• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.183-206
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• 2011

This study examined the longitudinal relationship between academic achievement and school satisfaction using a data of the Seoul Panel Study of Children(SPSC). Fully autoregressive cross-lagged analysis and multi-group comparison were performed to measure the longitudinal relationship between two constructs as well as differences between poverty and non-poverty groups. The results showed that both academic achievement and school satisfaction were stable over time in non-poverty group. Academic achievement at the 4th grade significantly affected the school satisfaction at the 6th grade and it subsequently affected on the academic achievement at the 8th grade in non-poverty group. In contrast, academic achievement was not consistent over time in poverty group. Only the school satisfaction at the 6th grade affected the academic achievement at the 8th grade. The findings of this study have various practical implication for school interventions. It is more important to keep supporting the children to maintain the level of academic achievement in non-poverty group. While, in poverty group, it is essential to make school satisfaction and academic motivation increase with school attachment programs.