Connectedness to family, school, peers, and community in socially vulnerable adolescents

Abstract

Youth who feel connected to people and institutions in their communities may be buffered from other risk factors in their lives. As a result, increasing connectedness has been recommended as a prevention strategy. In this study, we examined connectedness among 224 youth (ages 12–15), recruited from an urban medical emergency department, who were at elevated risk due to bullying perpetration or victimization, or low social connectedness. Regression analyses examined multiple domains of connectedness (family, school, peer, community) in relation to adjustment. Youth who felt more connected to parents reported lower levels of depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, non-suicidal self-injury, and conduct problems, higher self-esteem and more adaptive use of free time. Youth who felt more connected to their school reported lower levels of depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, social anxiety, and sexual activity, as well as higher levels of self-esteem and more adaptive use of free time. Community connectedness was associated with less social anxiety but more sexual activity, and peer connectedness was not related to youth adjustment in this unique sample. Findings suggest that family and school connectedness may buffer youth on a trajectory of risk, and may therefore be important potential targets for early intervention services.

Social guidance and counselling support services on the study habits of distance learners: A case of learners in Bachelor of Education programmes by distance learning of University of Nairobi, Kenya

“…The implication was that social guidance and counselling was seen to positively influence development of self-esteem that helps distance learners set personal study goals. This finding supports the finding of Foster et al (2017) that when learners feel less valued socially, they may not set personal study goals. Indicator (7) "Social guidance and counselling has helped me to develop positive attitude towards study" had a mean of 3.32 and a standard deviation of 1.32.…”

Problematic Social Media Use and Social Connectedness in Adolescence: The Mediating and Moderating Role of Family Life Satisfaction

“…In addition, PSMU can directly cause a decrease in social connectedness (McIntyre et al 2015;Pitmann and Reich 2016;Yao and Zhong 2014). Consequently, in a small study of adolescents (n = 224), Foster et al (2017) concluded that family connectedness protects adolescents against various psychological problems. Therefore, family life satisfaction appears to strengthen social connectedness and reduce PSMU.…”

Susceptibility to peer influence during middle school: Links with social support, peer harassment, and gender

“…Recent research suggests that support from different relationship contexts has differential impacts on individual well‐being (Lee & Goldstein, ; Pössel et al, ), with the implications of specific sources of support varying depending on specific outcomes. During adolescence, perceptions of support from family and school are both particularly important in individual development and well‐being (e.g., Barrera & Li, ; Foster et al, ). Additional research shows that middle school youth classified as bullies or victims (or bully/victims) perceive lower levels of support as compared with their peers who are less involved in these behaviors (Malecki & Demaray, ), and that social support can function as a buffer regarding the deleterious link between peer victimization and symptoms of internalizing problems (Davidson & Demaray, ).…”

“…Recent research suggests that support from different relationship contexts has differential impacts on individual well-being (Lee & Goldstein, 2016;Pössel et al, 2018), with the implications of specific sources of support varying depending on specific outcomes. During adolescence, perceptions of support from family and school are both particularly important in individual development and well-being (e.g., Barrera & Li, 1996;Foster et al, 2017).…”