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Students' Need for Belonging in the School Community
Abstract
Defining sense of community as a feeling of belongingness within a group, this article reviews research about students' sense of acceptance within the school community to address three questions: Is this experience of belongingness important in an educational setting? Do students currently experience school as a community? And how do schools influence students' sense of community? Conceptually, the review reflects a social cognitive perspective on motivation. This theoretical framework maintains that individuals have psychological needs, that satisfaction of these needs affects perception and behavior, and that characteristics of the social context influence how well these needs are met. The concern here is how schools, as social organizations, address what is defined as a basic psychological need, the need to experience belongingness. The findings suggest that students' experience of acceptance influences multiple dimensions of their behavior but that schools adopt organizational practices that neglect and may actually undermine students' experience of membership in a supportive community.
... Psychologists describe belonging to be a basic psychological need Baumeister & Leary, 1995;Ryan & Deci, 2020). Education theorists likewise situate student belonging as a key ingredient for persistence and achievement (e.g., Hausmann et al., 2009;Hurtado & Carter, 1997;Tinto, 1993), which may unlock important psychological benefits Goodenow & Grady, 1993;Gray et al., 2018;Osterman, 2000;Walton & Brady, 2017). Although student belonging is a significant outcome in its own right, it is also essential to understand the associations belonging might have with students' achievement and persistence and how such relationships may differ by students' identities and institutional characteristics (e.g., race/ethnicity, gender). ...
... As a few studies highlighted differential associations by racial and gender identities, it may be the case that belonging might not be as potent of a predictor of belonging for White students or students with non-minoritized identities. They may not be experiencing a heightened need for belonging compared to students in more marginalizing contexts or from historically oppressed backgrounds and communities (see Osterman, 2000;Totonchi et al., 2023). These discrepant findings point to how belonging may require specific theorizing by students' identities rather than a one-size-fits-all approach (see Covarrubias, 2024;Fong et al., 2019). ...
Given the theorized importance of college belonging for academic success, we conducted a scoping review of studies examining relationships between sense of belonging and academic achievement and persistence for postsecondary students. In our scoping review, we included 69 reports (78 unique samples) published between 2003 and 2023. We observed an unexpected level of heterogeneity among the associations between belonging and academic outcomes (GPA, persistence, and intent to persist); most associations were positive but small with several small, negative associations. Across a few studies, there was a pattern of larger associations between belonging and academic achievement for marginalized college students, such as racially/ethnically minoritized students (compared to students in the racial majority) or women (compared to men) in historically exclusionary settings such as STEM disciplines. We identified gaps in the literature reflecting underreporting of student identities, including but not limited to gender identity, sexual identity, social class, religious identity, disability status, and first-generation status, in sample characteristics and a lack of attention to contextual factors, such as the type of institution (e.g., predominantly White institutions, community colleges, minority-serving institutions). In all, our findings provide an updated mapping of the literature, pointing to a much-needed refinement for how individual and institutional factors may moderate the associations between belonging and academic outcomes in postsecondary settings.
... Aidiyet ihtiyacı, grup statüsü, sosyal normlar ve diğer grup üyeleri gibi olma arzusu, öğrencilerin gruba uyma davranışlarını etkilemektedir (Burns ve diğerleri, 2008). Okullar, öğrencilerin aidiyet ihtiyacının en fazla ortaya çıktığı kurumlardandır (Osterman, 2000). Okul normları, öğrencilerin sosyal uyma davranışlarındaki önemli etkenlerden biridir. ...
Sosyal psikolojinin temel kavramlarından biri olan sosyal etki, bireyin davranış ve tutumlarının başkalarından etkilenerek değişiklik göstermesi ve başkalarına uyum sağlamasını ifade etmektedir. Bu çalışma, okullardaki sosyal etki dinamiklerini inceleyerek, öğrencilerin davranış ve tutumları üzerindeki sosyal etkinin sonuçlarını ele almaktadır. Araştırmada sosyal psikolojinin temel kavramlarından olan sosyal etki kavramı açıklanmış, sosyal etki bağlamında kabul ve otoriteye itaat ve uyma davranışları ele alınmıştır. Ardından okullarda sosyal etkinin nasıl ortaya çıktığı, hangi etkenlerden etkilendiği ve ne gibi sonuçları olduğu alanyazındaki çalışmalar kapsamında bütüncül bir yaklaşımla değerlendirilmiştir. Sistematik derleme deseninde literatür taramasında türünde gerçekleştirilen nitel bir araştırma olan bu çalışmanın, sosyal psikolojide sıklıkla ele alınan ancak eğitim örgütlerine yeterince uyarlanmamış olan sosyal etki kavramını derinlemesine incelemesi ve okullar kapsamında bir kavramsal çerçeve sunması açısından önemli olduğu düşünülmektedir. Araştırma sonucunda, okul yöneticileri ve öğretmenlerin, öğrencilerin akranlarıyla ilişkilerinde olumlu sosyal etkileşimleri destekleyerek öğrencilerin hem akademik başarılarını hem de sosyal gelişimlerini artırmasının mümkün olduğu söylenebilir.
