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Young People's Perceptions of Family, Peer, and School Connectedness and Their Impact on Adjustment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 November 2012

P.C. Law ,
M. Cuskelly  and
A. Carroll
P.C. Law
Affiliation:
School of Education, The University of Queensland, Australia
M. Cuskelly*
Affiliation:
School of Education, The University of Queensland, Australia
A. Carroll
Affiliation:
School of Education, The University of Queensland, Australia
*
address for correspondence: Associate Professor Monica Cuskelly, The University of Queensland, School of Education, St Lucia QLD 4072, Australia. Email: m.cuskelly@uq.edu.au
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Abstract

Families, peer groups, and schools are important environments for children's positive growth and development. A theoretical model that linked children's perceptions of parenting, sense of connectedness to family, peers and school, along with peer group type, to adjustment was developed and tested. Data were collected from students and their parents. The model was supported and explained 56% of the variance with respect to children's reports. Family, school, and peer connectedness all independently predicted child reported adjustment. Differences were apparent between children's and parents’ reports, and the model did not convincingly predict parental views of their child's adjustment. There was evidence that non-familial social environments can have a positive, compensatory impact on children's emotional functioning — a most important finding for school personnel interested in student wellbeing.

Keywords

schooladjustmentconnectednesspeer groupfamily functioning
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools , Volume 23 , Issue 1 , June 2013 , pp. 115 - 140
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2012

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