scholarly journals Mental Health Associations with Academic Performance and Education Behaviors in Canadian Secondary School Students

2021 ◽  
pp. 082957352199731
Author(s):  
Markus J. Duncan ◽  
Karen A. Patte ◽  
Scott T. Leatherdale

Course grades, as an indicator of academic performance, are a primary academic concern at the secondary school level and have been associated with various aspects of mental health status. The purpose of this study is to simultaneously assess whether symptoms of mental illness (depression and anxiety) and mental well-being (psychosocial well-being) are associated with self-reported grades (in their primary language [English or French] and math courses) and education behaviors (school days missed due to health, truancy, and frequency of incomplete homework) in a sample of secondary school students across Canada ( n = 57,394). Multivariate imputation by chained equations and multilevel proportional odds logistic regressions were used to assess associations between mental health scores, academic performance and education behaviors. Lower depression and higher psychosocial well-being scores were associated with better grade levels in both math and language courses, as well as better education behaviors. In turn, better education behaviors were associated with higher course grades. Depression scores and psychosocial well-being scores remained associated with higher grades after controlling for education behaviors, however the magnitude of association was diminished. Results indicate that the effects of mental health factors were partially attenuated by education behaviors, suggesting while reduced class attendance and poor homework adherence were associated with both academic outcomes and mental health, they do not account entirely for the association between lower grades and worse mental health.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 103
Author(s):  
Elisabetta Lombardi ◽  
Daniela Traficante ◽  
Roberta Bettoni ◽  
Ilaria Offredi ◽  
Mirta Vernice ◽  
...  

Reading and writing skills influence the social status of students, exerting effects not only on learning, but also on wellbeing. This study aimed to assess the impact of diagnosis of specific learning disorder on well-being in secondary-school students, comparing students with a diagnosis of specific learning disorder (SLD-group), students showing learning difficulties without diagnosis (LD-group) and students without learning difficulties (control-group). Students were tested with neuropsychological screening tests in order to identify learning difficulties and were further assessed by means of psychological and school well-being questionnaires. The results show that LD group perceive themselves as having a low sense of mastery and autonomy, less interest and engagement in daily activities and low peer social support than their schoolmates. This result highlights, for the LD group, a low well-being experience, which is not observed in the SLD and control groups. On the contrary, SLD group students do not differ from control group students in any dimensions except for the perceived parents’ support and involvement in school life, in which the SLD group show the highest scores. This work underlines the importance of having a diagnosis as it seems to work as a protective factor for both the psychological and school well-being of the student.


2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (7) ◽  
pp. 109-117
Author(s):  
GRACE AUMA OJIJO ◽  
Lucy Kibera

This study investigated the influence of fishing related activities on academic performance of secondary school students in Rachuonyo North Sub-County. The specific objectives were to examine the activities associated with fishing and determine how they influenced academic performance of secondary students in the Sub-County. The study targeted students and principals of the 49 secondary schools in Rachuonyo North Sub-county. The research used simple random sampling to select 14 public secondary schools and 20 Form Three students from each of the sampled schools. The total sample size was 292 respondents. Primary data was collected and analysed using quantitative and qualitative methods and then presented in tables in percentages. Data analysis was done using SPSS and the Microsoft Excel software. The study established that students participated in fishing activities while attending school. Major fishing activities that students engaged in included: actual fishing an agreement  index of 82.9% of students; repairing of fishing nets which was supported by 74.2% of students; setting of nets in the lake which was supported by 84.4% of students; and removal of fish from the nets which was agreed to by 83.9% of students. Some (91.7%) of the students believed that their counterparts who engaged in fishing activities tended to perform poorly in their classwork.  The study has recommended that parents, School Boards of Management and the communities along the beaches collaborate with each other in order to keep students from engaging in fishing activities for this likely to improve school attendance and academic performance of students. The Government should enforce compulsory basic education as well as provide it free to all children at this level of education.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document