The role of school connectedness in the link between family involvement with child protective services and adolescent adjustment

Hayley Hamilton, PhD

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

This presentation is based on the following publication: Hamilton, H.A., Wekerle, C., Paglia-Boak, A., Mann, R.E. (In press). The role of school connectedness in the link between family involvement with child protective services and adolescent adjustment. Advances in Mental Health.

Background

Early adversity has long-term effects on psychological distress and risk behaviours.

The circumstances that may contribute to CPS involvement may extend to multiple children within a household.

A broader approach that examines a history of family involvement may further highlight later effects.

School Connectedness

Schools may enhance risk, but may also serve a protective role

School connectedness is the belief among students that teachers and other adults within the school care about them as individuals and about their learning (Wingspread Declaration on School Connections, 2004)

Research suggests that stronger school connectedness is associated with fewer psychological and behavioural problems

CPS Involvement & School Connectedness

Youth with experiences of adversity within the home may lack a strong sense of family belonging, thus strong connections to schools may be of significant value.

Schools are a practical alternative for youth seeking connections and a sense of belonging.

Research on CPS involvement and school factors tend to focus on academic performance.

Research Objectives

History of family

involvement with CPS

Psychological distressDelinquency

School connectedness

Sample

2009 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS)

conducted every 2 years since 1977 making it the longest ongoing school survey in Canada, and the 2nd longest internationally

sampling stratified by region

2-stage cluster sample (school, class)

surveyed students in grades 7 to 12 in public and Catholic schools

active parental consent procedure used

over-sampling in Northern Ontario, and 6 public health regions

the sample is representative of over 1 million Ontario students

Measures: Mental health and behaviour

Psychological distress = the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (Goldberg, 1972)

Delinquency = number of delinquent acts (out of 14)

Measure: CPS Involvement

“Have you or your family ever been involved with any Children’s Aid Society?”

Response choices = yes, no, don’t know

Measure: School connectedness

Composite of two items:1. “I feel close to people at this school”2. “I feel like I am part of this school”

Items are part of a social belonging measure developed by Bollen & Hoyle (1991)

Responses provided on a 4-point scale ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree

Measures: Control variables

Age

Gender

Parent structure

Parental education

Academic performance

Description of Sample

RESULTS: Psychological distress

Moderating role of school connectedness

RESULTS: Delinquency

Summary

Youth with histories of family involvement with CPS reported greater symptoms of psychological distress and greater delinquent acts.

Youth with strong connections to school may be able to reduce the long-term risk of psychological distress that may accompany CPS involvement.

Strong connections to school was not associated with lower delinquency among youth with CPS involvement.

Limitations

The nature of involvement with CPS is unknown because the question did not ask directly about abuse or neglect.

Not all youth knew whether or not their families had a history of involvement with CPS.

Cross-sectional data only

Implications

Stronger school connectedness appears to promote resilience and may help to protect youth from cumulative risks.

Schools may be a good base from which to target interventions aimed at youth with family adversity.

Improving school connectedness on a broader scale would also aid the many children and youth who experience adversities but do not come in contact with CPS.