What the study found
Perceptions of school climate and psychological sense of school membership were associated with academic achievement among adolescent students in public secondary schools in Türkiye. The study found links between teacher-student relations, student-student relations, and achievement, and it also found that belonging and rejection played mediating roles in some of these relationships.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that nurturing positive school environments and strengthening students’ psychological sense of belonging may be important for academic outcomes. The study suggests this is relevant for educators, policymakers, and researchers interested in adolescent education and well-being.
What the researchers tested
The researchers analyzed responses from 1,033 students in public secondary schools in Türkiye. They used path analysis, a statistical method for examining relationships among variables, to study associations among school climate, psychological sense of school membership, and academic achievement.
What worked and what didn't
The findings showed significant associations between several school-climate dimensions and academic achievement, including teacher-student relations and student-student relations. Sense of school belonging and feeling of rejection acted as partial mediators between peer interactions and academic achievement, while they fully mediated the relationship between fairness of school rules and academic achievement.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not describe additional limitations beyond the study’s scope, which was public secondary schools in Türkiye and the student responses analyzed in the dataset.
Key points
- School climate and school membership were associated with academic achievement in adolescent students.
- Teacher-student relations and student-student relations were significantly linked to achievement.
- Belonging and rejection partially mediated links between peer interactions and academic achievement.
- Belonging and rejection fully mediated the link between fairness of school rules and academic achievement.
- The study analyzed responses from 1,033 students in public secondary schools in Türkiye.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- School climate and belonging were linked to academic achievement
- Authors:
- Halis Sakız, Zeynep Denktaş
- Institutions:
- Mardin Artuklu University
- Publication date:
- 2026-02-21
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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