Running head: SCHOOL CLIMATE AND BEHAVIOR OF STUDENTS

School Climate and its Role in the Development of Prosocial and Antisocial Behavior of
Students
Melissa Martin
University of Calgary

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Lee, Bryk, and Smith (1993) identified school as a social organization model
where it acts as a microsystem (Brofenbrenner & Morris 2006) to develop proper
socialization skills in youth to help them integrate successfully into society (Wentzel &
Looney, 2007). It acts as a social agent where its goal is to develop prosocial behavior
and to help discourage antisocial behavior. Prosocial behavior is identified as the
proactive and reactive responses to the needs of others that serve to promote the well
being of others (Hastings, Utendale, & Sullivan, 2007). Children and adolescents are
raised with models of socialization within their family (Wentzel & Looney, 2007).
Socialization can also be modeled within the context of school known as the school
climate.
In the Encyclopedia of Education, Hoy (2002) defined school climate as a general
term that refers to the feel, atmosphere, tone, ideology, or milieu of a school. Just as
individuals have personalities, so too do schools; a school climate may be thought of as
the personality of a school (Hoy, 2002). In order to determine or measure the climate of a
school, different characteristics or factors of school climate need to be determined.
Previous studies have attempted to link these factors of school climate to its influence on
prosocial and antisocial behaviors of students. LeBlanc, Swisher, Vitaro, & Tremblay
(2008) evaluated how high school social climate influenced antisocial behavior by
focusing on the factors of occupational autonomy and satisfaction, academic emphasis,
and reports of classroom behavior of the students. All of these factors were studied from
the viewpoint of the teacher. The school climate was measured by the teachers opinions
on the quality of their employment, their teaching practices, and their perspective of
student behavior in the school. This suggests that LeBlanc et al. may not consider school
climate to be a bidirectional influence between educator and student. Instead,

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unidirectional influence of the teacher onto the student is the main determinant of school
climate in this study. Brofenbrenners bioecological model (Bronfenbrenner & Morris,
2006) on proximal processes does not support one direction of influence of behavior.
There must be a bidirectional influence occurring between the student and the teacher.
Loukas and Robinson (2004) decided to look entirely at the student perception of
school climate and how it moderates early adolescent adjustment. The factors that they
studied were student cohesion, competition, friction among their peers, and overall
satisfaction with classes (Loukas & Robinson, 2004). Once again, this implies that the
school climate can only be measured and influenced by one peer group, the students. It
only focuses on the unidirectional relationships between students and does not take the
influence and perceptions of teachers into account.
Wang and Dishion (2008) created a more balanced approach by reviewing both
student and teacher perceptions of school climate in regards to surveys by analyzing
academic support, behavior management, teacher social support, and peer social support.
However, it mainly looks at the supportive networks between students and teachers.
There is no focus on academic achievement or student involvement in different extracurricular activities.
The degree of student achievement has been considered a strong factor that can
influence prosocial and antisocial behavior in students, as it was reviewed in previous
studies (Gottfredson, 1986; Hawkins & Lishner, 1987; Welsh, 2000; Wilcox & Clayton,
2001). These results found that student achievement encompasses more than just earning
good grades. However, they do not explore further to find out why this is the case. Hoy
(2002) stated that a lot of research is missing the links between the association of student
achievement and school climate. It is important, for example, not only to know that

