Risk and resource indicators and their relationship to young children's school adjustment

Relationships between risk-magnifying life situations and events, as well as resources, and school adjustment were explored in a large sample of first through fourth graders. Also studied was the extent to which the presence of resources moderate the effects of risk. Children's risk and resource factors were determined from background-identifying information provided by teachers in four domains: physical and health characteristics, recent critical life events, special school services and activities, and family background variables. A significant negative correlation was found between scores on composite risk and resource indices. Both indices correlated significantly, and in the expected directions, with measures of school problem behaviors and competencies. High risk children with moderate resources were significantly better adjusted than high risk children with few or no resources. Implications of those findings for developing primary prevention programs for children at risk were considered.