Making the Connection
School Connectedness May be the Key to Keeping Teens Out of Risky Situations
by Gail Kennedy
Question: As the parent of an adolescent today I have a lot of worries about how to make sure my teen grows up and stays out of trouble. I have learned about the importance of staying connected with my teen so he does well in school. What else should I know about how to support the healthy development of my teen?
Answer: Having our young people develop a healthy lifestyle free from risky behaviors and being successful in school has been an area of concern for parents and communities. The topic of how youth develop into healthy adults, also known as “positive youth development”, has been the focus of much scientific study and research. An accumulated body of knowledge has provided information on what factors are influential in protecting our youth. These factors, also referred to as “protective factors”, help young people to succeed in school and to develop a healthy lifestyle. Parents and the role they play by staying connected to their child has been shown to be a strong protective factor even as their child moves into the teen years. Another protective factor that has been shown to be very influential in a young person’s life is school connectedness. Students who feel connected to school seem to do better in school and make healthier lifestyle choices thereby avoiding risky behaviors.
At the Center for Disease Control (CDC) website there is a discussion of the research results from the National Longitudinal Study on Adolescent Health, a long term study that has investigated several of the protective factors behind positive youth development. “Of all the protective factors examined, school connectedness was found to be the strongest predictor against substance use, school absenteeism, early sexual initiation, violence and risk of unintentional injury (such as drinking or not wearing seat belts)”. There is also other research cited showing that school connectedness also influences academic outcomes and achievement including better grades and test scores and staying in school longer.
Schools and families can work together with their students to encourage strong connections to school. The CDC enumerates the following important elements and results to strive for:
- Committed educators and school staff who give support to the students
- Youth express a sense of belonging to a positive group of peers
- Students are motivated to do well in school
- A stable and safe environment where youth can develop academic social and emotional competence
For more information and a step by step guide schools and parents can use to foster school connectedness download or order a copy of “School Connectedness and Strategies for Increasing Protective Factors Among Youth” at the CDC web site. http://www.cdc.gov/healthyYouth/AdolescentHealth/connectedness.htm The guide lists the six strategies that have shown to be most effective and suggests specific actions for each strategy.
Gail Kennedy is an Extension Educator in Family & Consumer Resources with UNH Cooperative Extension in Sullivan County. You can learn more at UNH Cooperative Extension or by calling your local UNH County Extension Office.