More Than Academics: How Student Support Services Shape School Attitudes

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 7:45 am - Gold 4
  In Roundtable Session: Cultivating Connection: How Supportive Environments Promote Whole-Child Development

Abstract

Students’ attitudes toward school are crucial predictors of academic and developmental outcomes, yet few studies examine how school-based interventions influence those attitudes. This study investigates the relationship between integrated student support (ISS) and students’ perceptions of school. Drawing on data from schools implementing the City Connects model, we explore how ISS enhances opportunities for prosocial involvement and educator-student interactions—key pathways that shape students’ sense of belonging and connection. Structural equation modeling suggests that ISS increases recognition from educators and affiliation with prosocial peers, which in turn fosters more positive attitudes toward school. Findings underscore the broader role of ISS in supporting students’ emotional engagement and provide new insights into how supportive environments promote whole-child development.

Authors

• Xiaohan Qian, Boston College

• Yan Leigh, Boston College

• Eric Dearing, Boston College

• Mary Elizabeth Walsh, Boston College