Fairness of school rules, self-regulation and academic engagement among Brazilian children

• In Event: Poster Session 12
  In Poster Session: PS 12 Topic - Education, Schooling

Abstract

Rationale: Perceiving fairness in the school environment, with practices based on justice, trust and predictability of the system, has been associated with a host of positive outcomes, including the development of a growth mindset, which results in adequate responses to academic challenges, such as self-regulation, and greater engagement in school activities. In this process, is necessary to develop confidence in the students' relationship with school authorities. However, Brazil lives a period defined as "crisis of authority", from a trajectory of lack of confidence in the figures of authorities. It is necessary to expand this reflection also to the school environment, to analyze how the rules are established and viewed by students, do they influence the development of children's self-regulation and academic engagement? The current study examined how self-regulation can mediate the association between fairness of school rules with and cognitive-behavioral academic engagement in elementary school.

Method: Participants were 5,582 children from 60 elementary schools in Brazil (Mage = 9.96, S.D. = 1,005; 50,3% male). A self-report survey was administered, including measures of cognitive-behavioral academic engagement (e.g.: “I work hard at school”; ɑ=.73), fairness of school rules (e.g: “school rules are fair”; ɑ=.74), and self-regulation (e.g: “I have a lot of patience”; ɑ=.64) assessed through an adapted version of the VIA-Youth. A path analysis was performed to examine how the relationship between the fairness of school rules and cognitive-behavioral engagement is associated to self-regulation.

Results: Results showed that all associations were positive and statistically significant, and fairness of school rules was correlated to self-regulation (r=0.39) and academic engagement (r=0.44). Self-regulation was also associated with academic engagement (r=0.28). The mediation model was significant, and self-regulation had an indirect effect as a mediator (B = 0.110, S.E. = 0.009, p < .001). Therefore, when people believe they are treated fairly and will be adequately compensated for their work, they use more self-regulatory strategies and are more likely to abide by the rules and work harder on academic activities. The perception of fair and predictable rules shapes the self-regulatory processes used to achieve goals, and this can shape successful outcomes.

Discussion: The findings of the current study further support the assertion that fairness of school rules plays a role in promoting self-regulation and academic engagement. It is an important precondition to establishing a trusting relationship with authorities, so students tend to believe will be treated fairly and their work will be adequately compensated, they develop more self-regulation strategies and are able to perform better and to be more engaged with school. Practical implications of the study involve the need to rethink the way rules are set at Brazilians schools, in order to enhance a perception of justice.

Authors

• Bianca Nicz Ricci, Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR)
  Presenting Author

• Josafá M. Da Cunha, Federal University of Parana
  Non-Presenting Author