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THE ROLE OF SCHOOL CLIMATE IN THE MENTAL HEALTH AND VICTIMIZATION
OF STUDENTS IN MILITARY-CONNECTED SCHOOLS
by
Kris Matthew Tunac De Pedro
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
Doctor of Philosophy
(EDUCATION)
December 2012
Copyright 2012 Kris Matthew Tunac De Pedro
Object Description
| Title | The role of school climate in the mental health and victimization of students in military-connected schools |
| Author | De Pedro, Kris Tunac |
| Author email | krisdepedro@gmail.com;krisdepedro@gmail.com |
| Degree | Doctor of Philosophy |
| Document type | Dissertation |
| Degree program | Education |
| School | Rossier School of Education |
| Date defended/completed | 2012-07-16 |
| Date submitted | 2012-10-08 |
| Date approved | 2012-10-09 |
| Restricted until | 2012-10-09 |
| Date published | 2012-10-09 |
| Advisor (committee chair) | Astor, Ron Avi |
| Advisor (committee member) |
Gilreath, Tamika D. Coler, Darnell |
| Abstract | Research on school climate has found that a supportive school climate promotes positive social, emotional, psychological and academic outcomes among students, even student populations experiencing stressors in the family and community context. Studies have shed light on the stressors (i.e. deployment) and the negative mental health outcomes of children in military families. Given the significant presence of military students in over 200 civilian public school districts in the United States, it is surprising that school climate researchers have largely ignored the role that a supportive school climate plays in the social and emotional outcomes of military students. This multiple manuscript dissertation utilizes a population sample of secondary students in eight military-connected school districts to examine the role that a supportive school climate plays in two key social and emotional outcomes known to impact academic achievement—mental health and victimization. The first study provides detailed descriptive analyses of school climate perceptions (belonging, caring relationships, safety, meaningful participation, respect for student’s family, and risky behavior disapproval) among military and non-military students. The second study examines associations between multiple components of school climate and three mental health indicators—well-being, depression, and suicidal ideation—among all students as well as within military and non-military students. The third study assesses associations between school climate and victimization among all students as well as within military and non-military students. Findings from the descriptive analyses indicate that military students—those with a parent or those with a sibling in the military—consistently have more negative school climate perceptions than non-military students. In addition, findings from multivariate analyses reveal that school climate promotes well-being and curbs rates of depression, suicidal ideation and victimization among all students and within military and non-military student populations. This was true even accounting for deployment. This means that a positive school climate can have healing effects that improve mental health and reduce violence and suicide for both military and nonmilitary students. This dissertation concludes with implications for future educational reform, practice and policy. |
| Keyword | military students; school climate; educational reform; mental health; bullying |
| Language | English |
| Part of collection | University of Southern California dissertations and theses |
| Publisher (of the original version) | University of Southern California |
| Place of publication (of the original version) | Los Angeles, California |
| Publisher (of the digital version) | University of Southern California. Libraries |
| Provenance | Electronically uploaded by the author |
| Type | texts |
| Legacy record ID | usctheses-m |
| Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
| Rights | De Pedro, Kris Tunac |
| Physical access | The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the author, as the original true and official version of the work, but does not grant the reader permission to use the work if the desired use is covered by copyright. It is the author, as rights holder, who must provide use permission if such use is covered by copyright. The original signature page accompanying the original submission of the work to the USC Libraries is retained by the USC Libraries and a copy of it may be obtained by authorized requesters contacting the repository e-mail address given. |
| Repository name | University of Southern California Digital Library |
| Repository address | USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 7002, 106 University Village, Los Angeles, California 90089-7002, USA |
| Repository email | cisadmin@dots.usc.edu |
| Archival file | uscthesesreloadpub_Volume4/etd-DePedroKri-1238.pdf |
Description
| Title | Page 1 |
| Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
| Repository email | cisadmin@dots.usc.edu |
| Full text | THE ROLE OF SCHOOL CLIMATE IN THE MENTAL HEALTH AND VICTIMIZATION OF STUDENTS IN MILITARY-CONNECTED SCHOOLS by Kris Matthew Tunac De Pedro A Dissertation Presented to the FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy (EDUCATION) December 2012 Copyright 2012 Kris Matthew Tunac De Pedro |
