School-Home Identity Fit, School Climate, and Student Identification with Religious Values: The Case of Students from Masorti and Orthodox Homes in Israeli Religious High Schools

This study examines the outcome of incongruence between home and school religious
environments on predicting adolescent identification with religious values and worldview
in Israeli religious high schools, and the possible mediating effects of general and identity-
related aspects of school climate. The study compares Jewish students from religious
observant Orthodox families with those from less-observant Masorti (traditionalist) families.
A total of 9090 Israeli high school students from 76 religious public schools participated.
Students identified their parent’s home as Religious or Masorti and filled out a measure
on their own religious identification. School climate indices surveyed included aspects
of good teacher-student and school-student relationships, and climate indices related to
identity development processes. Results demonstrate that students from Masorti families
experience school less favorably and identify less with school values. Identity climate indices
were involved in mediating this relationship, demonstrating that school pedagogies fostering
positive identity processes may play a key role in value formation in adolescence.