Perceptions of the School Social Context across the Transition to Middle School: Heightened Sensitivity among Latino Students?

American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://www.apa.org/publications

Y

10

Multiple Regression Analysis; Social Environment; Educational Environment; White Students; Hispanic American Students; Middle School Students; Case Studies; Compliance (Psychology); Student Behavior; Behavior Standards; Mediation Theory; Comparative Analysis; Student Attitudes; Gender Differences; Instructional Program Divisions; Questionnaires

10.1037/a0023811

0022-0663

The current study was designed to examine the ways in which perceived behavioral norms among grade mates and school social climate vary across the transition to middle school. The main goals of the study were to test whether Latino students may be more sensitive to the school social climate than White students and whether perceived behavioral norms might help explain this association. Cross-sectional analyses comparing Latino and White students (N = 383) revealed that perceptions of school social climate and behavioral norms became more negative across the middle school transition. Multiple regression analysis showed that school climate perceptions predicted self-reported academic compliance and rule breaking only for Latino students. Mediational analysis revealed that the association between perceived climate and self-reported rule breaking was partially accounted for by perceptions of behavioral norms for rule breaking only among Latino students. Taken together, the results suggest that compared with White students, Latino students are more sensitive to school social climate as it relates to their school conduct. (Contains 1 footnote, 3 tables, and 3 figures.)

As Provided

58

2011

EJ936481