School Climate and Perceived Discrimination

Associations with Teen Mental Health

Bibliographic Data

ID5305285
AuthorsSunday Azagba (0000-0001-5810-2841, Pennsylvania State University, corresponding author), Galappaththige S R De Silva (0000-0003-0055-6159, Pennsylvania State University), Todd Ebling (0000-0002-7199-4108, Pennsylvania State University)
Year2025
Publication date2025-10-06
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2196-8837 • E-ISSN: 2197-3792
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1007/s40615-025-02684-3
PMID41051720
OpenAlexW4414874729
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited46

Introduction Mental health challenges and suicidal behaviors represent a significant public health concern. This study examines the associations between school connectedness, perceived racial discrimination, and mental health outcomes among U.S. high school students. Methods Data were drawn from the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a nationally representative survey of high school students in the United States. Primary independent variables included school connectedness and perceived racial discrimination, with a composite measure derived to represent the intersection of these two factors. Dependent variables were poor mental health, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts. Multivariable logistic regression models were employed to analyze these relationships. Results The findings indicate that lower school connectedness and higher perceived racial discrimination are significantly associated with poor mental health, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts. Specifically, students reporting lower school connectedness and higher perceived racial discrimination had significantly higher odds of poor mental health (OR = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.32 - 1.46), suicidal ideation (OR = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.35 - 1.50), and suicide attempts (OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.29 - 1.45). Furthermore, a dose-response association was observed, wherein the frequency of perceived racial discrimination was associated with progressively higher odds of experiencing adverse mental health outcomes. Conclusion This study reveals significant associations between lower school connectedness, perceived racial discrimination, and adverse mental health among adolescents. These findings underscore the importance of fostering supportive school environments to promote positive adolescent health

Adverse Childhood Experiences · Association (psychology · Mental health · Public health · Quality of Life Research · Early Childhood Education and Development · Migration, Health and Trauma · Racial and Ethnic Identity Research · Epidemiology

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