Pushed Out and Drawn In: Exclusionary Discipline, Mental Health, and Protective Factors Among Youth in Public Schools

Exclusionary discipline (ED) has long been an educational equity concern, but its relationship with student health and protective factors is less understood.

Using population-based public school student data (N = 82,216), we examined associations between past-month ED and positive depression and anxiety screening instrument results. We also assessed whether each of 9 potential protective factors moderated the ED-mental health relationship by testing interaction effects.

Over 1 in 10 youth experienced past-month ED, with variation by sex, gender identity, special education status, poverty, region, race/ethnicity, and adverse childhood experiences. Net of sociodemographic factors, youth who experienced ED had higher likelihood for current depression (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.64, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.55, 1.73) and anxiety (AOR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.41, 1.58) symptoms. Significant associations were robust across 5 racial/ethnic groups, except for anxiety among American Indian/Alaska Native youth. Individual, interpersonal, and school-level protective factors appeared to mitigate depression and anxiety regardless of disciplinary experience.

Our findings document ED disproportionality and possible ramifications for emotional well-being.

In concert with structural efforts to reduce reliance on ED, strategies that bolster protective factors may support youth already impacted by ED and/or mental health problems.