| dc.description.abstract | The main aim of this study was to examine the effect of depression, satisfaction and sexual harassment on social alienation. And further, the effect of gender, depression, self-evaluated school performance and social alienation on intentions of dropping out of school. A secondary aim, was to examine possible gender differences among the students’ experience of these concepts. One large samples of high school students participated in the study (n=1592). Students took part in study by answering an electronically administered questionnaire with personal access-codes. Results from path-model regressions and t-tests revealed that feelings of social alienation where significantly more present among students with lower levels of satisfaction, higher degrees of symptoms of depression, and more experiences of being sexually harassed. Girls are more socially alienated, depressed and less satisfied compared to boys. Boys and girls experience equally degrees of sexual harassment. How well students evaluated their school performance affected their intentions of leaving school. There was no difference between genders on how they evaluated their school performance. Moreover, having symptoms of depression and feelings of alienation led to stronger intentions of leaving school. Boys had stronger intentions of dropping out than girls. These findings provide insight to the existence of social alienation among emerging adults in Norwegian high schools, and imply that the consideration of social alienation is important to address when research approaches students sense of belongingness in school. | nb_NO |