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climate is related to student achievement, but also to ascertain why this is so. What are
the generalizations and mechanisms that explain higher achievement? (Hoy, 2002, p.
2123).
According to the ecological perspective, students who are socially competent at
school must have opportunities to achieve a balance between socially integrative and selfassertive outcomes (Wentzel & Looney, 2007). Factors of school climate that focus on
social integration of students within the school setting involve peer and student-teacher
relationships. By studying these interactions, one can establish how well students are
socially able to fit in with their school environment. Self-assertive outcomes focus more
on students taking the opportunity to become involved in their schools extra-curricular
activities. This provides them the opportunity to stand out from others by showcasing
their talents. Therefore, to study the holistic relationship of how and why school climate
influences prosocial and antisocial behavior, the dimensions of peer influence and
relationships, teacher and student relationships, academic achievement, and student
involvement in extra-curricular activities must be examined.
A study by the Canadian Council on Social Development (CCSD) on the Social
Engagement of Youth in Canada (2006) determined that establishing friendships is
fundamental to youth development. When high school students were asked to indicate
what was very important to them, 85% put friends at the top of their list. This suggests
that peer influence among school children is one of the greatest impacts on a childs
social development. This study also found that children with close friends tend to have
better social and academic outcomes. A possible explanation for this could be through
the findings of a survey by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI, 2006)
that was quoted in this CCSD study. The CIHI survey found that a sense of belonging to

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ones community is associated with higher levels of health. In the Canadian youth
population ages 12 to 19, 72% of them felt a sense of belonging to their community
(CCSD, 2006). School can be identified as an important part of a childs community.
Witkow and Fulgini (2010) studied the relationship between in-school and out-ofschool friendships and academic achievement among six hundred grade 12 students in
California. The results showed that students with more in-school friends had higher
grade point averages (GPAs). Another finding indicated that having high quality
relationships with high-achieving peers that attend the same school is associated with
academic success (Witkow & Fulgini, 2010). This suggests that friends from the same
school community can increase motivation of academic achievement, especially since
they are completing the same courses and can be used as a study partner. Witkow and
Fulgini also found that there were more positive school identities as well as strong
academic identities among students who were associated with these high-achieving peers.
This suggests that positive friendships among academically successful students can lead
to a more positive sense of self and towards their school climate.
Teacher and student relationships are also considered to be very important in a
students life as well. Eccles (2006) associated teachers high expectations for student
achievement to a higher sense of learning competence among the students who perceived
these expectations. Similarly, teachers who believed in their ability to affect students
lives and to be able to reach even the most difficult students resulted in increased student
confidence, learning, and engagement in school activities (Eccles, 2006). These findings
suggest that motivational feelings are bidirectional, where the teachers must believe in
them in order for the students to do so as well.

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Barile, Donohue, Anthony, Baker, Weaver, & Henrich (2011) studied the
associations between the teacher-student climate and school outcomes in a national
sample of nearly eight thousand high school students in the United States. The results
showed that students who were allowed to evaluate their teachers resulted in more
positive student reports of the classroom teaching climate. This indicates that students
consider their opinions and input on teaching practices to be an important bidirectional
influence on teaching practices. Barile et al. also found that schools with positive student
perceptions of the teaching climate were associated with lower dropout rates by the
students senior year. The CCSD also found similar findings on their 2006 study of the
Progress of Learning of Canadian Children. A majority of students in both 1996 and
2000 said that their teachers treated them fairly. Those students who felt they were
treated unfairly were less likely to state that they liked school or were doing well at it.
They were more likely to drop out of high school and less likely to continue on to postsecondary education (CCSD, 2006). Positive student-teacher relationships help give
children confidence to achieve in the classroom and they are less likely to develop
negative behavior that could prevent them from achieving their educational goals.
Academic achievement is influenced by motivation of the student. Eccles (2006)
states that individuals will place high value, will have high expectations for success, and
will be optimally motivated to engage in the learning activities in settings that provide
opportunities for them to fulfill their universal developmental and individual needs. They
will withdraw their engagement in learning where those opportunities are not provided.
Therefore, the school climate of the learning atmosphere can be a motivational factor in
academic achievement. Schulenberg, OMalley, Bachman, and Johnston (2003) surveyed
nearly 1900 grade 8, 10, and 12 students across the United States. They wanted to

