How far have we come? An integrative review of the current literature on sense of community and well-being

Stewart, Katricia; Townley, Greg

doi:10.1002/ajcp.12456

Cited by 75Community Health and DevelopmentPsychological Well-being and Life SatisfactionHealth, psychology, and well-being

How far have we come? An integrative review of the current literature on sense of community and well-being

Stewart, Katricia, Townley, Greg·2020·American Journal of Community Psychology

DOI 10.1002/ajcp.12456

Open this paper in CoChat — free account

Abstract

Sense of community and well‐being are considered core tenets in the field of community psychology, acting as focal points for theory, research, and action. This integrative review synthesizes the empirical literature on sense of community and well‐being with respect to four research questions focused on the relationships between these variables, the methodologies used to study those relationships, and how future research might expand upon the current literature. A search of the available literature produced 30 articles that met the search criteria, based primarily on conceptualizations and measurement of both sense of community and hedonic and eudaimonic well‐being. This review suggests a general consensus across the literature of a positive relationship between sense of community and well‐being among both youth and adults in a variety of settings, and discusses the strengths and limitations of this area of research, pointing to the need for more nuanced, ecologically valid research that incorporates more qualitative and critical methodologies. We hope that this review can promote a more thorough understanding of how sense of community and individual well‐being relate to each other, and that ongoing research in this area can be a catalyst for action research and interventions that are applied to pressing contemporary issues as well as strengths‐based approaches focused on how to foster and support the well‐being of individuals within their community contexts.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1002/ajcp.12456

Cites

164 of 164 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Recomputing p-values needs the paper’s full text.

Claims the paper makes

This paper’s full text isn’t openly available, so its claims and self-check weren’t run. The registry and citation checks still apply.

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

Residential satisfaction and sense of community are positively associated with well-being and health.
“Some research has shown that residential satisfaction and sense of community are positively associated with well-being and health (Aragonés et al., 2017; Chen et al., 2015; Stewart and Townley, 2020).”
From Perceived restorativeness and environment quality in relation to well-being, residential satisfaction, and sense of community: an analysis in Northeast Italy (2025) · cites this paper as Stewart and Townley, 2020

Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: The PANAS scales.
Watson, D., Clark, L. A., & Tellegen, A. (1988) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.54.6.1063 · Cited by 32,433 · see citing works
The satisfaction with life scale
Diener, E., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., & Griffin, S. (1985) · Journal of Personality Assessment · doi:10.1207/s15327752jpa4901_13 · Cited by 31,768 · see citing works
A Brief Measure for Assessing Generalized Anxiety Disorder: The GAD-7
Spitzer, R. L., Kroenke, K., Williams, J. B. W., & Löwe, B. (2006) · Archives of Internal Medicine · doi:10.1001/archinte.166.10.1092 · Cited by 31,765 · see citing works
Society and the Adolescent Self-Image
Rosenberg, M. (1965) · doi:10.1515/9781400876136 · Cited by 30,126 · see citing works
Bowling alone: the collapse and revival of American community
(2000) · Choice Reviews Online · doi:10.5860/choice.38-2454 · Cited by 28,717 · see citing works
Untitled work
Putnam, R. (2000) · doi:10.1145/358916.361990 · Cited by 17,114 · see citing works
Happiness is everything, or is it? Explorations on the meaning of psychological well-being.
Ryff, C. D. (1989) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.57.6.1069 · Cited by 14,847 · see citing works
The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support
Zimet, G. D., Dahlem, N. W., Zimet, S. G., & Farley, G. K. (1988) · Journal of Personality Assessment · doi:10.1207/s15327752jpa5201_2 · Cited by 13,339 · see citing works
Subjective well-being: Three decades of progress.
Diener, E., Suh, E. M., Lucas, R. E., & Smith, H. L. (1999) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/0033-2909.125.2.276 · Cited by 12,910 · see citing works
Development of a new resilience scale: The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC)
Connor, K. M., & Davidson, J. R. T. (2003) · Depression and Anxiety · doi:10.1002/da.10113 · Cited by 11,793 · see citing works
On Happiness and Human Potentials: A Review of Research on Hedonic and Eudaimonic Well-Being
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2001) · Annual Review of Psychology · doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.141 · Cited by 11,567 · see citing works
Subjective Well-Being
Diener, E. (1984) · Social indicators research series · doi:10.1007/978-90-481-2350-6_2 · Cited by 11,469 · see citing works
The structure of psychological well-being revisited.
Ryff, C. D., & Keyes, C. L. M. (1995) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037//0022-3514.69.4.719 · Cited by 10,285 · see citing works
Untitled work
(1995) · Cited by 6,909 · see citing works
Optimism, coping, and health: Assessment and implications of generalized outcome expectancies.
Scheier, M. F., & Carver, C. S. (1985) · Health Psychology · doi:10.1037/0278-6133.4.3.219 · Cited by 6,690 · see citing works
The PHQ-9: A New Depression Diagnostic and Severity Measure
Kroenke, K., & Spitzer, R. L. (2002) · Psychiatric Annals · doi:10.3928/0048-5713-20020901-06 · Cited by 5,898 · see citing works
Alumni and their alma mater: A partial test of the reformulated model of organizational identification
Mael, F. A., & Ashforth, B. E. (1992) · Journal of Organizational Behavior · doi:10.1002/job.4030130202 · Cited by 5,807 · see citing works
Handbook of Qualitative Research
Londoño Fernández, J. L. (1994) · Journal of Environmental Psychology · doi:10.1016/s0272-4944(05)80230-0 · Cited by 5,754 · see citing works
Untitled work
(1988) · NFER-Nelson eBooks · Cited by 5,560 · see citing works
The Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale: concurrent and discriminant validity evidence
Russell, D., Peplau, L. A., & Cutrona, C. E. (1980) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.39.3.472 · Cited by 5,173 · see citing works
The mental health continuum: from languishing to flourishing in life.
Keyes, C. L. M. (2002) · Journal of Health and Social Behavior · doi:10.2307/3090197 · Cited by 5,133 · see citing works
The Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL): A self-report symptom inventory
Derogatis, L. R., Lipman, R. S., Rickels, K., Uhlenhuth, E. H., & Covi, L. (1974) · Behavioral Science · doi:10.1002/bs.3830190102 · Cited by 4,604 · see citing works
Social Indicators of Well-Being
Andrews, F. M., & Withey, S. B. (1976) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4684-2253-5 · Cited by 3,671 · see citing works
Review of the Satisfaction With Life Scale.
Pavot, W., & Diener, E. (1993) · Psychological Assessment · doi:10.1037/1040-3590.5.2.164 · Cited by 3,611 · see citing works
Untitled work
(1994) · Cited by 3,556 · see citing works
Mental illness and/or mental health? Investigating axioms of the complete state model of health
Keyes, C. L. M. (2005) · Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-006x.73.3.539 · Cited by 3,357 · see citing works
Social Well-Being
Keyes, C. L. M. (1998) · Social Psychology Quarterly · doi:10.2307/2787065 · Cited by 2,924 · see citing works
Introduction : Entering the field of qualitative research
Denzin, N. (1994) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 2,910 · see citing works
The Measurement of Life Satisfaction
Neugarten, B. L., Havighurst, R. J., & Tobin, S. S. (1961) · Journal of Gerontology · doi:10.1093/geronj/16.2.134 · Cited by 2,567 · see citing works
The social context of well–being
Helliwell, J. F., & Putnam, R. D. (2004) · Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences · doi:10.1098/rstb.2004.1522 · Cited by 2,504 · see citing works
Promoting and protecting mental health as flourishing: A complementary strategy for improving national mental health.
Keyes, C. L. M. (2007) · American Psychologist · doi:10.1037/0003-066x.62.2.95 · Cited by 2,268 · see citing works
Hedonia, eudaimonia, and well-being: an introduction
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2008) · Journal of Happiness Studies · doi:10.1007/s10902-006-9018-1 · Cited by 2,187 · see citing works
Resilience in the Face of Catastrophe: Optimism, Personality, and Coping in the Kosovo Crisis
Riolli, L., Savicki, V., & Cepani, A. (2002) · Journal of Applied Social Psychology · doi:10.1111/j.1559-1816.2002.tb02765.x · Cited by 2,166 · see citing works
Conceptualization and measurement of ethnic identity: Current status and future directions.
Phinney, J. S., & Ong, A. D. (2007) · Journal of Counseling Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-0167.54.3.271 · Cited by 2,127 · see citing works
MEASURING QUALITY OF LIFE: ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND SUBJECTIVE INDICATORS
Diener, E., & Suh, E. (1997) · Social Indicators Research · doi:10.1023/a:1006859511756 · Cited by 2,092 · see citing works
The Psychological Sense of Community: Prospects for a Community Psychology
Sarason, S. B. (1974) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 1,443 · see citing works
Evaluating the psychometric properties of the mental health continuum-short form (MHC-SF)
Lamers, S. M. A., Westerhof, G. J., Bohlmeijer, E. T., ten Klooster, P. M., & Keyes, C. L. M. (2011) · Journal of Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1002/jclp.20741 · Cited by 1,402 · see citing works
Mental Illness and Mental Health: The Two Continua Model Across the Lifespan
Westerhof, G. J., & Keyes, C. L. M. (2010) · Journal of Adult Development · doi:10.1007/s10804-009-9082-y · Cited by 1,345 · see citing works
A Three-Factor Model of Social Identity
Cameron, J. E. (2004) · Self and Identity · doi:10.1080/13576500444000047 · Cited by 1,309 · see citing works
The development and validation of the children’s Hope scale
Snyder, C. R., Hoza, B., Pelham, W. E., Rapoff, M., Ware, L., Danovsky, M., Highberger, L., Ribinstein, H., & Stahl, K. J. (1997) · Journal of Pediatric Psychology · doi:10.1093/jpepsy/22.3.399 · Cited by 1,234 · see citing works
The daily spiritual experience scale: development, theoretical description, reliability, exploratory factor analysis, and preliminary construct validity using health-related data
Underwood, L. G., & Teresi, J. A. (2002) · Annals of Behavioral Medicine · doi:10.1207/s15324796abm2401_04 · Cited by 1,212 · see citing works
When we talk about American ethnic groups, what do we mean?
Phinney, J. S. (1996) · American Psychologist · doi:10.1037/0003-066x.51.9.918 · Cited by 1,147 · see citing works
Sense of community in the urban environment: A catalyst for participation and community development
Chavis, D. M., & Wandersman, A. H. (1990) · American Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1007/bf00922689 · Cited by 1,118 · see citing works
Evaluation of the mental health continuum–short form (MHC–SF) in setswana‐speaking South Africans
Keyes, C. L. M., Wissing, M., Potgieter, J. P., Temane, M., Kruger, A., & van Rooy, S. (2008) · Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy · doi:10.1002/cpp.572 · Cited by 1,118 · see citing works
Social support: theory, research, and intervention
(1989) · Choice Reviews Online · doi:10.5860/choice.26-4781 · Cited by 1,103 · see citing works
Readings on the Development of Children
Gauvain, M., & Cole, M. (1993) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 1,016 · see citing works
The Evolving Concept of Subjective Well-Being: The Multifaceted Nature of Happiness
Diener, E., Scollon, C. N., & Lucas, R. E. (2009) · Social indicators research series · doi:10.1007/978-90-481-2354-4_4 · Cited by 884 · see citing works
