The contribution of school climate, socioeconomic status, ethnocultural affiliation, and school level to language arts scores: A multilevel moderated mediation model.

Evidence suggests that schools can promote academic success and higher grades by reducing the negative effect of socioeconomic disadvantage through the mediation of a positive climate. However, a critical question largely remains unanswered: Does the mediation of positive school climate on the link between socioeconomic background and academic achievement remain similar for all schools in all cultures and among all ethnic groups? Using a nationally representative database with school climate and language arts test scores of primary and secondary Hebrew and Arabic language schools in Israel (N = 1188), we examined the contribution of both internal (i.e., school climate and grade level) and external (i.e., ethnocultural and socioeconomic backgrounds) influences on schools' language arts test scores. Using multilevel analyses, findings indicated that the magnitude of the mediation of positive school climate, as manifested by a greater sense of security and decreased school violence, in the link between socioeconomic status and test scores was significant only for elementary schools educating Arabic language minority populations and not for nonminority elementary Hebrew language schools. However, this was not the case for secondary schools, where evidence of higher test scores in schools with positive school climate did not emerge. Despite the many socioeconomic obstacles that ethnocultural minority students face, these results indicate that schools prioritizing a positive climate can increase academic opportunities and level the playing field for students from vulnerable cultures and backgrounds. School professionals are encouraged to invest resources that improve school climate to support underprivileged students' prosperity, especially in schools educating students from minoritized backgrounds, where more significant contributions likely exist. Implications for educational policy and future research are discussed.

Characteristics and Outcomes of School Social Work Services: A Scoping Review of Published Evidence 2000-June 2022.

School social workers are integral to the school mental health workforce and the leading social service providers in educational settings. In recent decades, school social work practice has been largely influenced by the multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) approach, ecological systems views, and the promotion of evidence-based practice. However, none of the existing school social work reviews have examined the latest characteristics and outcomes of school social work services. This scoping review analyzed and synthesized the focuses and functions of school social workers and the state-of-the-art social and mental/behavioral health services they provide. Findings showed that in the past two decades, school social workers in different parts of the world shared a common understanding of practice models and interests. Most school social work interventions and services targeted high-needs students to improve their social, mental/behavioral health, and academic outcomes, followed by primary and secondary prevention activities to promote school climate, school culture, teacher, student, and parent interactions, and parents' wellbeing. The synthesis also supports the multiple roles of school social workers and their collaborative, cross-systems approach to serving students, families, and staff in education settings. Implications and directions for future school social work research are discussed.

COVID-19 related difficulties and perceived coping among university and college students: the moderating role of media-related exposure and stress.

