Type of disability, gender, and age affect school satisfaction: Findings from the UK Millennium Cohort Study

Self-reported school satisfaction is an important indicator of child and adolescent well-being. Few studies have examined how disability, gender, and age affect school satisfaction.

We sought to determine whether the interaction between disability and gender with regard to self-reported school satisfaction might be specific to particular types of disability and particular ages.

We undertook secondary analysis of Waves 5 and 6 of the UK's Millennium Cohort Study (MCS), a nationally representative sample of children born 2000-2002. MCS is the fourth in the series of British birth cohort studies.

At 11 years of age (n = 12,207), school satisfaction was significantly higher for girls and those without disabilities. By contrast, at 14 (n = 10,933), school satisfaction was significantly higher for boys and those without disabilities. Subsequent analyses of gender moderation of the association between disability and school satisfaction revealed a significant interaction between gender and disabilities associated with mental health and with dexterity, respectively, at 14 years but not at age 11.

These findings will inform future research endeavours, policy, and practice in psychology, education, and other areas associated with child development and disability.