The Educational Context of Adolescents in a Low-Income Urban District: A Mixed-Method Research on Family Functioning and Schooling

Abstract

For disadvantaged communities in the society, educational and family-based problems are more likely to affect children and adolescents. In this regard, the aim of the study is to examine adolescent students’ experience in their educational life in terms of family relations and family functioning, from an ecological perspective. The study was carried out in a low-income district of Ankara. Based on the mixed-method approach, a convergent design was used. The quantitative data were collected from vocational high school students, using McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD). Qualitative data were obtained from 22 students and 8 school professionals through one-on-one interviews. Findings showed that students’ perceptions of family functioning varied by mother’s employment, average grade point, attitudes towards school, educational support from family, student-family consensus on education. The qualitative findings mostly supported the quantitative findings, referring to adolescent’s low academic motivation, problematic and dysfunctional family relationships