Promoting School Connectedness: Evidence from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health
Abstract
ABSTRACT: Increasing evidence shows that when adolescents feel cared for by people at their school and feel like a part of their school, they are less likely to use substances, engage in violence, or initiate sexual activity at an early age. However, specific strategies to increase students' connectedness to school have not been studied. This study examined the association between school connectedness and the school environment to identify ways to increase students' connectedness to school. Data from the in‐school and school administrator surveys of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (75,515 students in 127 schools) and hierarchical linear models were used to estimate the association between school characteristics and the average level of school connectedness in each school. Positive classroom management climates, participation in extracurricular activities, tolerant disciplinary policies, and small school size were associated positively with higher school connectedness.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
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?
Teachers likely have a stronger impact on student SOBAS than schoolmates.
“Although schoolmates influence a student's SOBAS, teachers likely have a stronger impact on student SOBAS not only because they control what happens in the classroom but also because they are likely viewed as the most proximal representative of their school.”
From Students’ Sense of Belonging at School in 41 Countries: Cross-Cultural Variability (2016) · cites this paper as McNeely, Nonnemaker, & Blum, 2002
Cites
Eccles, J. S., Midgley, C., Wigfield, A., Buchanan, C. M., Reuman, D., Flanagan, C., & Mac Iver, D. (1993) · American Psychologist · doi:10.1037/0003-066x.48.2.90 · Cited by 2,616 · cited 2× · see citing works
“This study adopted the stage-environment fit perspective to explore ways in which schools can enhance school connectedness.(6) Stage-environment fit theory suggests behavior, motivation, and mental health are influenced by the fit between the developmental stage of the adolescent and the characteristics of the social…”
BackgroundMethod
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Jennings, P. A., & Greenberg, M. T. (2009) · Review of Educational Research · doi:10.3102/0034654308325693 · Cited by 3,686 · see citing works
The environment of childhood poverty
Evans, G. W. (2004) · American Psychologist · doi:10.1037/0003-066x.59.2.77 · Cited by 2,396 · see citing works
A Review of School Climate Research
Thapa, A., Cohen, J., Guffey, S., & Higgins-D’Alessandro, A. (2013) · Review of Educational Research · doi:10.3102/0034654313483907 · Cited by 2,335 · see citing works
Greenberg, M. T., Weissberg, R. P., O'Brien, M. U., Zins, J. E., Fredericks, L., Resnik, H., & Elias, M. J. (2003) · American Psychologist · doi:10.1037/0003-066x.58.6-7.466 · Cited by 2,147 · see citing works
School Climate: Research, Policy, Practice, and Teacher Education
Cohen, J., Mccabe, E. M., Michelli, N. M., & Pickeral, T. (2009) · Teachers College Record The Voice of Scholarship in Education · doi:10.1177/016146810911100108 · Cited by 2,049 · see citing works
What Schools Need to Know About Fostering School Belonging: a Meta-analysis
Allen, K., Kern, M. L., Vella-Brodrick, D., Hattie, J., & Waters, L. (2018) · Educational Psychology Review · doi:10.1007/s10648-016-9389-8 · Cited by 1,141 · see citing works
Sense of belonging in college freshmen at the classroom and campus levels
Freeman, T. M., Anderman, L. H., & Jensen, J. M. (2007) · The Journal of Experimental Education · doi:10.3200/jexe.75.3.203-220 · Cited by 1,112 · see citing works
Student Engagement: What Is It? Why Does It Matter?
