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Exploring the Impacts of School Belonging on Youth Wellbeing and Mental Health among Turkish Adolescents

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  • Gökmen Arslan

    (Mehmet Akif Ersoy University)

  • Kelly-Ann Allen

    (Monash University)

  • Tracii Ryan

    (The University of Melbourne)

Abstract

Research has shown that successful school outcomes and positive mental health and wellbeing are positively correlated with a sense of school belonging. However, most studies have investigated the bivariate relationships and reported causal inferences of school belonging with other variables. The purpose of the present study is to examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between school belonging, and mental health indicators and wellbeing to further understand the nature and direction of causal relationships. Four hundred and two students aged 10–15 years old from two public secondary schools in an urban city in Turkey participated in the study. Using a short-term longitudinal design, data was gathered at two time points using measures that examined school belonging, internalizing and externalizing problems, and life satisfaction. Correlation analysis was used to determine the associations of school belonging, and mental health and wellbeing outcomes. The predictive effect of school belonging was analyzed through structural equation modeling (SEM). School belonging was found to be a significant predictor of youth externalizing and internalizing problems and life satisfaction. Social inclusion strongly predicted youth life satisfaction, while internalizing and externalizing problems were strongly predicted by social exclusion. The findings of this research emphasize the need for school belonging interventions to decrease current and future mental health problems and improve wellbeing. Implications for future studies employing experimental designs on larger samples in cross-cultural context are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Gökmen Arslan & Kelly-Ann Allen & Tracii Ryan, 2020. "Exploring the Impacts of School Belonging on Youth Wellbeing and Mental Health among Turkish Adolescents," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 13(5), pages 1619-1635, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:chinre:v:13:y:2020:i:5:d:10.1007_s12187-020-09721-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s12187-020-09721-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gokmen Arslan & Erdinc Duru, 2017. "Erratum to: Initial Development and Validation of the School Belongingness Scale," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 10(4), pages 1059-1059, December.
    2. Correa-Velez, Ignacio & Gifford, Sandra M. & Barnett, Adrian G., 2010. "Longing to belong: Social inclusion and wellbeing among youth with refugee backgrounds in the first three years in Melbourne, Australia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(8), pages 1399-1408, October.
    3. Shannon Suldo & E. Huebner, 2004. "The Role of Life Satisfaction in the Relationship between Authoritative Parenting Dimensions and Adolescent Problem Behavior," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 66(1), pages 165-195, April.
    4. Gokmen Arslan & Erdinc Duru, 2017. "Initial Development and Validation of the School Belongingness Scale," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 10(4), pages 1043-1058, December.
    5. Cruwys, Tegan & Dingle, Genevieve A. & Haslam, Catherine & Haslam, S. Alexander & Jetten, Jolanda & Morton, Thomas A., 2013. "Social group memberships protect against future depression, alleviate depression symptoms and prevent depression relapse," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 179-186.
    6. Bearman, P.S. & Moody, J., 2004. "Suicide and Friendships among American Adolescents," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 94(1), pages 89-95.
    7. Shannon Suldo & E. Huebner, 2006. "Is Extremely High Life Satisfaction During Adolescence Advantageous?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 78(2), pages 179-203, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Shuyun Du & Yinan Ma & Jeoung Yul Lee, 2022. "Workplace Loneliness and the Need to Belong in the Era of COVID-19," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-22, April.
    2. Kelly-Ann Allen & Beatriz Gallo Cordoba & Ashleigh Parks & Gökmen Arslan, 2022. "Does Socioeconomic Status Moderate the Relationship Between School Belonging and School-Related factors in Australia?," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 15(5), pages 1741-1759, October.
    3. Gökmen Arslan & Kelly-Ann Allen & Ahmet Tanhan, 2021. "School Bullying, Mental Health, and Wellbeing in Adolescents: Mediating Impact of Positive Psychological Orientations," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(3), pages 1007-1026, June.
    4. Gökmen Arslan & Kelly-Ann Allen, 2021. "School Victimization, School Belongingness, Psychological Well-Being, and Emotional Problems in Adolescents," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(4), pages 1501-1517, August.
    5. Wafaa El Zaatari & Imad Maalouf, 2022. "How the Bronfenbrenner Bio-ecological System Theory Explains the Development of Students’ Sense of Belonging to School?," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(4), pages 21582440221, October.
    6. Wei Nie & Liru Gao & Kunjie Cui, 2022. "Bullying Victimization and Mental Health among Migrant Children in Urban China: A Moderated Mediation Model of School Belonging and Resilience," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-16, June.

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