How Psychosocial Factors Relate to Climate in a Racially Stratified Sample School

Abstract

Background

In an American society where a majority of students are from minoritized backgrounds, a better understanding of the relationship between psychosocial factors and school climate across racial groups is needed to assist schools in providing a supportive and positive learning environment for all students.

Objective

The relationship between school climate and five psychosocial factors—motivation, academic self-concept, goal valuation, attitude towards teachers, and attitude towards school—is explored and a better understanding of how these psychosocial factors predict one’s experience of their school’s climate, both in general and across racial groups is further investigated.

Method

Data was collected through a school-administered survey focused on improving school climate. A diverse sample of 2524 high school students completed the survey, which was administered by school teachers during a school-wide free period with students.

Results

All five psychosocial factors predict students’ having a positive perception of their school’s climate, with medium to large effect sizes. Further, results from a series of stepwise multiple regressions indicate that (a) student attitudes toward their teachers were the most significant predictor of their perceptions about their school’s climate, and (b) the combination of psychosocial factors that best predict student perceptions of their school climate varied across racial groups.

Conclusion

The findings highlight an important first step in exploring how psychosocial perceptions can be leveraged to improve students’ perceptions of their school climate, in addition to considering the importance of teachers and racial considerations within school climate.