... The overall goal is to help students understand and accept that the needs and desires of others may differ from their own (Espelage et al., 2014;Stauffer et al., 2012). Creating a school atmosphere centered on social connections, belongingness and close relationships can help reduce peer rejection and contribute to the emotional wellbeing of adolescents (Osterman, 2000). Finally, ethical and legal standards require accurate and secure documentation and record-keeping practices. ...
This qualitative study sought to examine how Israeli middle grades teachers perceive students’ peer rejection in their classes. Using a phenomenological paradigm in a sample of 28 homeroom teachers, the study examined teacher perceptions of adolescent peer rejection and its causes, teachers’ coping methods, and the support provided by the school. The findings indicate that teachers perceived the victim as the one who caused the rejection and who deviated from the norm. The teachers adopted strategies that included rejection therapy, working with the rejecting peer group, and recruiting the parents to support the process. The teachers felt frustration and difficulty because the victims neither turned to them for help nor regard them as sources of help. Because research has shown that most adolescents cannot be unequivocally classified as bullies or victims, it is important for teachers to become familiar with the dynamics of rejection, the participants, and their mutual influences. The implications of these findings for education and counseling are discussed.
Introduction
Self-efficacy is a critical determinant of students' academic success and overall life outcomes. Despite its recognized importance, research on predictors of self-efficacy using machine learning models remains limited, particularly within Muslim societies. This study addresses this gap by leveraging advanced machine learning techniques to analyze key factors influencing students' self-efficacy.
Methods
An empirical dataset collected was used to examine self-efficacy among secondary school students in Muslim societies. Four machine learning algorithms-Decision Tree, Random Forest, XGBoost, and Neural Network-were employed to predict self-efficacy using two demographic variables and 10 socio-emotional, cognitive, and regulatory factors. The predictors included culturally relevant variables such as religious/spiritual beliefs and collectivist-individualist orientation. Model performance was assessed using root mean square error (RMSE) and r-squared ( R ² ) metrics to ensure reliability and validity.
Results
The results showed that Random Forest outperformed the other models in accuracy, as measured by R ² and RMSE metrics. Among the predictors, self-regulation, problem-solving, and a sense of belonging emerged as the most significant factors, contributing to more than half of the model's predictive power. Other variables such as gratitude, forgiveness, empathy, and meaning-making displayed moderate predictive value, while gender, emotion regulation, and collectivist-individualist orientation had minimal impact. Notably, religious/spiritual beliefs and regional factors showed negligible influence on self-efficacy predictions.
Discussion
This study enhances the understanding of factors influencing self-efficacy among students in Muslim societies and offers a data-driven foundation for developing targeted educational interventions. The findings highlight the utility of machine learning in education research, demonstrating its ability to uncover insights for equitable and effective decision-making. By emphasizing the importance of regulatory and socio-emotional factors, this research provides actionable insights to elevate student performance and well-being in diverse cultural contexts.
Introduction/Objective
Improving subjective happiness is significant since it is a measure of positive development and has been linked to health benefits during adolescence.. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors associated with longitudinal changes in subjective happiness among Korean adolescents based on Roy’s adaptation theory.
Methods
This secondary data analysis study used longitudinal data from 2018 and 2021 from the Korea Welfare Panel Study. This study examines the major stimuli and environmental factors influencing adolescents, categorized as focal and contextual stimuli. Cognitive and emotional strategies, conceptualized as the cognator, are measured through depression, anxiety, withdrawal, and aggression. External adaptive responses, including self-concept and role function, are evaluated for their effects on subjective happiness. To identify the factors associated with subjective happiness, hierarchical multiple linear regression was conducted, with focal stimuli and contextual stimuli included in the first step, cognator in the second, and self-concept and role function in the third, respectively.
