Class-Level School Performance and Life Satisfaction: Differential Sensitivity for Low- and High-Performing School-Aged Children

Katharina Rathmann, Max Herke, Ludwig Bilz, Arja Rimpelä, Klaus Hurrelmann and Matthias Richter
Additional contact information
Katharina Rathmann: Department of Nursing and Health Science, University of Applied Sciences, 36037 Fulda, Germany
Max Herke: Institute of Medical Sociology, Medical Faculty, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06112 Halle (Saale), Germany
Ludwig Bilz: Department of Health Sciences, Faculty for Health, Social Work, and Music, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, 01968 Senftenberg, Germany
Arja Rimpelä: Faculty of Social Sciences, Health Sciences and PERLA (Tampere Center for Childhood, Youth and Family Research), University of Tampere, 33014 Tampere, Finland
Klaus Hurrelmann: Hertie School of Governance, 10117 Berlin, Germany
Matthias Richter: Institute of Medical Sociology, Medical Faculty, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06112 Halle (Saale), Germany

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 12, 1-17

Abstract: This study investigates whether class-level school performance affects students’ life satisfaction and if there are differential effects for high- and low-performing students. Data were derived from the National Educational Panel Study, including n = 5196 students (49.6% girls), nested in 478 classes and 250 secondary schools. School performance in class was measured by aggregating individual grade point average in Mathematics and German. The study could not reveal the “big-fish-little-pond”-effect regarding students’ life satisfaction but found differential effects for high- vs. low performing students. There was no significant association for low-performing students attending classes with higher class-level performance However, low-performing students revealed the lowest life satisfaction. High-performing students placed in classes with higher average performance reported lower life satisfaction compared to high-performing students in classes with lower average performance. This study provides evidence for the impact of the learning environment in class on school-aged children’s life satisfaction, by highlighting the differential sensitivity of high-performing students when placed in classes with higher or lower average performance.

Keywords: school performance; social comparison; life satisfaction; “big-fish-little-pond”-effect; multilevel analysis; National Educational Panel Study; Germany (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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