Transportation and Socioemotional Well-Being of Urban Students With and Without Disabilities

Abstract

This study explored the extent to which transportation difficulties were associated with social, psychological, and academic experiences of urban, at-risk students who recently experienced a school transition. Participants included 165 predominantly African American and Latino/a high school youth with and without disabilities, a critical population for community psychology to address given their likelihood of multiple marginalizations. Results suggested transportation problems within school predicted more school stressors and aggressive behavior. Transportation problems to and from school predicted fewer school resources, less school belonging, and more school stressors, anxiety, and depression. Greater time to get to school predicted fewer school resources, less school belonging, and more depressive symptoms. This study demonstrates the importance of including transportation in how the school day is conceptualized, and offers several implications for how transportation services can be best addressed.

KEYWORDS:

• aggression
• anxiety
• depression
• school stressors and resources
• transportation
• urban youth with disabilities

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

At the time of this research, Benjamin C. Graham was affiliated with DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Graham is currently affiliated with the National Center for PTSD, Dissemination and Training Division, in Menlo Park, California.

Notes

Note. ns = 145–164.

*p < .05. **p < .01.

Note. ns = 153–159.

*p < .05. **p < .01.

Note. ns = 147–159.

*p < .05. **p < .01.