Poster #87 - The role of Fairness and Recognition in adolescents’ sense of school belonging

• In Event: 2-110 - Poster Session 07
  In Poster Session: PS 07 Section - Education, Schooling

Integrative Statement

Sense of belonging refers to the connection and emotional identification with school and with people who are part of the school community (O’Neel & Fuligni, 2013). Its effects both direct and as a moderator on educational outcomes have been widely reported (Pittman & Richmond, 2007; Shochet, Smith, Furlong & Homel, 2011; Vaz et al., 2014). However, few studies have addressed the differential effects of the sense of belonging while considering other variables that also promote positive academic outcomes (Anderman, 2003; Chiu, Chow, McBride & Mol, 2015) such as school social climate. A recent meta-analysis showed that even tough school climate dimensions such as disciplinary procedures and school policies on equity and safety predict sense of belonging, other dimensions have not been addressed simultaneously to assess their differential effects (Allen, Vella-Brodick, Hattie & Waters, 2016).
The present study focuses on the sense of school belonging among adolescents as predicted by a positive school climate. Following the Self Determination Theory (Ryan & Deci, 2002), it is proposed that school social climates that adequately address adolescents’ needs of affiliation, autonomy, and competence will foster higher levels of sense of school belonging. The research questions that guide this study aim at testing the expected associations between these constructs, and in particular testing the relative contribution of different dimensions of school climate on sense of school belonging: fairness and participation in school, peer relations, student-teacher relations, and knowledge of school norms and regulations.
To answer these questions we used the data from the 2014 Chilean National Survey on Violence in School Setting (ISUC, 2014). This survey featured a sample of 33.647 7th to 12 graders (51.2% females, mean age = 14.8, SD = 2.11) from 754 schools, being representative of the Chilean national student population. We analyzed this data using multilevel hierarchical linear modeling.
First, evidence for the appropriateness of using multilevel modeling was found by showing variance at the school level (ICC = 0.10). As expected, all associations between the different school climate dimensions as perceived by students and sense of school belonging were positive and significant. However, a closer analysis of the standardized coefficients showed that the perception of fairness and recognition in school had the stronger effect on sense of school belonging, after controlling for gender and school phase (middle or high school, and school size and administrative dependency (public, private but subsidized or voucher school, or private).
Results are discussed in light of the Self Determination Theory. Implications for school interventions that may promote students’ connection and identification with their schools are also discussed.

Authors

• Yonatan Encina, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile
  Non-Presenting Author

• Christian Berger, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile
  Presenting Author