THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN FAMILY SUPPORT, SCHOOL AND THE ENGAGEMENT OF THE STUDENTS IN A COMPENSATORY EDUCATION SCHOOL

The engagement of students is the main challenge for those centers whose mission is the integration of students with a history of school failure. The previous findings emphasize that social support determines the engagement of students and their integration in the life of the center, and there is evidence to suggest that this determination is moderated by personal traits such as gender and stage of development. However, studies that help to understand the synergic effect between support systems and engagement are lacking. This study used the analysis of structural equations with a student population (N = 193) in a secondary school in order to know the synergistic effects (and their relationships) of family and school support on student engagement, testing the moderating effect of age and gender. The results showed an indirect influence of the family on the engagement of the students, mediated by the school support. Also the moderating effect of the age and gender of the students was relatively significant. The findings provide (a) empirical evidence of the simultaneous and mediated influence of family and school support on improving the behavior of students with a history of school maladjustment, and (b) show that as students advance in adolescence the influence of family support decreases in this type of centers.