Linking school- and classroom-level characteristics to child adjustment: A representative study of children from Hong Kong, China

Linking school- and classroom-level characteristics to child adjustment: A representative study of children from Hong Kong, China

• Li, Xiaomin Sun Yat-Sen University
• Lam, Chun Bun Ian The Education University of Hong Kong
• Chung, Kevin Kien Hoa The Education University of Hong Kong

British Journal of Educational Psychology, 2024

Wiley

2024

• S School Environment & Facilities, Organization
  • SH School Culture, Teacher-Student Relations
• P Social Context of Education
  • PB Comparative Education

Child Adjustment Chinese Children Classroom Chaos School Characteristics Teacher–child Relationships

• Hong Kong

• 1997.7 onwards

• Pre-Primary Education

Background: The school is one of the most salient developmental contexts for children. However, little is known about the associations linking the school environment to child adjustment in a non-Western context, not to mention the potential processes that may mediate these associations. Aims: This study examined the associations of school- and classroom-level characteristics with child adjustment and tested whether these associations were mediated by teacher–child relationship qualities. Sample: Cross-sectional data were collected on a representative sample of 1777 children (mean age = 55.14 months; 50% of them were girls) from 100 kindergartens in Hong Kong, China. Methods: Using self-reported questionnaires, teachers rated their school-level environments, their classroom chaos, their closeness and conflict with children and children's socioemotional competence and academic ability. Meanwhile, parents rated children's behavioural problems. Results: Multilevel structural equation modelling revealed that the school-level environment and classroom chaos were uniquely associated with children's socioemotional, behavioural and academic adjustment. Moreover, the associations of the school-level environment and classroom chaos with child socioemotional and academic adjustment were mediated by teacher–child closeness and conflict, whereas the associations of the school-level environment and classroom chaos with child behavioural problems were mediated by teacher–child conflict only. Conclusions: Findings indicated how school- and classroom-level characteristics may be uniquely associated with child adjustment and how teacher–child relationships may be implicated in the underlying mechanism, highlighting the potential utility of targeting school- and classroom-level environments and teacher–child relationships in promoting child development. Copyright © 2024 British Psychological Society.

• English

Journal Articles

• 00070998

• 10.1111/bjep.12672

https://bibliography.lib.eduhk.hk/en/bibs/ad3dd7ca

2024-09-05