Multilevel Analysis of the Relationship between School Community Member Relationships and Students' Cognitive Competencies : A Comparative Study of Korea and the United States

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Abstract

This study examines relationships between school community member relationships and students' cognitive competencies in Korea and the United States using PISA 2022 data. Multilevel analyses of 6,931 Korean students (186 schools) and 4,552 American students (154 schools) investigated student-student and student-teacher relationships' associations with reading, mathematics, and science achievement. Student-teacher relationships showed universal positive associations across all cognitive domains in both countries. However, student-student relationships demonstrated cultural variations: negative associations with reading in Korea, but positive associations with mathematics in the United States. Most concerning, positive school relationships amplified ESCS-based achievement gaps in the United States but not Korea. Findings highlight how educational relationships' equity implications vary across cultural contexts, necessitating culturally responsive policies that balance universal principles with context-specific strategies.

Authors

• Jiyoung Kang, Seoul National University

• Moonyoung Eom, Seoul National University