Well-Being: Positive Development Across the Life Course
(2003) · doi:10.4324/9781410607171 · Cited by 799 · see citing works
The quality of life scale (QOLS): reliability, validity, and utilization
Burckhardt (2003) · Health and Quality of Life Outcomes · doi:10.1186/1477-7525-1-60 · Cited by 789 · see citing works
How does online social networking enhance life satisfaction? The relationships among online supportive interaction, affect, perceived social support, sense of community, and life satisfaction
Oh, H. J., Ozkaya, E., & LaRose, R. (2014) · Computers in Human Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.chb.2013.07.053 · Cited by 778 · see citing works
Not-only-a-title.
Bradley, C., & Tamburini, M. (2003) · Health and Quality of Life Outcomes · doi:10.1186/1477-7525-1-1 · Cited by 770 · see citing works
Community Psychology: Linking Individuals and Communities
Dalton, J. H., Elias, M. J., & Wandersman, A. H. (2000) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 763 · see citing works
Handbook of Positive Psychology in Schools
Gilman, R. (2009) · Routledge eBooks · doi:10.4324/9780203884089 · Cited by 749 · see citing works
Validation of A brief sense of community scale: Confirmation of the principal theory of sense of community
Peterson, N. A., Speer, P. W., & McMillan, D. W. (2007) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/jcop.20217 · Cited by 726 · see citing works
The Eudaimonic and Hedonic Components of Happiness: Qualitative and Quantitative Findings
Delle Fave, A., Brdar, I., Freire, T., Vella-Brodrick, D., & Wissing, M. P. (2011) · Social Indicators Research · doi:10.1007/s11205-010-9632-5 · Cited by 723 · see citing works
Religion index for psychiatric research
Koenig, H. G., Parkerson, G. R., & Meador, K. G. (1997) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/ajp.154.6.885b · Cited by 714 · see citing works
Explaining intergroup differentiation in an industrial organization
Brown, R. J., Condor, S., Mathews, A. L., Wade, G., & WILLIAMS, J. (1986) · Journal of Occupational Psychology · doi:10.1111/j.2044-8325.1986.tb00230.x · Cited by 689 · see citing works
The development of an instrument to measure neighborhood cohesion
Buckner, J. C. (1988) · American Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1007/bf00930892 · Cited by 674 · see citing works
Participation and the social and physical environment of residential blocks: Crime and community context
Perkins, D. D., Florin, P. R., Rich, R. C., Wandersman, A. H., & Chavis, D. M. (1990) · American Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1007/bf00922690 · Cited by 667 · see citing works
Assessment of community integration following rehabilitation for traumatic brain injury
Willer, B. S., Rosenthal, M., Kreutzer, J. S., Gordon, W. A., & Rempel, R. (1993) · Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation · doi:10.1097/00001199-199308020-00009 · Cited by 583 · see citing works
Social Axioms
Leung, K. Y., Bond, M. H., de Carrasquel, S. R., Muñoz, C., Hernández, M., Murakami, F., Yamaguchi, S., Bierbrauer, G., & Singelis, T. M. (2002) · Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology · doi:10.1177/0022022102033003005 · Cited by 577 · see citing works
Assessing Well-Being
Diener, E. (2009) · Social indicators research series · doi:10.1007/978-90-481-2354-4 · Cited by 575 · see citing works
Intergroup Relations
Messick, D. M., & Mackie, D. M. (1989) · Annual Review of Psychology · doi:10.1146/annurev.ps.40.020189.000401 · Cited by 536 · see citing works
Feeling good and functioning well: distinctive concepts in ancient philosophy and contemporary science
Keyes, C. L. M., & Annas, J. (2009) · The Journal of Positive Psychology · doi:10.1080/17439760902844228 · Cited by 485 · see citing works
Measurement of quality of life: current state of the art.
Flanagan, J. C. (1982) · PubMed · Cited by 440 · see citing works
The evolving concept of subjective well-being: the multifaceted nature of happiness
Diener, E., Scollon, C. N., & Lucas, R. E. (2003) · Advances in cell aging and gerontology · doi:10.1016/s1566-3124(03)15007-9 · Cited by 427 · see citing works
Subjective health complaints in adolescence: a cross-national comparison of prevalence and dimensionality
Haugland, S. (2001) · European Journal of Public Health · doi:10.1093/eurpub/11.1.4 · Cited by 395 · see citing works
Quality of life of adults with chronic illness: A psychometric study
Burckhardt, C. S., Woods, S. L., Schultz, A. A., & Ziebarth, D. M. (1989) · Research in Nursing & Health · doi:10.1002/nur.4770120604 · Cited by 361 · see citing works
Keyes's Model of Mental Health with Personal Growth Initiative as a Parsimonious Predictor.
Robitschek, C., & Keyes, C. L. M. (2009) · Journal of Counseling Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0013954 · Cited by 356 · see citing works
Modes of social support: The social support behaviors (SS‐B) scale
Vaux, A., Riedel, S. L., & Stewart, D. (1987) · American Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1007/bf00919279 · Cited by 346 · see citing works
Multiculturalism as a Generic Approach to Counseling
Pedersen, P. B. (1991) · Journal of Counseling & Development · doi:10.1002/j.1556-6676.1991.tb01555.x · Cited by 344 · see citing works
Community: A Critical Response.
Hausknecht, M., & Gusfield, J. R. (1976) · Contemporary Sociology A Journal of Reviews · doi:10.2307/2063167 · Cited by 335 · see citing works
Social Participation, Sense of Community and Social Well Being: A Study on American, Italian and Iranian University Students
Cicognani, E., Pirini, C., Keyes, C., Joshanloo, M., Rostami, R., & Nosratabadi, M. (2008) · Social Indicators Research · doi:10.1007/s11205-007-9222-3 · Cited by 332 · see citing works
Confirmatory factor analysis of the Sense of Community Index and development of a Brief SCI
Long, D. A., & Perkins, D. D. (2003) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/jcop.10046 · Cited by 332 · see citing works
Testing the performance of the ENRICHD social support instrument in cardiac patients
Vaglio, J., Conard, M., Poston, W. S., O'Keefe, J., Haddock, C. K., House, J., & Spertus, J. A. (2004) · Health and Quality of Life Outcomes · doi:10.1186/1477-7525-2-24 · Cited by 322 · see citing works
Sense of community, civic engagement and social well‐being in Italian adolescents
Albanesi, C., Cicognani, E., & Zani, B. (2007) · Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology · doi:10.1002/casp.903 · Cited by 313 · see citing works
Sense of community and its relevance to adolescents of all ages
Pretty, G. M. H., Conroy, C., Dugay, J., Fowler, K., & Williams, D. (1996) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/(sici)1520-6629(199610)24:4 · Cited by 306 · see citing works
Neighborhoods and neighbors: Do they contribute to personal well‐being?
Farrell, S., Aubry, T., & Coulombe, D. (2003) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/jcop.10082 · Cited by 302 · see citing works
Viewing community as responsibility as well as resource: deconstructing the theoretical roots of psychological sense of community
Nowell, B. L., & Boyd, N. M. (2010) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/jcop.20398 · Cited by 289 · see citing works
Community: A Critical Response
Gusfield, J. R. (1975) · Cited by 286 · see citing works
The Subjective Well-Being of America's Youth: Toward a Comprehensive Assessment.
Keyes, C. L. M. (2006) · Cited by 284 · see citing works
The Mental Health Continuum–Short Form (MHC–SF) as a Measure of Well-Being in the Italian Context
Petrillo, G., Capone, V., Caso, D., & Keyes, C. L. M. (2014) · Social Indicators Research · doi:10.1007/s11205-014-0629-3 · Cited by 279 · see citing works
Assessing social support, companionship, and distress: National Institute of Health (NIH) Toolbox Adult Social Relationship Scales.
Cyranowski, J. M., Zill, N., Bode, R., Butt, Z., Kelly, M. A. R., Pilkonis, P. A., Salsman, J. M., & Cella, D. (2013) · Health Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0028586 · Cited by 276 · see citing works
The structure of psychological well-being: A sociohistorical analysis.
Bryant, F. B., & Veroff, J. (1982) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037//0022-3514.43.4.653 · Cited by 266 · see citing works
Hedonic Versus Eudaimonic Conceptions of Well-being: Evidence of Differential Associations With Self-reported Well-being
McMahan, E. A., & Estes, D. (2011) · Social Indicators Research · doi:10.1007/s11205-010-9698-0 · Cited by 249 · see citing works
The return to community
Heller, K. (1989) · American Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1007/bf00931199 · Cited by 245 · see citing works
A future for community psychology: The contexts of diversity and the diversity of contexts
Trickett, E. J. (1996) · American Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1007/bf02510399 · Cited by 244 · see citing works
Sense of community: Advances in measurement and application
Chavis, D. M., & Pretty, G. M. H. (1999) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/(sici)1520-6629(199911)27:6 · Cited by 244 · see citing works
The Structure of the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale: a Reinterpretation
Liang, J., & Bollen, K. A. (1983) · Journal of Gerontology · doi:10.1093/geronj/38.2.181 · Cited by 227 · see citing works
The interpretation of life experience and well-being: The sample case of relocation.
