Presenter(s)

• Viviana Padilla, Graduate Student, UCR
• Stephanie Moore, Associate Professor, UCR

Abstract

School climate is linked to several important student outcomes, including academic achievement, behavior, and psychosocial functioning (Aldridge & McChesney, 2018; Wang & Degol, 2016). This study examined: (1) the relation between student perceptions of multidimensional school climate (Romero & O'Malley, 2020) and indicators of student well-being and distress; (2) the relation between student perceptions of school climate, the mental health climate at their school, and their openness to seeking mental health supports; and (3) whether individual characteristics such as race and gender affected the observed relations. Findings indicated that all school climate dimensions positively predicted perceptions of dual-factor mental health, and mental health climate was the strongest predictor of openness to seeking support. Significant differences were observed across some racial and ethnic groups. These findings highlight the need to strengthen overall school climate and the important role school psychologists have in promoting student well-being.