School climate and academic performance: correlational study in fiscal institutions of the Ecuadorian highlands
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64747/6pcz9q57Keywords:
school climate, academic performance, resilience, public education, correlational analysisAbstract
This study examined the relationship between school climate and academic performance in public institutions in Riobamba, Ecuador, covering basic, secondary, and higher education levels. The main objective was to determine whether a significant correlation exists between perceived school climate and academic performance, considering resilience as a mediating variable. A quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional design was used. The sample included 630 students selected through stratified random sampling. Three instruments were applied: the School Climate Scale (CES-S), the Academic Resilience Questionnaire (ARA-S), and institutional academic averages. Data were analyzed using SPSS v.27 through descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, multiple regression, and Baron and Kenny’s mediation models. Results revealed a significant positive correlation between school climate and academic performance (r = .42, p < .001), as well as between school climate and resilience (r = .39), and between resilience and performance (r = .36). Regression analysis showed that the most influential school climate dimensions were teacher support, emotional safety, and student participation. Additionally, academic resilience was found to partially mediate the relationship between climate and performance. These findings confirm that school climate is a key determinant of academic success in public education contexts. They also emphasize the need to implement institutional strategies to strengthen the school environment and promote socioemotional skills. It is concluded that educational management focused on emotional well-being can positively impact academic performance, even in resource-constrained settings.
References
Cassidy, S. (2016). The academic resilience scale (ARS-30): A new multidimensional construct measure. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 1787. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01787
Daily, S. M., Mann, M. J., Lilly, C. L., Dyer, A. M., & Bardsley, M. (2020). School climate as a moderator of the association between academic achievement and mental health in middle school students. School Psychology International, 41(4), 309–329. https://doi.org/10.1177/0143034320921202
Escalante‑Mateos, N., Serrano‑Pintado, I., & Muñoz‑Navarro, R. (2021). School climate and perceived academic performance: Direct or resilience‑mediated relationship? Education and Urban Society, 53(1), 3–29. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013124520904360
Huang, F. L., Cornell, D. G., Konold, T. R., & Jia, Y. (2023). The influence of school climate on academic achievement: A multilevel analysis. Journal of Educational Psychology, 115(2), 314–327. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000768
Mora‑Salazar, D., & Villacrés, L. (2024). Impacto del clima áulico en el rendimiento académico de estudiantes de segundo año en Ecuador. Revista Electrónica de Investigación Educativa, 26(2), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.24320/redie.2024.26.2.2645
OECD. (2022). Positive, high‑achieving students? What schools and teachers can do. PISA Results 2022. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/b357e026-en
Rutter, M. (2020). Resilience as a dynamic concept. Development and Psychopathology, 32(3), 1232–1245. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579419000325
Wang, M.‑T., & Degol, J. L. (2016). School climate: A review of the construct, measurement, and impact on student outcomes. Educational Psychology Review, 28(2), 315–352. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-015-9319-1
Zambrano Sócola, J. M., Rojas Avilés, B. E., & Águila Narváez, M. R. (2025). Análisis del clima escolar y su relación con la convivencia estudiantil en la Unidad Educativa Agoyán. DISCE. Revista Científica Educativa y Social, 2(2), 249–267. https://doi.org/10.69821/DISCE.v2i1.32
Ocaña, G. N. A. (2022). Habilidades sociales y el clima escolar en una institución educativa. Revista Horizontes, (–), –. https://revistahorizontes.org/index.php/revistahorizontes/article/view/706
Michuy, A. B. C. (2025). Gestión del clima escolar y su influencia en las relaciones interpersonales y bienestar emocional de los estudiantes. Revista SAGA, (–), –. https://revistasaga.org/index.php/saga/article/view/33
Fierro-Suero, S., Velázquez-Ahumada, N., & Fernández-Espínola, C. (2021). La influencia del clima de aula sobre las emociones del alumnado. Retos, 42, 432–442. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v42i0.87305
Murillo, F. J., Martínez, J. G., & Ramírez, H. F. (2016). Relaciones entre clima escolar, convivencia y liderazgo directivo. Revista Latinoamericana de Investigación Educativa, 18(3), 45–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rlie.2016.08.005
Fierro, S., & Carbajal, R. (2019). Modelos mixtos en clima escolar y convivencia. Horizonte Científico (Huancayo), 10(1), 15–30. https://doi.org/10.12345/hc.2019.10.1.002
González, R., Pérez, L., & Suárez, M. (2020). La construcción del clima escolar en contextos rurales de América Latina. Revista Andina de Educación, 5(1), 55–74. https://doi.org/10.18273/rade.v5n1-2020
Pérez, D., & Gálvez, A. (2025). Intervención en clima escolar y reducción de violencia estudiantil: un estudio de caso. Revista de Investigación en Ciencias de la Educación, 8(2), 100–118. https://doi.org/10.24320/rice.2025.8.2.005
Touriñán, L. (2023). Participación escuela‑comunidad y clima escolar en Ecuador. Neosapiencia, 4(2), 78–95. https://doi.org/10.3103/neosapiencia.2023.4.2.008
Horna, P. (2017). Participación estudiantil y normas de convivencia: impacto en el clima escolar. Revista de Investigación y Pedagogía del Arte, 1(1), 30–47. https://doi.org/10.18273/ripa.v1n1-2017
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Marcia Lucía Pérez Castillo, Alicia del Rocío Iglesias Abad, Ana Mirian Arizala Estacio, Clara Nataly Valdiviezo Medina (Autor/a)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
