Neighborhood Safety and the Mitigating Effects of Parental Expectations and School Climate on Academic Outcomes

• In Event: Roundtable Session 79
  In Roundtable Session: Parents, Families, and Academic Outcomes

Abstract

The present study is grounded in ecological theory and models of risk and resilience. The study examines the associations of neighborhood safety, parental expectations, and school climate with behavior and grades. In addition, it examines whether high parental expectations and a positive school climate moderate the effect of unsafe neighborhood environments. Middle school students (N=13,661) in 43 schools across four states completed the School Success Profile. Results indicate that neighborhood safety, parental expectations, and school climate dimensions have strong associations with grades and behavior. Parental expectations and school climate moderate the association between neighborhood safety and academic outcomes. The effect of neighborhood safety is reduced among students who report a positive climate and whose parents have high expectations.

Authors

• Laura Moon Hopson, The University of Alabama

• Hal A. Lawson, University at Albany - SUNY