Ecological Factors Affecting School Adjustment of Low-Income Adolescents Attending Community Child Care Center

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the ecological factors influencing school adjustment of adolescents from low-income families. Methods: Secondary data analysis was performed using data of 1,321 low-income adolescents in 123 regions found on the Survey on Service Satisfaction with Community Child Care Center. Results: The results of multi-level analysis identified the factors influencing school adjustment of low-income adolescents as follows: individual-level factors were gender, grade in school, and emotional problem; an interpersonal- level factor was family structure; organizational-level factors were length of time attending center and satisfaction with the service of the center; community-level factors were region and perception of community. Conclusion: The results suggest that low-income adolescents’ adjustment to school is influenced not only by individual factors but also by diverse environmental factors. Community factors suggest that more education support systems and leisure facilities for adolescents need to be built in small and medium cities. Strategies to enhance positive perception of community are also needed for this population. Further, it is necessary to develop multi-level interventions to improve the school adjustment of adolescents from vulnerable social groups.