Citation

Williams S, Schneider M, Wornell C, Langhinrichsen-Rohling J. J. Sch. Nurs. 2018; 34(4): 319-330.

Affiliation

University of South Alabama, Fairhope, AL, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, National Association of School Nurses, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1059840518761792

PMID

29540110

Abstract

This study examined the relationship of students' perceptions of school safety and school avoidance related to feeling unsafe with predictor variables: bullying victimization, student/teacher/parent/administration relations, rule clarity and consistency, school physical environment (negative and positive), and student's belongingness. In a public high school sample ( n = 585), 24.7% of students felt unsafe and 14.4% avoided school due to feeling unsafe during the past month. Being female and experiencing bullying was associated with feeling unsafe. However, after accounting for demographics and bullying victimization, perceptions of safety increased when students reported positive student and teacher relations, consistent rules, a clean school that is also crowded/noisy, and a sense of school belonging. Avoiding school because of safety concerns was related to decreased school belonging and teacher/student relationships, but not bullying. Focusing on enhancing the school climate/environment, facilitating student belongingness, and reducing bullying are ways school nurses can help promote safer schools.

Language: en

Keywords

belongingness; bullying; school avoidance; school climate; school safety; student relationships; teacher relationships