Results
The mean age of 324 adolescents was 13.94 (SD±0.80) years, and the subjective happiness scores were 25.10 (SD±4.00) and 19.56 (SD±3.49) at baseline and after three years, respectively. Neglect in focal stimuli ( β =-0.11, 95% CI: -0.96, -0.02), academic environment in contextual stimuli ( β =0.15, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.39), depression & anxiety in cognator ( β =-0.20, 95% CI: -0.29, -0.04), and peer attachments ( β =0.19, 95% CI: 0.11, 0.45) in role function explained 14.5% of the variance in subjective happiness.
Conclusion
After a 3-year longitudinal observation, adolescents' subjective happiness decreased, with neglect and academic environment as key stimuli, depression and anxiety as cognitive responses, and peer attachments as role functions. These results emphasized the need for interventions to enhance emotional support, prevent neglect, manage academic stress, and improve peer relationships. Furthermore, approaches should prioritize comprehensive interventions and long-term follow-up to improve adolescent mental health.
Sažetak U radu su prikazani razvoj instrumenta za procjenu uključenosti studenata diplomskoga studija ranoga i predškolskoga odgoja i obrazovanja (RPOO), odnosi između percepcije uključenosti i pripadnosti studiju, kao i odnos između uključenosti i procjene ovladanosti profesionalnim kompetencijama. U istraživanju provedenom 2022. godine sudjelovalo je 286 studenata završne godine diplomskoga studija RPOO-a sa svih učiteljskih fakulteta u Hrvatskoj. Rezultati pokazuju da postoji statistički značajna povezanost između svih prepoznatih elemenata ukl-jučenosti studenata u učenje i dimenzija osjećaja pripadnosti, kao i procjene ovladanosti specifičnim pro-fesionalnim znanjima, vještinama i stavovima. Dobiveni rezultati upućuju na to da je u obrazovanju odgojitelja još uvijek prisutna obrazovna kultura koja ne prepoznaje važnost aktivne uloge studenata kao nositelja obrazovnih promjena. Ključne riječi: diplomski studij ranoga i predškolskoga odgoja i obrazovanja, profesionalne kompetencije studenata, osjećaj pripadnosti studiju, uključenost studenata u učenje
Universities have a mandate to accommodate non-sighted students, but it has been widely reported by a considerable number of visually impaired students that they confront a plethora of difficulties in their pursuit of education. The present study employed a descriptive research design to delineate and record the attributes, viewpoints, and circumstances of the twenty-five shortsighted and non-sighted students who were the subjects of inquiry in this investigation. More specifically, this mixed-method approach study aimed to underscore the difficulties faced by non-sighted students while pursuing their studies in Phonetics and Phonology at the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences and the Faculty of the Arabic Language in Marrakech. Results indicated that visually impaired and non-sighted students encountered particular challenges in comprehending this university course due to the intricate nature of the structural information involved. Students with visual impairment, in this study, faced difficulties in Phonetics and Phonology as they were unable to understand the course material due to the absence of aid materials. Additionally, the final exams for these courses did not cater to the needs of non-sighted students. Finally, the study showed that a comprehensive and precise depiction of the current state of affairs of the cases examined, while relying on in-depth interviews, should be a priority.
Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) are classified by the percentage of the institution’s student population who self-identify as Hispanic (US Department of Education, 2021). While HSI designations are supposed to further support minoritized students, researchers studying HSIs have identified the need for more direct support. To further the conversation about the role HSIs play in the larger educational landscape we facilitated a case study that examined the experiences of second-generation Afro-Caribbean female students attending an HSI. This project aimed to analyze thoughtfully and intentionally in the hopes of highlighting the impact students' sense of belonging can have on their connection to campus. This qualitative case study evaluated the experiences of second-generation Afro-Caribbean female students and was guided by the following question: How can HSIs create a sense of belonging for second-generation Afro-Caribbean female students? Results highlight assessing sense of belonging among African Diasporic college at HSIs often may be excluded.
