Jaana Minkkinen1, Pirjo Lindfors2, Jaana Kinnunen3, Eerika Finell4, Mari-Pauliina Vainikainen5, Sakari Karvonen6, Arja Rimpelä7. 1. Faculty of Social Sciences, Health Sciences, University of Tampere, PO Box 100, FI-33014, Finland. 2. The Institute for Advanced Social Research, University of Tampere, Atalpa 213, Finland. 3. Faculty of Social Sciences, Health Sciences, University of Tampere, Finland. 4. Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tampere, FI-33014, Finland. 5. Department of Teacher Education, University of Helsinki, FI-00014, Finland. 6. National Institute for Health and Welfare, FI-00271 Helsinki, Finland. 7. Faculty of Social Sciences, Health Sciences, University of Tampere, FI-33014, Finland.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Studies have shown a relationship between students' health and their academic achievements, but whether health of classmates and schoolmates impacts individual students' school achievement is less known. We studied these effects on students in lower secondary school in Finland. METHODS: Students (seventh grade, age 12-13 years, N = 7779, 123 schools, 565 classes) participated in a classroom survey measuring health (externalizing and internalizing problems, daily health complaints, and long-term illness) and academic achievement. Academic achievement when leaving school (15-16 years) was obtained from the Finnish national application register on upper secondary education. Three-level (student, class, and school) multilevel regression analyses were executed. RESULTS: All health variables predicted academic achievement at leaving school at the student level and externalizing and internalizing problems at the class level; better health predicted better achievement. Students' health at the school level was not related to academic achievement. The effect of class-level health on academic achievement was as strong as the effect of student-level health. CONCLUSION: Both student and classmates' health at the beginning of lower secondary school contribute to academic achievement when leaving school.
BACKGROUND: Studies have shown a relationship between students' health and their academic achievements, but whether health of classmates and schoolmates impacts individual students' school achievement is less known. We studied these effects on students in lower secondary school in Finland. METHODS: Students (seventh grade, age 12-13 years, N = 7779, 123 schools, 565 classes) participated in a classroom survey measuring health (externalizing and internalizing problems, daily health complaints, and long-term illness) and academic achievement. Academic achievement when leaving school (15-16 years) was obtained from the Finnish national application register on upper secondary education. Three-level (student, class, and school) multilevel regression analyses were executed. RESULTS: All health variables predicted academic achievement at leaving school at the student level and externalizing and internalizing problems at the class level; better health predicted better achievement. Students' health at the school level was not related to academic achievement. The effect of class-level health on academic achievement was as strong as the effect of student-level health. CONCLUSION: Both student and classmates' health at the beginning of lower secondary school contribute to academic achievement when leaving school.
Authors: Henrik Dobewall; Pirjo Lindfors; Sakari Karvonen; Leena Koivusilta; Mari-Pauliina Vainikainen; Risto Hotulainen; Arja Rimpelä Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2019-11-04 Impact factor: 3.295
Authors: Eerika Finell; Asko Tolvanen; Juha Pekkanen; Jaana Minkkinen; Timo Ståhl; Arja Rimpelä Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2018-07-16 Impact factor: 3.390