תפיסת המארג הרגשי בבית הספר: השוואה בין תלמידים במצבי סיכון לתלמידים שאינם במצבי סיכון

The aim of the present study was to examine and compare perceptions of the school's affective fabric among at-risk and non-at-risk students. Affective fabric means that the students' affective-developmental needs are central to the school. The term comprises five dimensions of students' affective-social development. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis, student dropout rates seem to have increased and the number of students at risk has grown. Therefore, it is important to examine the affective response that schools can provide for at-risk adolescents as well as for those who are not defined as at risk. The main research question dealt with whether differences would be found in how the affective fabric of school is perceived by at-risk students and by students in a comparison group. Participant were 2,155 students, of whom 996 were defined as adolescents at risk. The results reveal that at-risk adolescents perceive the school as a source of support and protection more than do students in the comparison group. Therefore, schools must invest wisely and properly to address the affective needs of at-risk youth. It can also be assumed that such an investment will have less of an effect on those in the comparison group.