Abstract
This study examined the predictive value of school climate and peer support for psychosomatic complaints, perceived academic
achievement, and school satisfaction in Canada, Norway, and Romania. While the three countries used the same measures of each
construct, the questionnaires were written in three different languages. Thus, we first established the linguistic equivalence
of the instruments across the three countries. Having established linguistic equivalence, we next examined the extent to which
the patterns of relationship were similar across the countries and for two age groups (13- and 15-year-olds). There were similar
cross-national patterns in relationships with stronger links between school climate and the three outcomes than between peer
support and the outcomes. The peer support–perceived academic achievement path was in all instances weak or non-significant.
With respect to age differences, none were observed in Canada and Norway, but age differences were seen in Romania.
achievement, and school satisfaction in Canada, Norway, and Romania. While the three countries used the same measures of each
construct, the questionnaires were written in three different languages. Thus, we first established the linguistic equivalence
of the instruments across the three countries. Having established linguistic equivalence, we next examined the extent to which
the patterns of relationship were similar across the countries and for two age groups (13- and 15-year-olds). There were similar
cross-national patterns in relationships with stronger links between school climate and the three outcomes than between peer
support and the outcomes. The peer support–perceived academic achievement path was in all instances weak or non-significant.
With respect to age differences, none were observed in Canada and Norway, but age differences were seen in Romania.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Paper
- Pages 1-10
- DOI 10.1007/s12310-011-9070-9
- Authors
- John G. Freeman, Faculty of Education, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada
- Oddrun Samdal, Department of Health Promotion and Development, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Adriana Băban, Department of Health Psychology, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Delia Bancila, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern-Denmark, Esbjerg, Denmark
- Journal School Mental Health
- Online ISSN 1866-2633
- Print ISSN 1866-2625