Ryff, C. D., & Essex, M. J. (1992) · Psychology and Aging · doi:10.1037/0882-7974.7.4.507 · Cited by 222 · see citing works
Sense of community and life satisfaction: investigation in three different territorial contexts
Prezza, M., & Costantini, S. (1998) · Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology · doi:10.1002/(sici)1099-1298(199805/06)8:3 · Cited by 216 · see citing works
Online we are all able bodied: Online psychological sense of community and social support found through membership of disability‐specific websites promotes well‐being for people living with a physical disability
Obst, P. L., & Stafurik, J. (2010) · Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology · doi:10.1002/casp.1067 · Cited by 192 · see citing works
Community Psychology: Individuals and Interventions in Community Context
Trickett, E. J. (2008) · Annual Review of Psychology · doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.60.110707.163517 · Cited by 192 · see citing works
Perceived residential environment of neighborhood and subjective well-being among the elderly in China: A mediating role of sense of community
Zhang, Z., & Zhang, J. (2017) · Journal of Environmental Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2017.03.004 · Cited by 185 · see citing works
The meaning of “community” in community psychology
Chavis, D. M., & Newbrough, J. R. (1986) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/1520-6629(198610)14:4 · Cited by 184 · see citing works
The structure of psychological well-being: A sociohistorical analysis.
Bryant, F. B., & Veroff, J. (1982) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.43.4.653 · Cited by 179 · see citing works
Revisiting the Sense of Community Index: A confirmatory factor analysis
Obst, P. L., & White, K. M. (2004) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/jcop.20027 · Cited by 166 · see citing works
Multiculturalism and group status: The role of ethnic identification, group essentialism and protestant ethic
Verkuyten, M., & Brug, P. (2004) · European Journal of Social Psychology · doi:10.1002/ejsp.222 · Cited by 160 · see citing works
Psychological Sense of Community: Theory, Research, and Application
Bess, K. D., Fisher, A. T., Sonn, C. C., & Bishop, B. J. (2002) · The Plenum series in social/clinical psychology · doi:10.1007/978-1-4615-0719-2_1 · Cited by 155 · see citing works
Sense of Community Responsibility in Community Collaboratives: Advancing a Theory of Community as Resource and Responsibility
Nowell, B. L., & Boyd, N. M. (2014) · American Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1007/s10464-014-9667-x · Cited by 146 · see citing works
Reconcilable Differences? Human Diversity, Cultural Relativity, and Sense of Community
Townley, G., Kloos, B., Green, E. P., & Franco, M. M. (2010) · American Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1007/s10464-010-9379-9 · Cited by 141 · see citing works
Self-citation
The Teenage Inventory of Social Skills: Development, reliability, and validity.
Inderbitzen, H. M., & Foster, S. L. (1992) · Psychological Assessment · doi:10.1037/1040-3590.4.4.451 · Cited by 138 · see citing works
A preliminary study for a new model of sense of community
Tartaglia, S. (2005) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/jcop.20081 · Cited by 136 · see citing works
Ethnic Identity, Self-Esteem, and Ethnocentrism: A Study of Social Identity Versus Multicultural Theory of Development.
Negy, C., Shreve, T. L., Jensen, B. J., & Uddin, N. (2003) · Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology · doi:10.1037/1099-9809.9.4.333 · Cited by 131 · see citing works
Factors influencing residents’ subjective well-being at World Heritage Sites
Chi, C. G.-Q., Cai, R., & Li, Y. (2017) · Tourism Management · doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2017.06.019 · Cited by 131 · see citing works
Assessing Sense of Community on adolescents: validating the brief scale of Sense of Community in adolescents (SOC‐A)
Chiessi, M., Cicognani, E., & Sonn, C. (2010) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/jcop.20364 · Cited by 117 · see citing works
Sense of Community and Empowerment Among Young People: Understanding Pathways from Civic Participation to Social Well-Being
Cicognani, E., Mazzoni, D., Albanesi, C., & Zani, B. (2015) · Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations · doi:10.1007/s11266-014-9481-y · Cited by 111 · see citing works
Sense of Community in Hong Kong: Relations with Community-Level Characteristics and Residents’ Well-Being
Mak, W. W. S., Cheung, R. Y. M., & Law, L. S. C. (2009) · American Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1007/s10464-009-9242-z · Cited by 102 · see citing works
TESTING A THEORY OF SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY IN ORGANIZATIONS: AN EMPIRICAL ASSESSMENT OF PREDICTIVE CAPACITY ON EMPLOYEE WELL‐BEING AND ORGANIZATIONAL CITIZENSHIP
Boyd, N. M., & Nowell, B. L. (2017) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/jcop.21843 · Cited by 101 · see citing works
Risk Factors for Coronary Heart Disease among Older Men and Women: A Prospective Study of Community-dwelling Elderly
Seeman, T. E., de Leon, C. F. M., Berkman, L. F., & Ostfeld, A. (1993) · American Journal of Epidemiology · doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a116822 · Cited by 100 · see citing works
Ethnic identity, sense of community, and psychological well‐being among northern plains American Indian youth
Kenyon, D. B., & Carter, J. S. (2010) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/jcop.20412 · Cited by 91 · see citing works
The MTSOCS: A multidimensional sense of community scale for local communities
Prezza, M., Pacilli, M. G., Barbaranelli, C., & Zampatti, E. (2009) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/jcop.20297 · Cited by 90 · see citing works
Psychological sense of community and its relevance to well-being and everyday life in Australia
Pretty, G. M. H., Bishop, B. J., Fisher, A. T., & Sonn, C. C. (2007) · Victoria University Research Repository (Victoria University) · Cited by 84 · see citing works
Adolescents' sense of community and feeling of unsafety in the urban environment
Zani, B., Cicognani, E., & Albanesi, C. (2001) · Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology · doi:10.1002/casp.647 · Cited by 82 · see citing works
Income, sense of community and subjective well-being: Combining economic and psychological variables
Jorgensen, B. S., Jamieson, R. D., & Martin, J. (2010) · Journal of Economic Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.joep.2010.04.002 · Cited by 81 · see citing works
Validation of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) adapted to a work-related context
Lesage, F., Martens-Resende, S., Deschamps, F., & Berjot, S. (2011) · Open Journal of Preventive Medicine · doi:10.4236/ojpm.2011.12007 · Cited by 70 · see citing works
Racial and socioeconomic variations in preadolescent area-specific and general self-esteem
Hare, B. R. (1977) · International Journal of Intercultural Relations · doi:10.1016/0147-1767(77)90018-9 · Cited by 70 · see citing works
Positive Mental Health, Subjective Vitality and Satisfaction with Life for French Physical Education Students
Salama-Younes, M. (2011) · Cited by 68 · see citing works
The impact of residential context on adolescents' Subjective Well being
Cicognani, E., Albanesi, C., & Zani, B. (2008) · Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology · doi:10.1002/casp.972 · Cited by 66 · see citing works
The Head Injury Family Interview: A clinical and research tool
Kay, T., Cavallo, M. M., Ezrachi, O., & Vavagiakis, P. (1995) · Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation · doi:10.1097/00001199-199504000-00004 · Cited by 66 · see citing works
Neighborhood Characteristics and Older Adults’ Well-Being: The Roles of Sense of Community and Personal Resilience
Zhang, J., Zhang, J., Zhou, M., & Yu, N. X. (2017) · Social Indicators Research · doi:10.1007/s11205-017-1626-0 · Cited by 66 · see citing works
Multiple Psychological Senses of Community in Afghan Context: Exploring Commitment and Sacrifice in an Underground Resistance Community
Brodsky, A. E. (2009) · American Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1007/s10464-009-9274-4 · Cited by 62 · see citing works
Classroom relationships, sense of community, perceptions of justice, and collective efficacy for students’ social well‐being
Capone, V., Donizzetti, A. R., & Petrillo, G. (2017) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/jcop.21943 · Cited by 61 · see citing works
Component measures of psychological sense of community among gay men
Proeschold‐Bell, R. J., Roosa, M. W., & Nemeroff, C. J. (2005) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/jcop.20080 · Cited by 60 · see citing works
Ritual Participation, Sense of Community, and Social Well-Being: A Study of Seva in the Sikh Community
Sohi, K. K., Singh, P., & Bopanna, K. (2017) · Journal of Religion and Health · doi:10.1007/s10943-017-0424-y · Cited by 58 · see citing works
The experience of basic emotions in schizophrenia with and without affective negative symptoms
Suslow, T., Roestel, C., Ohrmann, P., & Arolt, V. (2003) · Comprehensive Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/s0010-440x(03)00085-3 · Cited by 57 · see citing works
Structure and Continuity of Well-Being in Mid-Adulthood: A Longitudinal Study
