THE SOCIAL-CONTEXT OF SCHOOL SATISFACTION AMONG URBAN, LOW-INCOME, AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS

Nonacademic, contextual factors influencing school satisfaction among low-income, urban, African-American, elementary-school students were e xamined. Path analysis was used to evaluate the role of classroom soci al climate, stress, social support, quality of family life, psychologi cal distress, and academic self-concept in predicting school satisfact ion, which is one indicator of positive subjective well-being. Results suggest that students' perception of a caring, supportive school comm unity had the most substantive impact of the variables considered on t heir satisfaction with school. Implications for the school psychologis ts' prevention and intervention efforts with ''at-risk'' children are discussed.