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Understanding Middle School Students Life Satisfaction: Does School Climate Matter?

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Abstract

This study of 461 middle school students explored associations between perceived school climate and life satisfaction. At the bivariate level, higher life satisfaction co-occurred with greater perceptions of each aspect of school climate. Taken together, students’ perceptions of school climate accounted for 19 % of the variance in their life satisfaction. When controlling for the commonality amongst school climate dimensions, four of six dimensions (i.e., student interpersonal relations, student-teacher relations, order and discipline, and parent involvement in schooling) emerged as unique predictors of life satisfaction. Follow-up analyses clarified that parent involvement in schooling co-occurred with greater life satisfaction for girls only. Preventative strategies to promote youth life satisfaction by targeting the most salient aspects of school climate are suggested.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychological and Social Foundations, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, EDU 105, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA

    Shannon M. Suldo, Amanda Thalji-Raitano, Michelle Hasemeyer, Cheryl D. Gelley & Brenna Hoy

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  1. Shannon M. Suldo
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  2. Amanda Thalji-Raitano
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  3. Michelle Hasemeyer
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  4. Cheryl D. Gelley
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  5. Brenna Hoy
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Correspondence to Shannon M. Suldo.

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Suldo, S.M., Thalji-Raitano, A., Hasemeyer, M. et al. Understanding Middle School Students Life Satisfaction: Does School Climate Matter?. Applied Research Quality Life 8, 169–182 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-012-9185-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-012-9185-7

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