Kokko, K., Korkalainen, A., Lyyra, A., & Feldt, T. (2013) · Journal of Happiness Studies · doi:10.1007/s10902-011-9318-y · Cited by 52 · see citing works
The influence of school sense of community on students’ well‐being: A multilevel analysis
Prati, G., Cicognani, E., & Albanesi, C. (2018) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/jcop.21982 · Cited by 52 · see citing works
Subjective Well-Being in Urban Adolescents: Interpersonal, Individual, and Community Influences
Consoli, M. L. M., Vera, E. M., Gonzales, R. R., Conner, W., Vacek, K. R., & Coyle, L. D. (2009) · Youth & Society · doi:10.1177/0044118x09353517 · Cited by 49 · see citing works
Pathways to Success for Students of Color in Christian Colleges: The Role of Institutional Integrity and Sense of Community
Ash, A. N., & Schreiner, L. A. (2016) · Christian Higher Education · doi:10.1080/15363759.2015.1106356 · Cited by 49 · see citing works
The Reciprocal Relationship between Sense of Community and Social Well-Being: A Cross-Lagged Panel Analysis
Prati, G., Albanesi, C., & Pietrantoni, L. (2015) · Social Indicators Research · doi:10.1007/s11205-015-1012-8 · Cited by 48 · see citing works
Finding Resilience: The Mediation Effect of Sense of Community on the Psychological Well-Being of Military Spouses
Wang, M., Nyutu, P. N., Tran, K. K., & Spears, A. P. (2015) · Journal of Mental Health Counseling · doi:10.17744/mehc.37.2.07054x614489204m · Cited by 42 · see citing works
Sense of community, participation, and life satisfaction among Hispanic immigrants in rural Nebraska
Ramos, A. K., Carvajal‐Suarez, M., Leon, M., & Trinidad, N. (2017) · Kontakt · doi:10.1016/j.kontakt.2017.09.005 · Cited by 41 · see citing works
An ecological perspective on cultural and ethnic psychology.
Berry, J. W. (1994) · Cited by 41 · see citing works
Delayed and immediate onset posttraumatic stress disorder: The role of life events and social resources
Solomon, Z., Mikulincer, M., & Waysman, M. (1991) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/1520-6629(199107)19:3 · Cited by 39 · see citing works
Sense of community on an urban, commuter campus
Kirk, C. M., & Lewis, R. K. (2013) · International Journal of Adolescence and Youth · doi:10.1080/02673843.2013.763833 · Cited by 39 · see citing works
The Effect of the Psychological Sense of Community on the Psychological Well-Being in Older Volunteers
Pozzi, M., Marta, E., Marzana, D., Gozzoli, C., & Ruggieri, R. A. (2014) · Europe’s Journal of Psychology · doi:10.5964/ejop.v10i4.773 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Sense of community and life satisfaction in Chinese older adults: Moderating roles of personal and partner resilience
Zhang, J., Yu, N. X., Zhang, J., & Zhou, M. (2016) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/jcop.21878 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Associations between sense of community and wellbeing: A comprehensive variable and person‐centered exploration
Coulombe, S., & Krzesni, D. A. (2019) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/jcop.22186 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Understanding the association between time spent caregiving and well-being among employed adults: testing a model of work–life fit and sense of community
Hilbrecht, M., Lero, D. S., Schryer, E., Mock, S. E., & Smale, B. J. A. (2015) · Community Work & Family · doi:10.1080/13668803.2015.1112254 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
The Impact of Sense of Community in the School, Social Skills, and Exposure to Aggression and Victimization on Students’ Well-Being
Prati, G., Cicognani, E., & Albanesi, C. (2017) · Social Indicators Research · doi:10.1007/s11205-017-1808-9 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Psychometric Properties of a Multidimensional Scale of Sense of Community in the School
Prati, G., Cicognani, E., & Albanesi, C. (2017) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01466 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Boys & girls clubs and school collaborations: A longitudinal study of a multicomponent substance abuse prevention program for high-risk elementary school children
Pierre, T. L. S., Mark, M. M., Kaltreider, D. L., & Campbell, B. (2001) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/1520-6629(200103)29:2 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
CLASSROOM SENSE OF COMMUNITY SCALE: VALIDATION OF A SELF‐REPORT MEASURE FOR ADOLESCENTS
Petrillo, G., Capone, V., & Donizzetti, A. R. (2016) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/jcop.21769 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Cultural identification, perceived discrimination and sense of community as predictors of life satisfaction among foreign partners of intercultural families in Italy and Spain: A transnational study
Moscato, G., Novara, C., Hombrados‐Mendieta, I., Romano, F., & Lavanco, G. (2013) · International Journal of Intercultural Relations · doi:10.1016/j.ijintrel.2013.11.007 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
Assessing well-being The collected works of Ed Diener
Diener, E. (2009) · Cited by 27 · see citing works
Helping the soul: the relationship between connectivity and well‐being within a church community
Obst, P. L., & Tham, N. (2009) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/jcop.20299 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Community and well‐being: A qualitative study of how youth experiencing homelessness define community and its relations to their well‐being
Stewart, K., & Townley, G. (2020) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/jcop.22319 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Self-citation
Taking Stock of the Diversity and Sense of Community Debate
Neal, Z. P. (2017) · American Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/ajcp.12132 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Multiple sense of community, identity and wellbeing in a context of multi culture: A mediation model
Barbieri, I., & Zani, B. (2015) · Community psychology in global perspective · doi:10.1285/i24212113v1i2p40 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Protestant Spirituality and Well-Being of People in Hong Kong: The Mediating Role of Sense of Community
Ng, E. C. W., & Fisher, A. T. (2015) · Applied Research in Quality of Life · doi:10.1007/s11482-015-9435-6 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Predicting teenage girls' sexual activity and contraception use: An application of Matching Law
Bulow, P. J., & Meller, P. J. (1998) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/(sici)1520-6629(199811)26:6 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Intrapersonal and social-contextual factors related to psychological well-being among youth experiencing homelessness.
Stewart, K., & Townley, G. (2019) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/jcop.22152 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Self-citation
How communities can react to crisis: Social capital as a source of empowerment and well-being
Serino, C., Morciano, D., Scardigno, A. F., & Manuti, A. (2012) · Global Journal of Community Psychology Practice · doi:10.7728/0303201201 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Sense of community in adolescence
Cicognani, E., Zani, B., & Albanesi, C. (2012) · Archivio istituzionale della ricerca (Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna) · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Sense of Community and Its Impact on the Life Satisfaction of Adults With Brain Injury
Ditchman, N., Keegan, J. P., Batchos, E., Haak, C., & Johnson, K. S. (2016) · Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin · doi:10.1177/0034355216661850 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Senile Dementia from Neuroscientific and Islamic Perspectives
Tumiran, M. A., Rahman, N. N. A., Saat, R. M., Ismail, A. Z., Ruzali, W. A. W., Bashar, N. K. N., & Adli, D. S. H. (2015) · Journal of Religion and Health · doi:10.1007/s10943-015-0079-5 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Socio-demographic Components of Eudaimonic Well-Being: A Survey in an Italian Province
Blasi, E., Nucera, M., Cicatiello, C., & Franco, S. (2012) · Social Indicators Research · doi:10.1007/s11205-012-0104-y · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Life stressors, mastery, and perceived partner engagement in HIV-Risk behavior
Jackson, T. D., Hobfoll, S. E., Jackson, A. P., & Lavin, J. P. (2001) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/1520-6629(200101)29:1 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Efficacia personale e collettiva nei contesti organizzativi
Боргогни, Л., Петитта, Л., & P., S. (2001) · IRIS Research product catalog (Sapienza University of Rome) · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Factors influencing residents’ subjective well-being at World Heritage Sites
Chi, C. G.-Q., Cai, R., & Li, Y. (2017) · RePEc: Research Papers in Economics · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Utopian Vision: A Grand Solution for a Scholarly Dilemma
Watts, R. J. (2017) · American Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/ajcp.12139 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Untitled work
(1983) · doi:10.1002/1520-6629(198304)11:2
Sense of community: A definition and theory
(1986) · doi:10.1002/1520-6629(198601)14:1