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determine how academic achievement, attitudes, and behaviors are related towards
substance abuse, a prominent antisocial behavior. Their results found a positive
association with substance use and school misbehavior and peer encouragement of
antisocial behavior at the age of 14. School bonding, school interest, school effort,
academic achievement, and parental help were also positively associated with academic
achievement. These results indicate that those students who have higher academic
success and a genuine interest in school are more likely to be deterred against substance
abuse and other antisocial behavior. Another interesting finding is that students who were
low-achievers in school but had positive school attitudes and perceptions of high-status
connected to academics were less likely to take part in cigarette, alcohol, and/or drug use
(Schulenberg et al., 2003). Therefore, a students performance in academics is not the
strongest factor in determining the likelihood of participation in antisocial behavior. A
students values and attitudes towards school seem to be an even stronger indicator.
Similarly, a study by French and Conrad (2001) looked at the prediction of school
dropout due to peer rejection and antisocial behavior. Students who dropped out of
school were more likely to be engaging in antisocial behavior. Low academic
engagement, negative interactions with school officials, and involvement with other
antisocial students were cited as possible reasons why these students contributed to
antisocial behavior and eventually dropped out of school.
Student involvement in a school can occur in a number of different ways. A
student can play sports, join a school club, volunteer in different school programs, or take
part in other school activities. There are many different extra-curricular options that a
student can choose from. The common goal of these groups is to promote socialization
of students and to help them feel connected to their school community. This helps to

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promote a positive school climate and will hopefully discourage antisocial behavior. In
regards to school athletics, Rutten, Schuengel, Dirks, Stams, Biest, and Hoeksma (2011)
studied the relationship between adolescent involvement in sports and its effects on
antisocial and prosocial behavior in Amsterdam, Holland. They found a trend towards
higher levels of moral reasoning within teams and less antisocial behavior. Also, a
favorable moral atmosphere was positively associated with more prosocial behavior.
Therefore, sports help students develop prosocial behavior by learning a sense of right
and wrong through playing on a sports team. However, the coach can heavily influence
this moral atmosphere. Rutten et al. found that supportive coach-athlete relationships
were associated with less antisocial and more prosocial behavior. An effective coach is a
mentor who can guide the athletes towards proper moral development and instill
prosocial values in his or her players.
In regards to student involvement in school leadership roles, Ozer and Wright
(2012) analyzed student involvement in a five-year study at two high schools in the
United States by conducting a qualitative study of Youth-Led Participatory Action
Research (YPAR). YPAR is a change process that engages students in identifying
problems that they want to improve, conducting research to understand the nature of the
problems, and advocating for changes based on research evidence (London, Zimmerman,
& Erbstein, 2003). The goal of the YPAR was to provide leadership development to
students to promote healthy interactions between students and adults (i.e. teachers). The
results showed that students who participated by voicing their opinions more often felt
empowered by their new leadership role. They felt as though they had the ability to help
influence policies and practices in their school where they previously felt they had no
control. Not only did the students view themselves as newly-found experts in these

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leadership roles, the teachers and adults they interacted with also held them in a higher
regard after participation in the study. This adult encouragement would help give the
students the confidence for them to succeed in their new leadership roles. This would
create a bidirectional influence of prosocial behavior in regards to school involvement
and leadership.
The value systems of schools focus on a relatively small set of characteristics and
abilities central to childrens future roles as citizens and workings, including those related
to being socially responsible and responsive to group goals, and by behaving in prosocial,
cooperative ways with peers (Wentzel & Looney, 2007). While accomplishing these
socially integrative tasks, children are expected to assert themselves by competing
successfully with others in academics or by mastering specific areas of interest. The
school climate factors of peer influence and relationships, student-teacher relationships,
academic achievement, and student involvement show a complete analysis of how all
these different areas of a students life play a role in shaping their prosocial and antisocial
development. These four factors help to create a sense of a positive school climate. This
will help students feel that they belong to a strong school community. Researchers have
suggested that good-quality school climates foster a sense of connection to the school and
in this way contribute to fewer emotional and behavioral problems (Loukas, Suzuki, &
Horton, 2006).

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