Inclusive teaching and learning initiatives aim to foster supportive environments that cater to students' diverse academic and social needs. Within the context of postgraduate research, students often confront significant levels of solitude, experiencing both social and intellectual isolation. While existing literature predominantly addresses social isolation, a distinct form of isolation inherent to postgraduate research, termed 'topic-related loneliness', has been largely overlooked. Despite its historical acceptance within academic culture, attrition rates of up to 70% point to the possible detrimental impact of isolation on student retention. Understanding the levels and determinants of isolation amongst postgraduate researchers is important for developing effective interventions. This study investigates whether social and intellectual isolation present prevalent challenges within the research community of a university in Ireland. The main aims are to understand the causes of research postgraduate isolation, explore potential links between isolation and attrition rates, and propose viable interventions, such as online communities of practice for researchers. To address these dimensions, the study adopts an explanatory sequential design, reframing the phenomenon of intellectual isolation within the context of inclusive pedagogy. Data collection includes a survey capturing the lived experiences of current and former research postgraduate students, followed by thematic analysis. Departing from traditional research paradigms, this sequential study integrates qualitative and quantitative methods, offering a nuanced understanding of the experiences and perceptions of postgraduate researchers. The findings aim to address existing deficiencies in research postgraduate education, elucidate the underlying causes of student challenges, and provide insights into proposed support systems and interventions that may be useful to university research communities, the development of higher education research policy, and the improvement of retention rates at research postgraduate level.
A three-year study of students' experiences and stories sheds some light on what administrators should know to curb the pervasive problem of peer harassment.
Although most individuals pass through adolescence without excessively high levels of "storm and stress," many do experience difficulty. Why? Is there something unique about this developmental period that puts adolescents at risk for difficulty? This article focuses on this question and advances the hypothesis that some of the negative psychological changes associated with adolescent development result from a mismatch between the needs of developing adolescents and the opportunities afforded them by their social environments. It provides examples of how this mismatch develops in the school and in the home and how it is linked to negative age-related changes in early adolescents' motivation and self-perceptions. Ways in which more developmentally appropriate social environments can be created are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
This review examines recent developments in research on social-cognitive theories of motivation during adolescence and the ways in which such research can be applied to the reform of middle grade schools. While there is ample evidence that the environments in many middle grade schools are antithetical to the needs of early adolescents, few reform efforts have emerged which consider the motivational and developmental needs of youth. This article suggests that effective reform must consider the multiple contexts in which students interact. Recent examples of reform at the classroom and school level using a goal theory perspective are presented.
Research on dropping out of school has focused on characteristics of the individual or institution that correlate with the dropout decision. Many of these characteristics are nonmanipulable, and all are measured at one point in time, late in the youngster’s school career. This paper describes two models for understanding dropping out as a developmental process that may begin in the earliest grades. The frustration-self-esteem model has been used for years in the study of juvenile delinquency; it identifies school failure as the starting point in a cycle that may culminate in the student’s rejecting, or being rejected by, the school. The participation-identification model focuses on students’ “involvement in schooling,” with both behavioral and emotional components. According to this formulation, the likelihood that a youngster will successfully complete 12 years of schooling is maximized if he or she maintains multiple, expanding forms of participation in school-relevant activities. The failure of a youngster to participate in school and class activities, or to develop a sense of identification with school, may have significant deleterious consequences. The ability to manipulate modes of participation poses promising avenues for further research as well as for intervention efforts.
Prosocial behavior is a matter of ancient as well as modern interest. The long history of philosophy and social thought about the “goodness” of human nature makes us aware that current empirical research and the theories upon which it is based are not fashioned de novo but have their origins in these predecessors. Human nature has been variously regarded. It has been viewed as innately endowed with feelings of compassion in Confucian philosophy (Chan, 1963), as naturally virtuous and with a communal sense of seif (Rousseau, 1755/1952), as waging a war of all against all and as based on rational self-interest (Hobbes, 1651/1952). Accordingly, children have been variously regarded and reared, and, perhaps, as a result, they have been variously prosocial.
Psychology is, before all else, a life science. The inescapable and basic fact is that humans must count themselves among organisms, not so different in kind from the weeds that tenaciously grip the crevices, or the small creatures that persist in multiplying beneath the feet of our heavily treading civilization. Humans, too, grip the same earth and from it draw sustenance in an attempt to maintain and elaborate themselves. As Piaget (1971) once argued, “the very nature of life is constantly to overtake itself,” to adapt, to assimilate, to extend ever further. Humans, and all other animate entities (i.e., organisms) are differentiated from the inanimate by this inherent neg-entropic orientation in which they actively enter into exchanges with the environment and respond to perturbations in a manner that preserves and extends their integrity. This idea is reflected in the very term organism, which derives from the idea of organization (Jacob, 1976; von Bertalanffy, 1968).