The Protective Effects of School Connectedness on Substance Use and Physical Activity

Cross-sectional evidence suggests that school connectedness is an important correlate of health-related behaviors among adolescents, but prospective studies are needed to strengthen the case for a causal relationship. This study investigated the prospective relationship between school connectedness and four health-related behaviors: cigarette smoking, marijuana use, binge drinking, and physical activity.

We analyzed 4 years of data from the COMPASS study. Participants included in this analysis were 33,313 students who provided information on sociodemographic, school connectedness, and the four health-related behaviors for at least two consecutive years. Generalized Estimating Equation models were used to examine whether the change in school connectedness scores predicted the change in an individual child's trajectory of health-related behaviors across 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades.

As students moved to higher grades, school connectedness decreased, and the likelihood of being a less frequent smoker, marijuana user, and binge drinker, and meeting physical activity guidelines declined. An increase in school connectedness scores was associated with an increased likelihood of meeting physical activity recommendations (OR = 1.06, p < .01), being a less frequent smoker, marijuana user, and binge drinker (OR = 1.30, 1.17, 1.10, respectively; p's < .0001) across the 4 years.

This study provides prospective evidence supporting the protective effects of school connectedness on substance abuse and physical activity, and highlights the importance of fostering school connectedness to support healthy adolescent development.