Kelly-Ann Allen

• PhD
• Associate Professor and Educational and Developmental Psychologist at Monash University (Australia)

Belonging is an essential aspect of psychological functioning. Schools offer unique opportunities to improve belonging for school-aged children. Research on school belonging, however, has been fragmented and diluted by inconsistency in the use of terminology. To resolve some of these inconsistencies, the current study uses meta-analysis of individu...

Suggests practical strategies and interventions for fostering school belonging ▶ Provides a model of school belonging underpinned by empirical research ▶ Presents the latest research in the field of school belonging distilled using findings derived from meta-analysis This book explores the concept of school belonging in adolescents from a socio-eco...

Purpose: The vision or mission statement of a school outlines the school’s purpose and defines the context, goals, and aspirations that govern the institution. Using vision and mission statements, the present descriptive research study investigated trends in Australian secondary schools’ priorities. Research Methods: A stratified sample of secondar...

Willingness to communicate (WTC) is important in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms as engaging in discourse helps to promote students’ language learning skills. Classroom belongingness and classroom enjoyment have been shown to mediate students’ engagement in classroom activities, as well as their relatedness to fellow students. It is...

This study explored the longitudinal associations between multiple dimensions of school belonging during adolescence and substance use in young adulthood. Data were leveraged from the Australian Temperament Project, a comprehensive, multi-wave prospective cohort study. The current sample comprised 1565 participants (804 women). School belonging (1...

Despite clear evidence detailing the academic and psychosocial benefits resulting from a sense of school belonging, there is currently no consistent global consensus about the strategies that can be employed to promote school belonging. In addition, existing research is primarily derived from democratic and developed countries. The current study so...

Background Students' sense of school belonging is important for mental health, physical health, and academic performance. However, some students do not feel as though they belong in their schools. This study investigated Greek secondary school students' perspectives on practices that enhanced their sense of belonging during the COVID‐19 pandemic....

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has taken higher education by storm since late 2022 and offered new opportunities and challenges for educators and learners alike. Yet dominant literature to date has emphasised the challenges of assessing effectively in a post-plagiarism and post-truth era, and the new technological affordances offered. Y...

Students’ sense of school belonging is associated with healthier psychological functioning and improved academic outcomes. Currently, most research on school belonging has been conducted in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, resulting in school belonging practices and interventions largely biased towards Western school s...

Belonging is the human need to form and maintain lasting, positive, and significant connections. However, as our societies grow more diverse and complex, understanding the factors associated with a sense of belonging has become increasingly challenging, particularly because these experiences can vary widely across different cultures and countries....

A sense of school belonging is essential for adolescent development, though there is limited research investigating ways to improve students' sense of school belonging in Qatar. With 116 Qatari secondary school students, the current study explored student perspectives of ways teachers and schools could improve their sense of school belonging. Stude...

Teachers play a significant societal role, yet many feel underappreciated, and commonly cite this as a reason for considering leaving the profession. This study investigated responses to the #ThankYourTeacher social media campaign, which was created to generate public expressions of gratitude towards teachers. Data were collected from Twitter, Inst...

Objective: The prevalence of youth mental illness is increasing, and accessible preventative approaches, such as school-based mental health literacy programs, are needed. Mental health literacy is the ability to understand how to obtain and maintain good mental health. Schools are an ideal and accessible setting to base programs targeting mental he...

Introduction Iran follows global trends with a growing aging population. To better understand ageism in Iranian context, the present study explores the concept using a hybrid model with both inductive and deductive approaches. Methods A hybrid concept analysis model was used to further define the concept of ageism. In the first step, databases suc...

The pretest-posttest control group design is one of the most widely used quantitative experimental design models for evaluating the efficacy of programs, treatments, and interventions. Despite the prevalence and utility of this research design, best practices for data analytical procedures are not clearly defined. Invalid results decrease the chanc...

Australian higher education has typically performed above its weight class globally. For a country of approximately 26 million people and 42 universities, the nation exceeds global averages. In 2023, Australia was the 55th largest country by population (Worldometer in Countries in the world by population (2023). Worldometer. https://www.worldometer...

