Cultural Mismatch and School Culture: How Youth and Principal Cultural Norms Influence Outcomes Associated with High School Dropout

Purpose/ Background: Research guided by cultural mismatch (CM) theory found university administrators enact independent cultural norms that differ from the interdependent cultural norms of first-generation college students (Stephens, et al., 2012). Evident differences between the cultural norms of college students and those of their university administrators were defined as experiences of “cultural mismatch.” Researchers found cultural mismatch predicted lower achievement for first-generation college students; thereby identifying cultural mismatch as a risk factor associated with college dropout (Stephens et al., 2012). Arguably, high school settings, much like universities, are charged with the task of developing strategies to keep youth in school and mitigating their risks for leaving school early. The current study re-examined the tenets of CM theory in the context of high school education.

Method: Cross-sectional survey data was gathered from high school youth (N = 519) and four high school principals from four different high schools. Youth measures and outcome variables included: race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status (free and reduced lunch status), school type (urban, rural, or suburban), independent cultural norms, interdependent cultural norms, comfort in school, psychological status, perceived future educational attainment, and academic achievement (GPA). Further, an indicator of cultural mismatch was created based on difference scores among youth and principals cultural norms. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was then used to examine: 1) how independent and interdependent cultural norms influence the relationships among youth demographics and youth outcomes; 2) how experiences of cultural mismatch, whereby the independent cultural norms of high school principals are greater than the independent cultural norms of high school youth, influence the youth outcomes; and, 3) how experiences of cultural mismatch, whereby the interdependent cultural norms of high school youth are greater than the interdependent cultural norms of high school principals, influence youth outcomes.

Results: Results showed greater endorsement of independent cultural norms among youth in schools were significantly associated with greater comfort in school, better psychological status, higher aspirations for future educational attainment, and higher academic achievement. Interdependent cultural norms were significantly associated with greater comfort in school and psychological well-being, yet negatively associated with academic achievement. Notably, youth who identified as racial/ethnic minorities were more likely to endorse interdependent cultural norms compared to their non-minority peers. Further, two additional models showed experiences of cultural mismatch, whereby principal cultural norms differed from youth cultural norms, resulted in less comfort in school, poorer psychological status, lower aspirations for future educational attainment, and lower academic achievement.

Conclusion/Implications: Overall, findings suggest greater endorsement of interdependent cultural norms may be one unseen indicator of why youth who identify as racial/ethnic minorities are most at risk for dropping out of high school dropout. Furthermore, differences in the cultural norms of youth and their school principals suggest school culture may play a critical role in determining how youth experience and perform in school. Implications of the current study include identifying cultural obstacles in schools that may contribute to the social achievement gap, and informing educational policies, practices, and interventions that aim to prevent school dropout.