A historical account of school belonging - Understanding the Past and Providing Direction for the Future

Abstract

The literature reveals that an individual's sense of belonging is an important psychological construct with formative implications for both psychological and physical health across the life span. Past research investigating belonging has found that those who report a high sense of belonging are more likely to report psychological benefits such as wellbeing, increased self-esteem, and positive mood, improved memory, positive life transitions, and reduced stress.