersonal competence configurations and peer relations in early elementary classrooms: Perceived popular and unpopular aggressive subtypes. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL DEVELOPMENT 2009. [DOI: 10.1177/0165025409345074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Social relations of second grade students (247 boys, 290 girls) were examined in rural elementary classrooms. Cluster analysis of teacher ratings was used to identify interpersonal competence configurations including perceived unpopular-aggressive (i.e., Troubled ) and perceived popular-aggressive (i.e., Tough) subtypes for both boys and girls. Troubled children tended to have rejected status and were more likely to be either socially isolated or members of peer groups that did not contain popular classmates. Tough children were perceived by peers as being socially prominent (i.e., popular, cool, leaders) and they tended to associate with perceived popular peers. Tough boys had elevated levels of rejected or controversial sociometric status while Tough girls were distributed at expected levels across sociometric status classifications. The implications for intervention are discussed.
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Farmer TW, Xie H. Aggression and school social dynamics: The good, the bad, and the ordinary. J Sch Psychol 2007. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jsp.2007.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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