6533b83afe1ef96bd12a7074

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Student behavioral engagement as a mediator between teacher, family, and peer support and school truancy

Marja-kristiina LerkkanenTuomo VirtanenMatti KuorelahtiPoikkeus Anna-maija

subject

Emotional supportSocial PsychologyFamily supporteducationemotional supportStudent engagementPeer supportSocial control theoryStructural equation modelingEducationsocial control theoryBehavioral engagementmental disordersstudent engagementDevelopmental and Educational Psychologyparticipation-identification modelta516TruancyPsychologyschool truancySocial psychology

description

This study investigated the associations between student's behavioral engagement; teacher, family, and peer emotional support; and school truancy. Student-reported data of 821 Finnish junior high school students were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Teacher and family support were positively associated with student behavioral engagement, which in turn was negatively associated with truancy. Behavioral engagement mediated the associations between teacher and family emotional support and truancy. The results highlight the pivotal roles of teacher and family emotional support in fostering student behavioral engagement and preventing truancy in junior high schools. Students who are attached to their teachers and parents are likely to conform to their expectations and not to play truant from school. peerReviewed

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2014-12-01Learning and Individual Differences
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2014.09.001