Background: University and college students are not usually identified as a population at risk during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, there is growing evidence of their specific distress associated with facing multiple abrupt changes and the need for rapid adaptation to a variety of academic, social, and financial challenges. The extent of their exposure to COVID-19 media and the associated media-related stress may further impair students' perceived coping. Objective: This study assessed COVID-19-related functional difficulties and perceived coping among higher education students in Israel and explored the moderating role played by media coverage of the pandemic in inducing stress and exacerbating COVID-19-related difficulties in perceived coping among students. Method: Data was collected from 7,446 students from seven academic centres in Israel through online questionnaires about four to six weeks after the outbreak of the pandemic in Israel. Results: The findings showed positive associations between COVID-19-related difficulties, media exposure, media-related stress, and decreased levels of perceived coping with the pandemic. Moreover, media-related stress (but not the level of media exposure) moderated the relationship between COVID-19-related difficulties and perceived coping: the associations were significantly stronger for students reporting high media-related stress in comparison to individuals reporting low media-related stress. Conclusions: These results highlight the specific role of media-related stress and the need to distinguish this risk factor from the global impact of exposure to media coverage. The need for self-monitoring of the subjective level of stress associated with media exposure should be part of the psychoeducation efforts provided by public health authorities for promoting self-care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Antecedentes: Los estudiantes universitarios generalmente no se identifican como una población en riesgo durante la pandemia de COVID-19. Sin embargo, existe una creciente evidencia de angustia específica asociada con enfrentar cambios abruptos múltiples y la necesidad de una rápida adaptación a una variedad de desafíos académicos, sociales y financieros. El alcance de la exposición a los medios de comunicación acerca del COVID-19, y el estrés relacionado a esta exposición, pueden afectar aún más a los estudiantes universitarios en sus estrategias de afrontamiento percibidas.Objetivo: Este estudio evaluó las dificultades funcionales relacionadas con el COVID-19 y el afrontamiento percibido entre los estudiantes de educación superior en Israel y exploró el papel moderador que desempeña la cobertura mediática de la pandemia para inducir estrés y exacerbar las dificultades relacionadas con el COVID-19 en el afrontamiento percibido entre los estudiantes.Método: Se recopilaron datos de 7.446 estudiantes de siete centros académicos en Israel a través de cuestionarios en línea entre cuatro y seis semanas después del estallido de la pandemia en Israel.Resultados: Los hallazgos mostraron asociaciones positivas entre las dificultades relacionadas con COVID-19, la exposición a los medios, el estrés relacionado con los medios y la disminución del nivel de afrontamiento percibido con la pandemia. Además, el estrés relacionado con los medios (pero no el nivel de exposición a los medios) moderó la relación entre las dificultades relacionadas con COVID-19 y el afrontamiento percibido: las asociaciones fueron significativamente más fuertes para los estudiantes que informaron un alto estrés relacionado con los medios en comparación con las personas que informaron un bajo nivel de estrés mediático relacionado.Conclusiones: Estos resultados destacan el papel específico del estrés relacionado con los medios y la necesidad de distinguir este factor de riesgo del impacto global de la exposición a la cobertura de los medios. La necesidad de autocontrol del nivel subjetivo de estrés asociado con la exposición a los medios debe ser parte de los esfuerzos de psicoeducación brindados por las autoridades de salud pública para promover el autocuidado durante la pandemia de COVID-19.

Examining the Relationship Between School Climate and Peer Victimization Among Students in Military-Connected Public Schools.

In the Iraq and Afghanistan war context, studies have found that military-connected youth- youth with parents and/or siblings serving in the military-have higher rates of school victimization than their nonmilitary-connected peers. A positive school climate-where students perceive high levels of school connectedness, caring relationships and high expectations from adults, and meaningful participation-is associated with lower rates of victimization in secondary public schools. Based on a survey of 7th, 9th, and 11th grade students (N =14,493) enrolled in 6 military-connected school districts (districts that have a significant proportion of military-connected students), this study explores victimization rates and the role of school climate, deployment, and school transitions in the victimization of military-connected students and their civilian peers. The findings indicate that deployment and school transitions were significant predictors of physical violence and nonphysical victimization. In addition, multiple school climate factors were significantly associated with physical violence and nonphysical victimization. The authors conclude with a discussion of future directions for research on school climate, victimization, and military-connected youth.

Perceptions of teachers' support, safety, and absence from school because of fear among victims, bullies, and bully-victims.

This study examines the distribution of the types of involvement in school violence (bullies, victims, bully-victims, and students not involved in violence) among the general population of Israeli school students. The prevalence of these different types of involvement was also examined according to gender, age or school level (junior high vs. high school), and ethnicity (Jewish vs. Arab). Further, the study examines the relationships between type of involvement in school violence and students' perceptions of teachers' support, safety, and absence from school because of fear. Data were obtained from a nationally representative, stratified sample of 13,262 students in grades 7-11 who responded to a self-report questionnaire on victimization by, and perpetration of, school violence and on perceptions of school climate. Data revealed that 3.6% of all students were victims of bullying (18.5% of those involved in violence). The proportion of bully-victims among male students was 6.4% (21.9% of all involved) compared with 1.1% (11.2% of all involved) among females. Bully-victims reported the lowest levels of teacher support and feelings of security and missed school because of fear significantly more often. The results point to the uniqueness of the bully-victim group. This group presents multiple challenges for school staff with these students needing special attention.