Dealing with the day‐to‐day: Harnessing school climate to address the effects of student victimization on academic performance

Abstract

Research suggests that parents and principals perceive school shootings as one of the leading threats to school safety and among the most likely hazardous events that would affect safety at school. However, exposure to nonfatal victimization, such as fighting, threats, theft, vandalism, bullying, hate crimes, and gang activity, has become far more common in today's schools. Using data from students in eight schools across one urban school district in the northeast United States, this study examines within‐school differences in the relationships among student‐level indicators of victimization, school climate, and academic outcomes, with an exploratory focus on interactions of school climate with victimization in predicting different academic outcomes. Results suggest student victimization was negatively associated with school connectedness (Engagement). However, students who reported feeling more connected to their school had significantly higher attendance rates, reported less victimization, and improved academic performance. Results also indicated that students' connectedness impacted the relationship between victimization and academic performance; the association between victimization and academic performance was positive for students who felt less connected to their school, and negative for students who reported more connection to their school. Findings are discussed within the context of promoting student access to, and engagement in, targeted behavioral supports and interventions.

The effect of peer bullying on academic achievement: A meta‐analysis study related to results of TIMSS and PIRLS

“…As noted by Chaux (2012), victim students experience negative emotions, such as stress and anxiety at school, which might contribute to maladjustment to the school environment (Nansel et al, 2003). The fear of exposure to peer bullying also negatively affects school attendance (Cuellar et al, 2021; Jan & Husain, 2015; Smith et al, 2004) due to feelings of unsafety (Esbensen & Carson, 2009; Nazir & Bala, 2018; Rigby, 2007). Schwartz et al (2005) found that victim students may develop negative attitudes toward school, leading to absenteeism, missed lessons and homework, and reduced engagement in social activities after school.…”

“…This study aims to compare victim students with non‐bullied peers in terms of their achievement in TIMSS and PIRLS exams and to identify potential moderators of the relationship between peer bullying and academic achievement. Previous research on the effect of peer bullying on academic achievement has been primarily limited to data obtained from nonstandardized achievement tests or the standardized achievement of specific countries (see Carrasco et al, 2022; Cuellar et al, 2021; Engel et al, 2009; Huang, 2022; Yu & Zhao, 2021) or individual studies or nonstandard test scores (Fry et al, 2018; Glew et al, 2005; Strøm et al, 2013). This prevalent problem has rarely been discussed in South‐Eastern Europe and East Asian countries (Benbenishty & Astor, 2019).…”

“…The inconsistency in research about the relationship between peer bullying and academic achievement can be attributed to differences in research instruments and sampling methods (Nakamoto & Schwartz, 2010). More research, therefore, is needed to examine this relationship by using data obtained from international and standardized evaluation processes rather than self‐assessment of the achievement, nonstandardized achievement tests, or the standardized achievement of specific countries (see Carrasco et al, 2022; Cuellar et al, 2021; Engel et al, 2009; Huang, 2022; Kelmendi et al, 2023; Yu & Zhao, 2021).…”

Securing Schools? Examining the Longitudinal Relationships Between Student Behavior and Engagement With Security Measures in Urban School Systems

“…Students who perpetrate violence in school are at increased likelihood to drop out of high school, particularly among disadvantaged male youths (Staff & Kreager, 2008). In general, adolescent exposure to violence and peer delinquency is associated with greater health risk behaviors, poor mental health outcomes and lower high school performance and retention rates (Boynton-Jarrett et al, 2012; Cuellar, Coyle & Weinreb, 2021). Moreover, exposure to violence and maladaptive student behavior in school has been linked to aggression, particularly among secondary school youth (O’Keefe, 1997).…”