Diggs, Devin, Deniz, Emre and Toseeb, Umar orcid.org/0000-0002-7536-2722 (2024) School Connectedness as a Protective Factor between Childhood Adversity and Adolescent Mental Health Outcomes. Development and psychopathology. ISSN 1469-2198
Abstract
School connectedness may offset mental health risks associated with childhood adversity. The present study examined the potential protective effects of school connectedness against childhood adversity when predicting adolescent mental health outcomes in 9,964 individuals (51% female, 81% white) from the Millennium Cohort Study. Structural equation models (SEMs) were fitted to examine the longitudinal relationships between childhood adversity, school connectedness, and adolescent mental health. Childhood adversity was a risk factor, predicting greater internalising and externalising problems and lower levels of positive mental health. School connectedness was a promotive factor as it predicted fewer mental health problems and greater positive mental health. Furthermore, school connectedness at age 11 was protective against childhood adversity when predicting internalising and externalising problems at age 14. That is, students with a history of adversity who felt more connected to school were less likely to exhibit internalising and externalising symptoms than those who felt less connected to school. Only school connectedness at age 11 was protective against childhood adversity, indicating that feeling connected to school at younger ages may disrupt processes linking childhood adversity to adolescent mental health. Schools should foster students’ feelings of connectedness to protect vulnerable individuals and benefit all pupils’ mental health.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © The Author(s), 2024. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Social Sciences (York) > Education (York) |
Depositing User: | Pure (York) |
Date Deposited: | 04 Dec 2024 12:40 |
Last Modified: | 23 Jan 2025 00:35 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579424001184 |
Status: | Published online |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1017/S0954579424001184 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:220469 |
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Description: School connectedness as a protective factor between childhood adversity and adolescent mental health outcomes
Licence: CC-BY 2.5