School Climate, Deployment, and Mental Health Among Students in Military-Connected Schools. Issue 1 (January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: De Pedro, Kris Tunac; Astor, Ron Avi; Gilreath, Tamika D.; Benbenishty, Rami; Berkowitz, Ruth
• Is Part Of: Youth & society. Volume 50:Issue 1(2018)
• Page Start: 93
• Page End: 115
• Publication Date: 2018-01
• Subjects: school climate -- mental health -- adolescents -- military-connected youth; Youth -- Periodicals; 305.235
• DOI: 10.1177/0044118X15592296
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0044-118X

Abstract

Research has found that when compared with civilian students, military-connected students in the United States have more negative mental health outcomes, stemming from the stress of military life events (i.e., deployment). To date, studies on military-connected youth have not examined the role of protective factors within the school environment, such as school climate, in the mental health and well-being of military-connected adolescents. Given this gap in the research on military adolescents, this study draws from a large sample of military and non-military secondary adolescents in military-connected schools ( N = 14, 943) and examines associations between school climate, military connection, deployment, and mental health. Findings show that multiple components of school climate are associated with a lower likelihood of depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation and increased likelihood of well-being among students in military-connected schools, after controlling for student demographics, military connection, and deployments. The authors conclude with a discussion of school climate interventions for military-connected youth.