Influence of Schools on Behavior of Children

Parents do their best to guide their children to make the right choices. You hope when your child isn't sure of a course of action that he will remember your words or come to you with questions. The school a child attends, however, also has a large influence on his choices and behaviors.

  1. Head Start

    • A review published in the "Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry" reported long-term benefits for children enrolled in Head Start. Children from Head Start maintained positive social behaviors and higher self-esteem. They enjoyed confidence that helped them do better in school. While some measures, such as specific IQ scores, do not always last, this review looked at more measurements than just IQ score. The author found that this school program influenced children's behavior in positive ways that lasted into their elementary school years.

    Risk-Taking Behaviors

    • Middle and high school students are more prone to risk-taking behaviors than younger children. As children become adolescents, their desire for autonomy causes them to ask peers for advice instead of parents. They might be tempted to experiment with drugs, sex and other risky behaviors. The Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine published a 2011 study in which they found strong correlations between students' feelings about their school's atmosphere and lower incidence of risk-taking behavior. In other words, teens who felt comfortable and safe at school were less likely to take risks.

    Eating Behaviors

    • Sabrina M. Neeley published a study for the Master of Health Program at Wright State University in which she analyzed whether the atmosphere and ambience in the school cafeteria had an effect on children's food choices. She found that in cafeterias with the cleanest floors, children were much more likely to choose fruits and vegetables as part of their lunch. According to Neeley, children ingest at least one third of their daily calories at school. The current concerns about obesity and health in children make this finding noteworthy.

    Drop Outs

    • Reaching out to fifth-graders in their classrooms has a large and beneficial effect on their later behaviors in middle and high school, according to "Healthy Passages," a study conducted by the University of Alabama. Talking to kids in the classroom about their hopes and aspirations and encouraging their goals for their future, helps prevent them from later dropping out of school, states Susan Davies, Ph.D, a researcher with the study.

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