PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Chris Bonell
AU  - Emma Beaumont
AU  - Matthew Dodd
AU  - Diana Ruth Elbourne
AU  - Leonardo Bevilacqua
AU  - Anne Mathiot
AU  - Jennifer McGowan
AU  - Joanna Sturgess
AU  - Emily Warren
AU  - Russell M Viner
AU  - Elizabeth Allen
TI  - Effects of school environments on student risk-behaviours: evidence from a longitudinal study of secondary schools in England
AID  - 10.1136/jech-2018-211866
DP  - 2019 Jun 01
TA  - Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
PG  - 502--508
VI  - 73
IP  - 6
4099  - http://jech.bmj.com/content/73/6/502.short
4100  - http://jech.bmj.com/content/73/6/502.full
SO  - J Epidemiol Community Health2019 Jun 01; 73
AB  - Background The theory of human functioning and school organisation proposes that schools with rigid ‘boundaries’ (weaker relationships), for example, between staff and students, or learning and broader development, engender weaker student school commitment and sense of belonging, particularly among disadvantaged students, leading to greater involvement in risk-behaviours. Existing studies provide some support but rely on a proxy exposure of ‘value-added education’ and have not explored effects by disadvantage.Methods We used longitudinal data from English secondary schools from the control arm of a trial, assessing school-level measures of rigid boundaries, and student commitment and belonging at age 11/12, and student risk-behaviours at age 14/15.Results Our direct measures were more strongly associated with risk-behaviours than was value-added education. School-level rigid boundaries were associated with increased alcohol use and bullying. Student belonging was more consistently associated with reduced risk-behaviours than was student commitment. Some school effects were greater for students from disadvantaged subgroups defined in terms of poverty, ethnicity and family structure.Conclusion Our results provide direct support for the theory of human functioning and school organisation and suggest a sense of belonging in school might be particularly protective factor among secondary school students. School effects on risk are generally stronger among disadvantaged students as theorised.Trial registration number ISRCTN10751359