The relationship between students' (in)security at school and academic achievement: a gender perspective

Abstract

The analysis of student (in)security at school is frequently associated with the role and performance evaluation of social pedagogues. Scientific research related to student (in)security is most often directed towards the analysis of physical safety, examining individual issues of violence, aggression, and bullying. Questions of student safety related to student well-being receive slightly more attention in psychological scientific research. In the science of education, the focus is most often on the organization of the educational process with the aim of prevention. Scientific publications based on data from international comparative studies (e.g., OECD PISA) generally examine broad learning patterns, barriers to student achievement, and socio-economic contextual factors. However, there is a notable lack of in-depth research analyzing students' experience of (in)safety, especially from an educational perspective in relation to their academic achievements. This study investigates the manifestations of insecurity among students, with a particular focus on gender differences and their impact on academic performance. Using data from the OECD PISA 2022 survey, the experiences of 7,257 15-year-olds from Lithuanian schools were analyzed. The empirical data were processed employing factor analysis, independent samples t-tests, correlation, and linear regression methods. The results reveal significant gender differences in factors such as bullying, feelings of insecurity, and physical violence, as well as their correlations with academic achievement.