Category: mental health

This quantitative study connects secondary school belonging, or connectedness, with longterm benefits into young adulthood. Belonging is framed via dimensions such as positive affect towards school, meaningful relationships with teachers, and feelings of being socially valued. Previous research had indicated immediate benefits to belonging, for mental health and wellbeing, however, this study used data from…

This book, grounded in psychology and pedagogy, addresses the current youth mental health crisis. While not centrally focused on belonging, the book argues for environments for youth characterized by compassion and belonging, alongside the creation of practices that encourage challenge. The book focuses on supporting overall youth mental health in supportive, safe, and playful ways.  Cavanagh, S. (2023).…

This study builds on the psychology-based minority stress model to explore the risks that sexual minority students identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or asexual (LGBA+) experience in relation to mental health during college. The study confirms lower levels of safety, belongingness, and happiness among sexual minority students, as well as higher levels of reported depression…

This paper, based in data from Turkish schools, approaches the need to belong as a fundamental psychological construct related to multiple key adolescent school‐based and quality‐of‐life outcomes. The study investigates the mediating effect of loneliness on school belonging constructs such as social inclusion and exclusion on well‐being and mental health challenges. Findings suggest that loneliness…