Flagged first, then by citations

17 of the 181 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Sorted by citations

Community Participation and Subjective Well-Being of Older Adults: The Roles of Sense of Community and Neuroticism
Chen, L., & Zhang, Z. (2022) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph19063261 · Cited by 51 · see citing works
Effects of Online Fan Community Interactions on Well-Being and Sense of Virtual Community
Wang, S., Kim, M. S., & Kim, S. (2023) · Behavioral Sciences · doi:10.3390/bs13110897 · Cited by 52 · see citing works
“While many of the earlier SOC measures were unidimensional [71,88], there has been a growing consideration of subdimensions.”
Background
Does Gratitude Ensure Workplace Happiness Among University Teachers? Examining the Role of Social and Psychological Capital and Spiritual Climate
Garg, N., Mahipalan, M., Poulose, S., & Burgess, J. (2022) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.849412 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
“There is a consensus on the positive relationship between a sense of community and wellbeing, mostly in various settings (Stewart and Townley, 2020).”
Background
Associations between neighborhood environment and sense of community belonging in urban China: Examining mediation effects of neighborly interactions and community satisfaction
Du, Y., Jiang, H., Huang, Z., & Yang, H. (2023) · Frontiers in Public Health · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2022.1105473 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
“(1) The estimated correlation between interaction intensity and interaction frequency is 0.”
BackgroundInfluential
“I Feel Good, I Am a Part of the Community”: Social Responsibility Values and Prosocial Behaviors during Adolescence, and Their Effects on Well-Being
Bartolo, M. G., Palermiti, A. L., Servidio, R. C., & Costabile, A. (2023) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su152316207 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
The Structural Relationship between Exercise Frequency, Social Health, and Happiness in Adolescents
Cheon, H.-U. (2021) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su13031050 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
International students’ collective resilience in crisis: Sense of community reduced anxiety via social contact and social support during lockdown
Zhang, X., English, A. S., Li, X., Yang, Y., Stanciu, A., & Wang, S. (2023) · Heliyon · doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15298 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
“One major type of community is the territorial community consisting of people with shared territorial or geographical locations [17].”
BackgroundResultInfluential
Combining MTSS and Community-Based Mentoring Programs
Hart, M. J., Flitner, A. M., Kornbluh, M., Thompson, D. C., Davis, A. L., Lanza-Gregory, J., McQuillin, S. D., González, J. E., & Strait, G. G. (2021) · School Psychology Review · doi:10.1080/2372966x.2021.1922937 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
“A strong sense of community is known to contribute to individual well-being (Royal & Rossi, 1996 ; Stewart & Townley, 2020 ), and supports for youth mental health and well-being are increasingly in-need (APA, 2013 ).”
Background
The role of social cohesion in explaining rural/urban differences in healthcare access and health status among older adults in the mid-Atlantic United States
Moss, J. L., Hearn, M., Cuffee, Y., Wardecker, B. M., Kitt-Lewis, E. A., & Pinto, C. N. (2023) · Preventive Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2023.107588 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Transcending technology boundaries and maintaining sense of community in virtual mental health peer support: a qualitative study with service providers and users
Mirbahaeddin, E., & Chreim, S. (2024) · BMC Health Services Research · doi:10.1186/s12913-024-10943-y · Cited by 17 · see citing works
“This sense of community is grounded in people’s relationship with a group that offers them membership, fulfillment of needs, and shared emotional connection [17], yet it is unclear whether the sense of community that is characteristic of in-person peer support is severed when services move online.”
Background
Sense of Community in the context of disease prevention and health promotion: A scoping review of the literature
Spezia, N., Rosis, S. D., & Nuti, S. (2024) · BMC Public Health · doi:10.1186/s12889-024-20515-8 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
“A recent integrative review synthesized this literature, revealing a broad consensus on the positive association between the two constructs [32].”
Background
Perceived restorativeness and environment quality in relation to well-being, residential satisfaction, and sense of community: an analysis in Northeast Italy
Miola, L., & Pazzaglia, F. (2025) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1522098 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Enlisting in the army in the Jewish Ultraorthodox community and the consequences for wellbeing
Malovicki-Yaffe, N., Itzhaki‐Braun, Y., & Shahar-Rosenblum, S. (2023) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1132624 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
“The positive contribution of sense of community to wellbeing has been found in many studies (Stewart and Townley, 2020).”
Result
Living in the Era of an Ideological Climate of Globalisation: A Study of Psychological Sense of Community Among Young and Older Adults in Two Cultures (India and Norway). Challenges for Community Psychology and the Applied Social Sciences
Bahl, N. K. H., Nafstad, H. E., Blakar, R. M., & Langvik, E. (2021) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.718190 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
“A number of meanings are attached to the concept and it is important to know more about how people at a particular societal and historic time, and being in different periods of life as well as in different cultures think about belonging and being part of groups, communities, and societies (Brodsky, 2009; Mannarini and…”
Background
Exploring the Well-Being of Guidance Counselors in the Philippines: A Phenomenological Study
Gallardo, M. T. B., & Chavez, M. L. L. (2022) · Philippine Social Science Journal · doi:10.52006/main.v5i1.475 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Israeli Adults’ Non-take-up of Social Benefits: A Study Using the Socio-ecological Model
Werner, P., & Tur‐Sinai, A. (2024) · Journal of Social Service Research · doi:10.1080/01488376.2024.2320648 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
“When talking about a sense of community that allows them to forgo their welfare rights, participants referred mainly to the group level, at which ultra-Orthodox society is characterized by cohesion, mutual support, and solidarity (Stewart & Townley, 2020).”
Background
Multiple psychological senses of community and community influences on personal recovery processes from substance use problems in later life: a collaborative and deductive reflexive thematic analysis
Bahl, N. K. H., Øversveen, E., Brodahl, M., Nafstad, H. E., Blakar, R. M., Landheim, A. S., & Tømmervik, K. (2023) · International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-Being · doi:10.1080/17482631.2023.2190200 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
“Although positive PSOC is usually considered central to health and well-being (Bahl et al., 2017; Sarason, 1974; Stewart & Townley, 2020), this isn’t necessarily the case when it comes to persons with substance use problems.”
Background
The serial mediation model of sense of community and subjective well-being among Chinese older adults: the role of prosocial behavior and meaning in life
Wang, B., Jia, L., & Wang, Y. (2024) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-024-05708-z · Cited by 7 · see citing works
“In response, older adults constraint their daily activities to their local community, increasingly relying on community relationships in addition to family bonds (Bromell & Cagney, 2014) and dedicating greater time and energy to community engagement (Stewart & Townley, 2020).”
Perceived neighborhood walkable environment, neighborhood interaction and mental health among residents of different age groups: a case study in Shanghai, China
Sun, N., Peng, Y., Lu, Y., Liu, W., & Zheng, Z. (2024) · Open House International · doi:10.1108/ohi-06-2023-0134 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Evacuation experiences of older adults during armed conflict: Community, place attachment, and well-being
Schorr, A. V., Tov, M. B., Hagbi, L., Freidus, L., Shenaar‐Golan, V., & Segal, M. (2025) · Journal of Environmental Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2025.102754 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
University Students' Sense of Community and Its Relationships With Well‐Being and Risk of Drop‐Out
Zarbo, R., Russo, A., Zammitti, A., & Magnano, P. (2025) · Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology · doi:10.1002/casp.70202 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
It Begins with Belonging
Menestrel, S. M. L., Dymnicki, A. B., & Williams, B. (2025) · Advancing responsible adolescent development · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-85110-0_9 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Entangled Amid Misaligned Seams: Limitations to Technology-Mediated Care for Repairing Infrastructural Breakdowns in a Youth Empowerment Program
Choi, A., Pfohl, G., D’Ignazio, C., Welles, B. F., & Parker, A. G. (2024) · Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction · doi:10.1145/3686896 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
“…in other community-based programs exist as assets (i.e., the collective and individual resources of a community for sustaining its well-being [49]) for facilitating this feeling [22, 44, 82] and that a sense of community is positively associated with one’s social and emotional well-being [90].”
How Sense of Community and Social Environment Influence residents’ Subjective Well-Being? Moderating Role of Trust
Cai, R., Chi, C. G.-Q., & Chiappa, G. D. (2024) · International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Administration · doi:10.1080/15256480.2024.2321567 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
“However, due to the varied contexts being studied and methods being applied, no clear consensus on the positive effect has been reached (Stewart & Townley, 2020).”
Sense of Community and Recreation Participation of Latinx Residents on the Bloomingdale Trail: Greenway Use in a Gentrifying Community
Rigolon, A., Stodolska, M., Pazmino, J., Watson, D., & Shinew, K. J. (2024) · Leisure Sciences · doi:10.1080/01490400.2024.2424211 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
The impact of digital technology use on youth sense of community: a case study from Croatia
Žanić, M. (2023) · Journal of Community Positive Practices · doi:10.35782/jcpp.2023.1.06 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Espacios urbanos y sentido de comunidad: claves para mejorar la calidad de vida residencial y combatir la soledad no deseada
Vázquez-Morejón, R., Sell-Trujillo, L., & Pérez, J. (2024) · ACE Arquitectura Ciudad y Entorno · doi:10.5821/ace.19.55.12437 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Latent Profiles of Seminary Students’ Perceptions of Sense of Community Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
Jankowski, P. J., Sandage, S. J., & Wang, D. (2024) · Religions · doi:10.3390/rel15101235 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
“Existing research on sense of community tends to show positive associations with subjective (e.g., positive emotion) and eudaimonic (e.g., life purpose) well-being in a variety of settings, including educational contexts (Stewart and Townley 2020).”
Protecting Against Loneliness: The Mediating Role of Sense of Community
Samuels, H. C., & Jeong, A. (2024) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/jcop.23167 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
The relationship between Sense of Community and perceived service quality: rethinking the role of local communities in sustaining rural health and social care
Spezia, N., Rosis, S. D., & Nuti, S. (2025) · BMC Health Services Research · doi:10.1186/s12913-025-12817-3 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
“Additionally, as highlighted by a recent literature review [37], SoC is also positively related with the broad concept of well-being, encompassing constructs such as quality of life, life satisfaction, and happiness.”
Everyone Is Welcome, Always: Self‐Reported Benefits of Participation and Associations Between Sense of Engagement, Social Inclusion, and Life Satisfaction Among the Members of a Community Sports Team