Background: Recent research indicates a rise in classroom diversity and declines in students' psychosocial outcomes , particularly for those from diverse backgrounds. These trends necessitate a concerted effort by schools to uphold social cohesion and ensure the wellbeing of all students. Aims: We examine the associations of intercultural education...

Aim Understanding vaccine hesitancy, as a critical concern for public health, cannot occur without the use of validated measures applicable and relevant to the samples they are assessing. The current study aimed to validate the Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (VHS) and to investigate the predictors of children’s vaccine hesitancy among parents from Austral...

This chapter on school belonging provides a comprehensive examination of the theoretical underpinnings and practical perspectives surrounding this multifaceted construct. It introduces the various theories that have informed school belonging research, emphasizing the predominant influence of Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model. Through the lens of...

Background The prevalence of trauma among young people is alarming due to its considerable effects on their wellbeing and development. Parents can provide crucial support for young people exposed to trauma, however, there is limited research on how parents can help young people exposed to trauma from a youth perspective. Objective This study explo...

Belonging is more than just a buzzword; it is a critical factor that affects students' academic engagement, motivation, persistence, and overall achievement, especially considering the diversity of students in educational settings. The goal of this paper is to dissect the complexities of belonging, examining its various determinants, the diverse im...

Aim This study explored the influence of student computer competency on e‐learning outcomes among Iranian nursing students and examined its mediating role in the relationship between virtual learning infrastructure, student collaboration, access to electronic facilities, and e‐learning outcomes. Design A cross sectional study. Method A self‐admin...

Purpose-In response to growing concerns over the negative consequences of Internet addiction on adolescents' mental health, coupled with conflicting results in this literature stream, this meta-analysis sought to (1) examine the association between Internet addiction and depressive symptoms in adolescents, (2) examine the moderating role of Interne...

The emergence of artificial intelligence in the higher education publishing context has led to scholars seeking opportunities to leverage the new technological affordances offered by the tool. Yet, there have been questions emerging about the extent to which artificial intelligence should prompt scholars towards certain outcomes. In this commentary...

Innovative strategies to promote social support and a sense of belonging are needed urgently as one in three adults worldwide experience loneliness. This Chapter explores the prospect of generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots in social support interventions to improve an individual's sense of belonging, social support, and reduce loneline...

The rapid advancement of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and large language model (LLM) technologies, such as ChatGPT-4 and Bard, has the potential to significantly change wellbeing education. This Chapter explores the applications of generative AI technologies in wellbeing education, with a focus on how chatbots and similar can be used to...

Ageism is a complex phenomenon influenced by many social structures, including economic systems, political ideologies, cultural norms, and prevailing social attitudes. This study aimed to explore the factors contributing to ageism using a qualitative approach. A purposive sample of 20 older adults aged 60 and over participated in semi-structured, f...

School belonging, sometimes referred to as school belonging or school connectedness, involves dimensions like positive affect towards school, relationships with teachers, and feeling socially valued. Previous research points to immediate benefits for students’ mental health and wellbeing; however, evidence on the potential long-term benefits of sch...

Introduction This study examines the psychometric properties of the online version of the sharenting evaluation scale (SES) with a sample of Iranian parents. Methods A sample population of 240 parents (25% fathers and 75% mothers) with an average age of 39.63 (standard deviation = 10.41) were selected by convenience sampling method and completed t...

This scoping review synthesises the current research into robotics technologies for promoting social-emotional learning in children with autism spectrum disorder. It examines the types of robotics technologies employed, their applications, and the gaps in the existing literature. Our scoping review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Syste...

ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs) have hit higher education by storm. Much of the research focuses on how this – and similar – tools can be leveraged for effective education of undergraduate coursework students. In this study, we explore the emerging benefits and limitations of ChatGPT and LLMs in the c...

The relationship between culture and school belonging has rarely been examined relative to student and school-level factors. This study explored whether culture, measured through individualism and power distance, plays a role in school belonging across countries. The study, designed to separate the effects of within-school teacher support from coun...

