Adolescent Health
Strategies for Increasing Protective Factors Among Youth
School Connectedness

	SEE ALSO Health and Academics Coordinated School Health Programs CDC Feature on School Connectedness

Efforts to improve child and adolescent health have typically addressed specific health risk behaviors, such as tobacco use or violence. However, results from a growing number of studies suggest that greater health impact might be achieved by also enhancing protective factors that help children and adolescents avoid multiple behaviors that place them at risk for adverse health and educational outcomes.

School connectedness—the belief by students that adults and peers in the school care about their learning as well as about them as individuals—is an important protective factor. Research has shown that young people who feel connected to their school are less likely to engage in many risk behaviors¹, including

• Tobacco use
• Alcohol and drug use
• Violence and gang involvement
• Early sexual initiation

Connected students are also more likely to have better academic achievement, including higher grades and test scores, have better school attendance, and stay in school longer.^2-5

School Connectedness: Strategies for Increasing Protective Factors Among Youth [pdf 1.7M]
This publication identifies six strategies that teachers, administrators, other school staff, and parents can implement to increase the extent to which students feel connected to school.

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Six Strategies to Increase School Connectedness

1. Create decision-making processes that facilitate student, family, and community engagement; academic achievement; and staff empowerment.
    
2. Provide education and opportunities to enable families to be actively involved in their children’s academic and school life.
    
3. Provide students with the academic, emotional, and social skills necessary to be actively engaged in school.
    
4. Use effective classroom management and teaching methods to foster a positive learning environment.
    
5. Provide professional development and support for teachers and other school staff to enable them to meet the diverse cognitive, emotional, and social needs of children and adolescents.
    
6. Create trusting and caring relationships that promote open communication among administrators, teachers, staff, students, families, and communities.

References

1. Resnick MD, Bearman PS, Blum RW, et al. Protecting adolescents from harm. Findings from the National Longitudinal Study on Adolescent Health. JAMA 1997;278(10):823-832.
    
2. Klem AM, Connell JP. Relationships matter: linking teacher support to student engagement and achievement. Journal of School Health 2004;74(7):262-273.
    
3. Rosenfeld LB, Richman JM, Bowen GL. Low social support among at-risk adolescents. Social Work in Education 1998;20:245-260.
    
4. Battin-Pearson S, Newcomb MD, Abbot RD, Hill KG, Catalano RF, Hawkins JD. Predictors of early high school dropout: a test of five theories. Journal of Educational Psychology 2000;92(3):568-582.
    
5. Barber BK, Olsen JA. Socialization in context: connection, regulation, and autonomy in the family, school and neighborhood, and with peers. Journal of Adolescent Research 1997;12(2):287-315.
    

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Page last reviewed: March 10, 2009
Page last modified: April 24, 2009
Content source: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Adolescent and School Health

Division of Adolescent and School Health
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services