Exploring the Relationship Between School Connectedness, Academic Self-Efficacy, Socio-Emotional Adjustment and Academic Achievement in a Sample of Urban Elementary Children

Introduction: The purpose of the study is to explore the relationship between school connectedness, academic self-efficacy, socio-emotional adjustment (SDQ) and achievement in a group of urban elementary school students.  Few studies have looked at these constructs in children below the age of ten. Studies (e.g., Loukas et al., 2006; Shochet et al., 2006) have found higher levels of school connectedness were related to fewer conduct problems in 10-14 year olds as well as correlated negatively with concurrent mental health symptoms (depression & anxiety) in 12-14 year olds. Also, children (ages 6-17) with attention and hyperactivity issues reported feeling rejected by their peers and having difficult relationships with their teachers. School connectedness has also been found to be a predictor of academic self-efficacy in African American high school students.  In turn, academic self-efficacy has been linked to several socio-emotional correlates: (a) lower levels of depressive symptoms in American Indian adolescents and (b) higher levels of prosocial means of goal attainment in 11 to 13 year olds. Furthermore, academic self-efficacy has been associated with academic achievement.  Hence, it would be logical to consider the possible relationship between school connectedness and academic self-efficacy, socio-emotional correlates (conduct problems, prosocial behavior, & emotional symptoms), and standardized achievement scores in a sample of urban elementary children. 

Methods: Approximately 200 2^nd to 5^th graders (ages 7-11; 54% boys; 46% girls) who attended afterschool programs in urban and some suburban areas of central Pennsylvania were given three measures: the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ; conduct problem, prosocial behavior, hyperactivity, and emotional symptoms), an academic self-efficacy scale, and a school connectedness scale. Standardized reading and math scores were also collected.

 Results: Data have been collected and we are in the process of running the analyses. The analyses will focus on the extent to which school connectedness relates to socioemotional correlates and academic performance, pathways suggested by preliminary analyses.  Path analyses will be conducted in which the exogenous variable will be school connectedness and (1) the endogenous variables will be academic self-efficacy and the four SDQ subscales or (2) the endogenous variables will be academic self-efficacy and achievement scores. Academic self-efficacy is predicted to influence either socioemotional functioning (SDQ), achievement or both. This model will be tested by gender and race (African American, Caucasian, & Hispanic). Goodness of fit indices (i.e., CFI, RMSEA, SRMR) will be reported as well as the total effect, including the direct and indirect effects.