School relationships

Today, I look at what happens at school. First, Fu, Paskewich, Randolph, Bradshaw & Waasdorp (2024) published “Parent Perceptions of School Relationships: Considerations of racial–ethnic differences and youth’s peer victimization.” Journal of Family Psychology.  Here’s the edited abstract:

Literature has highlighted that social relationships at school are essential to school success, yet few studies have examined this construct from parents’ perspectives. Even less research has explored perceptions of social relationships in the school among parents whose children are bullying victims and potential racial–ethnic differences in the perceptions. Using self-report data from 3,261 parents of middle and high school youth, this study used multilevel analyses in which parents were nested in their child’s schools and examined parent perceptions of school relationships (including Child–School Connectedness, Parent–School Connectedness, School Outreach and Involvement, and Culture of Inclusiveness and Equity) in the context of youth victimization and whether these perceptions varied by the parent’s racial–ethnic background. Results showed that compared with parents whose child was not a bullying victim (63.5%), those whose child was victimized (36.5%) had poorer perceptions of school relationships and that this difference was more pronounced in some racial–ethnic groups (e.g., Asian and Black) than in others (e.g., White, bi- or multiracial). These findings underscore the importance of addressing ethnic heterogeneity in how parents evaluate school-based social relationships in the context of peer bullying to effectively engage racial–ethnic minoritized parents of victimized youth in culturally responsive school bullying interventions. 

This is one of those “duh” studies but I thought it was important to cite mostly because of its emphasis on bullying interventions. Next, Fusco, Holt, Merrin & Green (2024) published “Social–Emotional Functioning among Bias-based Bullies, Victims, and Bully-victims” in School Psychology. Here are the edited abstract and impact statements:

Bias-based harassment in U.S. schools is an increasingly significant concern for students’ well-being. Although research on bullying broadly defined has indicated that the ways in which youth are involved in bullying (i.e., as bullies, victims, and bully-victims) are differentially associated with functioning, this study adds to extant research by exploring whether similar patterns emerge for bias-based harassment. A nationally representative sample of 639 adolescents, ages 13–17, completed online surveys in 2021 that included measures of bias-based harassment, anxiety, depression, substance use, and school social support. Findings from a multivariate latent variable model indicated that after controlling for demographic variables, compared to individuals not involved in bias-based harassment, students involved as victims, perpetrators, or both victims and perpetrators of bias-based harassment (i.e., bias-based bully-victims) reported more mental health symptoms. Substance use was elevated for bias-based perpetrators and bully-victims, whereas school social support was diminished for bias-based victims and bully-victims. Notably, bias-based bully-victims had the highest levels of anxiety symptoms and substance use, and lowest levels of school social support, among all adolescents. Findings highlight that involvement in bias-based harassment in any capacity is associated with deleterious functioning, with bias-based bully-victims reporting particularly adverse functioning across domains. Bolstering protective factors such as school social support would be a useful component of school practices and prevention programs related to bias-based harassment. 

Study results indicate that compared to adolescents not involved in bias-based harassment, adolescents involved in bias-based harassment in any capacity are more likely to report anxiety and depression symptoms. Further, youth targeted by bias-based harassment report less support from adults at school, and bias-based bully-victims are at particular risk for substance use. Findings demonstrate the need for schools to understand potentially nuanced associations with psychosocial functioning based on bias-based harassment involvement type and similarly to support the well-being of all students involved in bias-based harassment. 

So, this one is also about bullying, but I thought it was important in highlighting the perception that victims of bias-based harassment experience less support from adults at school. This sets the stage for the next study. D'Costa, Leverett, Colson & Garbacz (2024) published “Collaborative Mental Health for Children: Perspectives of school and clinical psychologists” in School Psychology. Here are the edited abstract and impact statements:

There is a need for increased collaboration between mental health providers who work with children and youth to increase continuity of care across settings. While schools can be an optimal location for mental health support, school psychologists often have to work with clinical providers given the increases in youth mental health needs and the shortage of school-based providers. This study used an online survey with a mixed-methods approach to understand the collaboration practices of school and clinical psychologists. A sample of 57 practitioners in the United States were asked to provide their perceptions of the roles of their interagency providers, their collaboration practices, and the benefits or barriers in the collaboration process. Findings indicated differences in providers’ perceptions of the quality of assessments conducted and the importance of particular psychological practices to the roles of clinical and school psychologists. Content analysis of open-ended responses found that while providers acknowledge the benefits of collaboration there was distrust among providers. Implications for training programs and future research directions are discussed. 

This study outlines school and clinical psychologists’ perceptions of the benefits and barriers to collaboration across settings. Differences in role expectations and perceived quality of work may influence feelings of distrust among providers. 

I thought this was especially important in that the first two studies highlight important roles for school personnel. It’s also important because school psychologists are horribly overburdened at this point and their most promising allies are clinical psychologists. This means there is important work to be done.