Trust and Student Identification
Roxanne M. Mitchell, Department of Administration and Instructional Leadership, School of Education
Abstract
This study investigated the effects of faculty, parental and student trust on student identification with school and academic performance. Low identification with school has been posited as a cause of persistent, low, academic performance. Existing evidence and extant theory regarding the positive effects of trusting school environments suggested a possible relationship between trust and identification with school. This study investigated that relationship using survey data collected from 74 schools in one Midwestern state. Ordinary, least squares multiple regression was used to test hypothesized causal paths. Results suggested that parental and student trust of the school and the principal are salient predictors of student identification with school.