Adolescent Social Networks and School Engagement Across the High School Transition

OBJECTIVE School engagement predicts high school graduation and improved health in adolescence and beyond. We examine associations between school engagement and social network characteristics during the transition to high school. METHODS We secondarily analyzed data from a trial of a college readiness program across 5 high schools in Southern California. Participants completed baseline (end of eighth/beginning of ninth grade) and follow-up (end of ninth grade) surveys. Surveys assessed participants’ social network composition (relationship type, supportiveness, peer behaviors) and structure (network size, betweenness centrality, density) and school engagement. Linear mixed-effects models examined associations of baseline network characteristics with concurrent (baseline) and future (follow-up) school engagement. RESULTS Participants (N = 431) were predominantly Latino (82.8%). In-network teachers were inversely associated with concurrent school engagement (β = −1.16, P = .02) but positively associated with future school engagement (β = 1.12, P = .02). In-network sources of support were positively associated with concurrent (β = 0.21, P = .02) and future (β = 0.29, P = .001) school engagement. In-network peer behaviors including thinking it is important to do well in school (β = 0.54, P = .03) and attend class (β = 0.47, P = .03), not getting in trouble at school (β = −0.56, P < .001), and being highly school-engaged (β = 0.24, P = .01) were associated with concurrent school engagement. Greater peer network density was associated with lower concurrent school engagement (β = −0.37, P = .02). CONCLUSIONS Building connections to supportive peers and adults may enhance adolescents’ school engagement. Like other adolescent health behaviors, school engagement may be influenced by the behaviors of peers in adolescents’ social circles. Interventions that target multiple social network-mediated behaviors may be particularly beneficial to adolescent health and education.