Bullying in academic settings has long-lasting implications on students’ well-being and career prospects, particularly in fields like nursing that require a high level of interpersonal skills and emotional resilience. This study explored the relationships between experiences of bullying and intentions to drop out among Iranian nursing students, wit...

The practice of inclusive education in schools has led to changes in policy and pedagogy, hence teacher acceptance and attitude are important components of its success. The aim of this study is to identify the differences in attitudes of primary and secondary pre-service teachers on inclusion and the potential relationship between demographic varia...

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the rates of loneliness and isolation. Belonging, being a fundamental human need, plays a significant role in understanding loneliness and isolation, as well as promoting mental health and wellbeing. Several factors influence the feeling of belonging, and across the different life stages, belonging is crucial to...

In recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on the importance of inclusion, school belonging, and wellbeing in schools. However, there is a need to critically examine these concepts and their intersections to create environments that truly promote positive wellbeing for all students. While there is existing literature on inclusion, school be...

Background The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the normality of daily life for many children, their families, and schools, resulting in heightened levels of anxiety, depression, social isolation, and loneliness among young people. An integrated public health model of interventions is needed to address the problem and to safeguard the mental health and...

The COVID-19 pandemic caused unprecedented changes to educational institutions, forcing their closure and a subsequent shift to online education to cater to student learning requirements. However, successful online learning depends on several factors and may also vary between countries. As such, this cross-sectional study sought to investigate how...

QAnon has emerged as the defining conspiracy group of our times, and its far-right conspiracies are extraordinary for their breadth and extremity. Bringing together scholars from psychology, sociology, communications, and political science, this cutting-edge volume uses social science theory to investigate aspects of QAnon. Following an introductio...

The Lonely Little Cactus is a children’s picture story book about a cactus that feels lonely living in the desert. Through a series of colourful interactions with desert dwellers, the little cactus learns strategies to cope with their feelings of loneliness. Both entertaining and educational, the story book is aimed at children aged 4–8 years old...

This vital resource uses the evidence-driven Conceptual PlayWorlds model of intentional teaching developed by Professor Marilyn Fleer to provide supporting classroom or home-based activities to help children aged between four and eight solve challenges and learn wellbeing concepts through play. Intended for use with the accompanying picture story...

Drawing on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), this online cross-sectional study explored the mediating role of computer competencies in the relationship between the instructors' role and the course's educational content with e-learning acceptance among 403 nursing students in Ir...

Despite a strong body of evidence demonstrating the importance of school belonging across multiple measures of wellbeing and academic outcomes, many students still do not feel a sense of belonging to their school. Moreover, school closures caused by COVID-19 lockdowns have exacerbated challenges for developing a student’s sense of school belonging....

This study used Online Photovoice to study students’ perceptions of online distance education during the COVID-19 pandemic. It aimed to (1) find the factors that facilitated and impeded online distance education during the pandemic and (2) determine which level of ecological systems theory participants attributed facilitators and barriers to. We ut...

Young people have emerged as one of the most impacted groups from the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions to daily activities, with disruptions to schooling, social interactions, and connections. Simultaneously, students’ access to school mental health professionals were restricted or modified. The aim of this paper was to identify how schoo...

The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the student perceptions of an online course (P-SPOC) measure among Iranian nursing students. In this cross-sectional study a total of 302 Iranian undergraduate nursing students filled the online questionnaire between October and December 2021. Vali...

The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the student perceptions of an online course (P-SPOC) measure among Iranian nursing students. In this cross-sectional study a total of 302 Iranian undergraduate nursing students filled the online questionnaire between October and December 2021. Vali...

Purpose Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in China, student engagement in online learning has been a critical issue for all educational institutions. The university student engagement inventory (USEI) is the most used scale for assessing the construct of student engagement. The present study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of t...

The OpenAI’s ChatGPT-3, or Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer was released in November 2022 without significant warning, and has taken higher education by storm since. The artificial intelligence (AI)-powered chatbot has caused alarm for practitioners seeking to detect authenticity of student work. Whereas some educational doomsayers predict t...