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Mapping the Social World of Classrooms: A Multi‐Level, Multi‐Reporter Approach to Social Processes and Behavioral Engagement
Author(s) -
Kim Ha Yeon,
Cappella Elise
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
american journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.113
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1573-2770
pISSN - 0091-0562
DOI - 10.1002/ajcp.12022
Subject(s) - health psychology , psychology , context (archaeology) , promotion (chess) , student engagement , social engagement , quality (philosophy) , social environment , social psychology , mathematics education , public health , sociology , medicine , paleontology , social science , philosophy , nursing , epistemology , politics , political science , law , biology
Abstract Understanding the social context of classrooms has been a central goal of research focused on the promotion of academic development. Building on the current literature on classroom social settings and guided by a risk and protection framework, this study examines the unique and combined contribution of individual relationships and quality of classroom interactions on behavioral engagement among low‐income Latino students in kindergarten to fifth grade ( N = 111). Findings indicate that individual relationships with teachers and peers and classroom quality, each independently predicted behavioral engagement. Moreover, high‐quality classrooms buffered the negative influence of students’ difficulties in individual relationships on behavioral engagement. Findings illuminate the need to consider multiple layers of social classroom relationships and interactions and suggest the potential benefit of targeting classroom quality as a mechanism for improving behavioral engagement in urban elementary schools.