Child At-Risk Behaviors and Academic Engagement of Selected Junior High Schools: Basis for Project Cares Child At- Risk Engagement Support Program
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22069579Keywords:
child at-risk behavior, academic engagement, junior high school, school counseling, learner support, Project CARESAbstract
This study determined the extent of child at-risk behaviors and the level of academic engagement among junior high school learners in selected public secondary schools in San Pedro, Laguna, and examined the relationship between the two constructs as basis for Project CARES (Child At-Risk Engagement Support Program). A quantitative comparative-correlational design was employed involving 555 respondents: 22 school administrators, 10 school counselors, 137 teachers, 193 parents/guardians, and 193 junior high school students from five public secondary schools. A researcher-made, expert-validated questionnaire measured environmental and family-related, social and behavioral, academic, emotional and psychological, and physical risk behaviors, together with study habits and time management, motivation, learning environment, health and well-being, teaching quality, and encountered challenges. Percentage, weighted mean, one-way analysis of variance, and Pearson product-moment correlation were used. Child at-risk behavior was Moderately At-Risk overall (M = 3.39), with social and behavioral risk highest (M = 3.44), followed by emotional and psychological and physical risk behaviors (both M = 3.43), academic risk (M = 3.41), and environmental and family-related risk (M = 3.25). No significant differences were reported among the five respondent groups across the risk domains. Academic engagement was Engaged overall (M = 3.79), led by teaching quality (M = 4.01) and learning environment (M = 3.95). The thesis reported very strong and statistically significant relationships between child at-risk behaviors and all five academic-engagement dimensions (r = .99, p < .05). The most evident learner challenges were difficulty understanding lessons, school-related stress or anxiety, stress-related illness, time-management difficulties, and declining academic performance. Project CARES was subsequently developed and was rated Highly Acceptable overall (M = 4.43). The findings support coordinated school, family, guidance, health, and instructional interventions for learners experiencing multidimensional risk.
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