ERIC Number: EJ1424119
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024-Jun
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-4391
EISSN: EISSN-1746-1561
Available Date: N/A
Inequitable Changes in School Connectedness during the Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic in a Cohort of Canadian Adolescents
Karen A. Patte; Mahmood R. Gohari; Guy Faulkner; Richard E. Bélanger; Scott T. Leatherdale
Journal of School Health, v94 n6 p509-518 2024
Background: We examined whether subgroups of adolescents experienced disparate changes in school connectedness--a robust predictor of multiple health outcomes--from before the COVID-19 pandemic to the first full school year following pandemic onset. Methods: We used 2 waves of prospective survey data from 7178 students attending 41 Canadian secondary schools that participated during the 2019-2020 (T1; pre-COVID-19 onset) and 2020-2021 (T2; ongoing pandemic) school years. Fixed effects analyses tested differences in school connectedness changes by gender, race, bullying victimization, socioeconomic position, and school learning mode. Results: Relatively greater declines in school connectedness were reported by students that identified as females, were bullied, perceived their family to be less financially comfortable than their classmates, and attended schools in lower income areas. Marginally greater school connectedness declines resulted among students attending schools that were fully online at T2 than those at schools using a blended model. Conclusion: Results point to disparate school connectedness declines during the pandemic, which may exacerbate pre-existing health inequities by gender and socioeconomic position, and among bullied youth. Implications for School Health Policy, Practice, and Equity: Effective strategies to improve school climates for equity denied groups are critical for pandemic recovery and preparedness for future related events.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Adolescents, COVID-19, Pandemics, Secondary School Students, Student Characteristics, Student School Relationship, Student Attitudes, Health
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Canada
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A