Nesse, L., Karlsson, B., Borg, M., & Johannessen, A. (2025) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/jcop.70029 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Connectedness and wellbeing: Community and nature-based connection in the context of Utah’s rapid growth
Wilson, S. E., & Flint, C. G. (2023) · Community Development · doi:10.1080/15575330.2023.2286442 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
“A recent review “suggests a general consensus across the literature” that community connectedness is positively related to subjective, psychological, and social wellbeing in a variety of contexts and settings (Stewart & Townley, 2020, p. 1).”
BackgroundMethod
Cultivating the capacity for active balancing during adolescence: pathways to a coherent self
Juneja, A., Hansen, D. M., & Lemon, M. P. (2024) · Frontiers in Developmental Psychology · doi:10.3389/fdpys.2024.1418666 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Heterogeneous influence of neighborhood features on community satisfaction: a comparative study in Beijing’s urban and suburban communities
Jiang, H., Cai, R., Ding, Y., Huang, Z., & Song, J. (2023) · Frontiers in Public Health · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2023.1288868 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Get ready: disaster preparedness and response for people with chronic illnesses living in hazard-prone Petone, Aotearoa New Zealand
Kearns, N., Blake, D. F., & Parton, C. (2024) · Disaster Prevention and Management An International Journal · doi:10.1108/dpm-04-2024-0105 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Police–community dynamics of trust: Who trusts whom, and does it matter?
Bonnan-White, J., Tartaro, C., McKnight, W., Mulvihill, R., Erbaugh, E. B., & Mastrangelo, A. M. (2025) · Journal of Community Safety and Well-Being · doi:10.35502/jcswb.419 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Virtually meeting “The Intouchables”: Online contact, sense of community, and prejudice toward people with a disability
Cocco, V. M., Lucarini, A., White, F. A., & Vezzali, L. (2024) · Journal of Applied Social Psychology · doi:10.1111/jasp.13031 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Covid-19, community psychology and some thoughts on teaching and learning
Engelberg, S. (2022) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-323-91185-6.00019-7 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Integration durch Repräsentation? Die Rolle des öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunks für den gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhalt
Stegmann, D., & Stark, B. (2024) · Communicatio Socialis · doi:10.5771/0010-3497-2024-2-144 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Spirituality and Well-Being
Gomez, R., & Watson, S. (2024) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-38971-9_2053-1 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Sense of Community and Emotional Regulation: Interconnections Leading to Flourishing Among Single Catholics
Tambun, I. N. K., Nanik, N., & Tondok, M. S. (2024) · Bulletin of Counseling and Psychotherapy · doi:10.51214/002024061096000 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Pathways from neighborhood adversity to life satisfaction among older African American adults
Knauft, K. M., Davis, K. M., Cutchin, M. P., Bruinsma, J., Thompson, H. S., & Zilioli, S. (2025) · The Journals of Gerontology Series B · doi:10.1093/geronb/gbaf188 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Community Strengthening in Urban Neighborhoods: Psychosocial Dynamics in Vulnerable Contexts
Constanzo, A. Z., Trujillo, V., Ojeda, M. G., & Mella, F. R. (2025) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/jcop.70058 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
“Consistent with previous literature (McMillan and Chavis 1986; Stewart and Townley 2020; Lin 2001), affective belonging and solidarity ‐ based networks constitute a relevant foundation for collective action.”
Definitions of community‐level approaches to address substance‐related harms and lessons learned: A systematic overview of reviews
Gates, P., Zocco, A., & Farnbach, S. (2026) · American Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/ajcp.70071 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
“This aligns with research highlighting the positive relationship between sense of community and well ‐ being (Stewart & Townley, 2020).”
Sense of Community Narratives in Colombian Masters Swimming
Belalcazar, C., Callary, B., & Young, B. W. (2026) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/jcop.70127 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
“Inspiration from diversity also addresses community psychology critiques that traditional SOC conceptualizations focus too heavily on social sameness and often overlook the vital role of diversity in healthy communities (Bess et al. 2002; Stewart and Townley 2020).”
The work experiences and needs of lone community psychologists: Exploring diversity of settings and identities
Shaw, J., Bailey, C., Danylkiv, A., Kashyap, M., Chávez, N. R., & Voight, A. M. (2022) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/jcop.22979 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
The Role of Law in Addressing Racial Disparities in the Criminal Justice System: A Social Science Perspective
Noviyantho, R. (2023) · Journal of Public Representative and Society Provision · doi:10.55885/jprsp.v1i2.243 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Socioeconomic characteristics and sense of community in public housing estates in Akure, Nigeria
Ijatuyi, O. O., Fakere, A. A., & Olanrewaju, S. D. (2023) · Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment · doi:10.1080/10911359.2023.2285005 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Strengthening staff and administrators' sense of workplace belonging
Callahan, C. M. (2023) · doi:10.17760/d20481298 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Understanding Tertiary International Students’ Psychological Well-Being
Singh, N. (2023) · doi:10.26686/wgtn.24668988 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Exploring the Relationships Between Community Experiences and Well-Being among Youth Experiencing Homelessness
Stewart, K. (2021) · doi:10.15760/etd.7562
Self-citation
Développement de nouvelles réactions multi-composants pour la synthèse de polyhétérocycles polysubstitués
Fayol, A. (2004)
The Reality of Emotional Governance in Urban Communities and Suggestions for Optimization
许, 莉. (2024) · Advances in Psychology · doi:10.12677/ap.2024.141026
Resilience in Global Mobility: Navigating Post-Pandemic Challenges with C-Skills
Végh, J., Claes, M., & Jenkins, J. (2024) · Advances in logistics, operations, and management science book series · doi:10.4018/979-8-3693-1802-7.ch011 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Spanning care and comfort: examining Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana's role in enhancing well-being of individuals in South Gujarat
Goswami, G., & Bagdi, H. (2024) · Mental Health and Social Inclusion · doi:10.1108/mhsi-03-2024-0040
Socio-Cultural Values in Academic Self-Concept: The Roles of Religiosity and Psychological Sense of Community in Academic Self-Concept of University Students
Asamani, L., Milledzi, E. Y., Amponsah, M. O., & Okyere, P. K. (2024) · Religion & Education · doi:10.1080/15507394.2024.2439679
“…has been found to be positively associated with higher levels of academic achievement and higher levels of feeling safe in the school and in the class, as well as higher levels of self-esteem (Stewart & Townley, 2020), and students’ mastery learning orientation in the classroom (Bateman, 2018a).”
Micro-Wellness Interventions and Well-Being of Medical Doctors in Lagos State, Nigeria
Azeez, R. O., & JAYEOBA, F. I. (2025) · IGI Global eBooks · doi:10.4018/979-8-3693-8819-8.ch020
Victimization in the Grain Tower: A Study of the Effect of Community Perceptions on Victimization Risk and Perceived Wellness in a Rural Environment
Steele, M., Terry, A. N., Qi, Z., Terry, T., & Lynn, T. J. (2025) · Journal of Interpersonal Violence · doi:10.1177/08862605251351666
“Generally, studies find that a sense of belonging is linked to better-reported mental health and lower rates of depression (Bailey & McLaren, 2005; Parker et al., 2001; Stewart & Townley, 2020).”
Building Community Within Online Later-Life Creative Community Music
Enright, C., Creech, A., Lorenzino, L. M., & Generale, M. (2025) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-87136-8_3
McMillan und Chavis (1986), McMillan (1996, 2011)
Krumbholz, F. (2025) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-658-47919-0_5
Überblick
Krumbholz, F. (2025) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-658-47919-0_4
Well-being and mental health among older people in Norway: The importance of place and belonging
Haugan, T., Bojanić, I., Holand, I. S., Ryan, A. W. F., & Tritter, J. Q. (2025) · Discover Social Science and Health · doi:10.1007/s44155-025-00245-x
“For the purposes of this research, community belonging is a measure of the degree to which an individual feels connected to their local community and geographical place [22, 25, 26].”
"The Meaning of the Ngaben Ceremony Tradition in the Process of Accepting Grief: An Indigenous Psychology Approach in Bali"
Grefanti, R., & Hastangka, H. (2025) · Jurnal Impresi Indonesia · doi:10.58344/jii.v4i8.6850
Reliability and Validity Test of the Chinese Version of the Community Integration Scale
Xie, L., Yang, R., Peng, W., Yang, K., & Jiang, J. (2025) · SAGE Open · doi:10.1177/21582440251389699
“…community integration can mitigate risks of suicide and depression (Fisher et al., 2015; Hatcher & Stubbersfield, 2013) and foster a sense of belonging, which in turn supports mental health (Fone et al., 2007; Pe´rez et al., 2020) and facilitates the pursuit of happiness (Stewart & Townley, 2020).”
Psychometric properties of the brief sense of community scale for urban-dwelling older adults
Bloem, M., Cramm, J. M., & Nieboer, A. P. (2025) · The Gerontologist · doi:10.1093/geront/gnaf239
Additional file 1 of Transcending technology boundaries and maintaining sense of community in virtual mental health peer support: a qualitative study with service providers and users
Mirbahaeddin, E., & Chreim, S. (2024) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.26711423
The role of satisfaction and sense of community in women's perceptions of the built environment and community wellbeing in residential apartment complexes
Jangjoo, S., Askari, S., & Doaee, A. (2026) · Cities · doi:10.1016/j.cities.2026.106871
Adolescent Perspectives on Social Connectedness in Their Local Communities: Implications for the Design of Technologies to Promote Individual and Collective Wellbeing
Marcu, G. M., Chung, H., Calambur, V., & Huh, J. (2026) · ACM Transactions on Computing for Healthcare · doi:10.1145/3807509 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
“Furthermore, studies have shown that having a high sense of community is associated with improved adolescent health outcomes [94].”
The relationship between sense of community and subjective well-being in South Korean adolescents transitioning to middle school: a longitudinal moderated mediation model
Lim, J. H., & Min, Y. (2026) · International Journal of Adolescence and Youth · doi:10.1080/02673843.2026.2673458
Can Self-Transcendence Have Transformational Effects on Individual and Community Resilience?
Aldwin, C. M., & Root, O. R. (2026) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-032-16951-8_25
School Sense of Community and Life Satisfaction among Chilean Secondary Students: A Mixed-Methods Study
Gómez, D. O., Casas, F., & Herrera, C. D. (2026) · Child Indicators Research · doi:10.1007/s12187-026-10395-2
“This study is particularly relevant given the limited research on these constructs in Global South contexts (Hernández-Torrano, 2020 ; Stewart & Townley, 2020).”
Indian Adolescents' Perspectives on Emotional Well‐Being: A Focus Group Study With a Community Sample
Palmer, A., O'Connor, D. B., Janardhana, N., Khandeparkar, P., Bhola, P., Prabhu, S. G., L., K. A., Arelingaiah, M., Jayalaxmi, K. P., Nag, R., et al. (2026) · Mental Health Science · doi:10.1002/mhs2.70051
Exploring Subjective Well-Being Through Household Conditions, Psychosocial Capacities: A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Guatemala and Paraguay
Rodríguez, Y. E., Martínez, L. M., Casasola, D., & Pedrozo, M. (2026) · Wellbeing Space and Society · doi:10.1016/j.wss.2026.100450
Belonging matters: Associations between sense of community and mental health symptoms in college students
Pacheco, M. B., & Corcoran, V. P. (2026) · Journal of American College Health · doi:10.1080/07448481.2026.2724293
Mapping the Structure of Community Well‐Being: A Psychometric Network Analysis of Social, Institutional and Environmental Conditions in Nova Scotia
Hill, T. G. (2026) · Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology · doi:10.1002/casp.70334

