This study uses a mixed-method sequential exploratory design to examine influences on urban adolescents’ engagement and disengagement in school. First, we interviewed 22 middle and high school students who varied in their level of engagement and disengagement. Support from adults and peers, opportunities to make choices, and external incentives aligned with greater engagement. In contrast, a strict disciplinary structure, an irrelevant and boring curriculum, disengaged peers, and lack of respect by adults coincided with greater disengagement. From these interviews, we tested whether these factors were statistically significant predictors of engagement and disengagement in a sample of 611 middle and high school students. In the majority of models, these predictors were significantly related to engagement and disengagement in the expected direction. Implications of findings for educational practice are discussed.

中文翻译：

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都市青少年参与学校活动和脱离活动的重要因素：混合方法研究

这项研究使用混合方法顺序探索性设计来检验对城市青少年在学校中的参与和脱离接触的影响。首先，我们采访了22名初中和高中学生，他们的参与和脱离接触的程度各不相同。成人和同龄人的支持，做出选择的机会以及与更大参与度相呼应的外部激励措施。相比之下，严格的学科结构，不相关和无聊的课程，同龄人脱离关系以及成年人缺乏尊重的情况与更大的脱离接触相吻合。通过这些访谈，我们在611名中学生和高中生的样本中测试了这些因素是否是参与和脱离接触的统计学显着预测指标。在大多数模型中，这些预测因素与预期方向的参与和脱离密切相关。