Delayed and immediate onset posttraumatic stress disorder: The role of life events and social resources
Solomon, Z., Mikulincer, M., & Waysman, M. (1991) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/1520-6629(199107)19:3 · Cited by 39 · see citing works
Associations between sense of community and wellbeing: A comprehensive variable and person‐centered exploration
Coulombe, S., & Krzesni, D. A. (2019) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/jcop.22186 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Sense of Community
Cicognani, E. (2023) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-17299-1_2648
Community satisfaction, sense of community, and social well-being in China
Chen, Z., Liu, S., Yu, Y., Bwanali, T. R., & Douangdara, V. (2020) · Social Behavior and Personality An International Journal · doi:10.2224/sbp.8648 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Sense of community and its relevance to adolescents of all ages
Pretty, G. M. H., Conroy, C., Dugay, J., Fowler, K., & Williams, D. (1996) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/(sici)1520-6629(199610)24:4 · Cited by 306 · see citing works

Authors: Stewart, K., & Townley, G.
Affiliations: Portland State University (US)
Corresponding author: Stewart, Katricia
ORCID: Stewart, Katricia
Townley, Greg
Venue: American Journal of Community Psychology
Publisher: Wiley
Published: 2020-08-18
Volume: 66
Issue: 1-2
Pages: 166-189
ISSN: 0091-0562 (ISSN-L)
1573-2770
DOI: 10.1002/ajcp.12456
OpenAlex: W3081116729
Cited by: 75
References: 181
Citations by year: 2026: 11 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 4
FWCI: 1.10
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations: American Journal of Community Psychology (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
PDXScholar (Portland State University) (submittedVersion)
Topics: Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Community Health and Development
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health, psychology, and well-being
Keywords: sense of community, well-being, hedonic well-being, eudaimonic well-being, community psychology, youth, adults, strengths-based approach, community-based intervention
MeSH terms: Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Community Participation, Female, Humans, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Social Support, Young Adult

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review

How far have we come? An integrative review of the current literature on sense of community and well-being

Abstract

Integrity signals

Claims the paper makes

Claims other papers make about this one

Cites

Cited by

Related

Record

About these checks