Finn, J. D., & Zimmer, K. S. (2012) · Handbook of Research on Student Engagement · doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-2018-7_5 · Cited by 1,139 · see citing works
Jennings, P. A., Frank, J. L., Snowberg, K. E., Coccia, M. A., & Greenberg, M. T. (2013) · School Psychology Quarterly · doi:10.1037/spq0000035 · Cited by 672 · see citing works
Anderman, L. H. (2003) · The Journal of Experimental Education · doi:10.1080/00220970309600877 · Cited by 503 · see citing works
Jones, S. E., Ethier, K. A., Hertz, M., DeGue, S., Le, V. D., Thornton, J., Lim, C., Dittus, P. J., & Geda, S. (2022) · MMWR Supplements · doi:10.15585/mmwr.su7103a3 · Cited by 369 · see citing works
Harrison, P. A., & Narayan, G. (2003) · Journal of School Health · doi:10.1111/j.1746-1561.2003.tb03585.x · Cited by 354 · see citing works
Support, belonging, motivation, and engagement in the college classroom: A mixed method study
Zumbrunn, S., McKim, C., Buhs, E., & Hawley, L. R. (2014) · Instructional Science · doi:10.1007/s11251-014-9310-0 · Cited by 337 · see citing works
Connectedness to family, school, peers, and community in socially vulnerable adolescents
Foster, C. E., Horwitz, A., Thomas, A., Opperman, K., Gipson, P., Burnside, A., Stone, D. M., & King, C. A. (2017) · Children and Youth Services Review · doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2017.08.011 · Cited by 331 · see citing works
Kearney, C. A. (2008) · Educational Psychology Review · doi:10.1007/s10648-008-9078-3 · Cited by 280 · see citing works
Perry (2014) · doi:10.1177/0003122414556308 · Cited by 254 · see citing works
Higher Education Student Engagement Scale (HESES): Development and Psychometric Evidence
Zhoc, K. C. H., Webster, B. J., King, R. B., Li, J. C. H., & Chung, T. S. H. (2019) · Research in Higher Education · doi:10.1007/s11162-018-9510-6 · Cited by 218 · see citing works
Fostering School Belonging in Secondary Schools Using a Socio-Ecological Framework
Allen, K.-A., Vella-Brodrick, D., & Waters, L. (2016) · Educational and Developmental Psychologist · doi:10.1017/edp.2016.5 · Cited by 212 · see citing works
Students’ Sense of Belonging at School in 41 Countries: Cross-Cultural Variability
Chiu, M. M., Chow, B. W.-Y., McBride, C., & Mol, S. T. (2016) · Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology · doi:10.1177/0022022115617031 · Cited by 180 · see citing works
Acosta, J., Chinman, M., Ebener, P., Malone, P. S., Phillips, A., & Wilks, A. (2019) · Journal of Youth and Adolescence · doi:10.1007/s10964-019-01013-2 · Cited by 166 · see citing works
Lester, L., Waters, S., & Cross, D. (2013) · Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling · doi:10.1017/jgc.2013.20 · Cited by 158 · see citing works
Cheadle, J. E., & Schwadel, P. (2012) · Social Science Research · doi:10.1016/j.ssresearch.2012.03.014 · Cited by 149 · see citing works
Psychometric properties of the Add Health School Connectedness Scale for 18 sociocultural groups
Furlong, M. J., O'brennan, L. M., & You, S. (2011) · Psychology in the Schools · doi:10.1002/pits.20609 · Cited by 148 · see citing works
Youth Gambling Problems: Examining Risk and Protective Factors
DICKSON, L., DEREVENSKY, J. L., & GUPTA, R. (2008) · International Gambling Studies · doi:10.1080/14459790701870118 · Cited by 141 · see citing works
Understanding the relationship between perceived school climate and bullying: A mediator analysis
Acosta, J., Chinman, M., Ebener, P., Malone, P. S., Phillips, A., & Wilks, A. (2019) · Journal of School Violence · doi:10.1080/15388220.2018.1453820 · Cited by 141 · see citing works
The Protective Effects of School Connectedness on Substance Use and Physical Activity
Weatherson, K. A., O'Neill, M., Lau, E. Y., Qian, W., Leatherdale, S. T., & Faulkner, G. E. J. (2018) · Journal of Adolescent Health · doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2018.07.002 · Cited by 122 · see citing works
Relationships between school climate, bullying and delinquent behaviours
Aldridge, J. M., McChesney, K., & Afari, E. (2018) · Learning Environments Research · doi:10.1007/s10984-017-9249-6 · Cited by 124 · see citing works
Banati, P., Jones, N., & Youssef, S. (2020) · The European Journal of Development Research · doi:10.1057/s41287-020-00325-5 · Cited by 100 · see citing works
Van Houtte, M., & Van Maele, D. (2012) · Teachers College Record: The Voice of Scholarship in Education · doi:10.1177/016146811211400706 · Cited by 75 · see citing works
Misbehavior, Suspensions, and Security Measures in High School: Racial/Ethnic and Gender Differences
Finn, J. D., & Servoss, T. J. (2015) · Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at Risk · doi:10.58464/2155-5834.1211 · Cited by 75 · see citing works
Widnall, E., Winstone, L., Plackett, R., Adams, E. A., Haworth, C. M. A., Mars, B., & Kidger, J. (2022) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph19116768 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
Eyllon, M., Salhi, C., Griffith, J. L., & Lincoln, A. K. (2022) · Youth & Society · doi:10.1177/0044118x20959591 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
Furlong, M. J., Fullchange, A., & Dowdy, E. (2017) · School Psychology Quarterly · doi:10.1037/spq0000168 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
School Punishment, Deterrence, and Race: A Partial Test of Defiance Theory
Pesta, R. (2022) · Crime & Delinquency · doi:10.1177/00111287211005396 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
- Authors
- McNeely, C. A., Nonnemaker, J. M., & Blum, R. W.
- Affiliations
- University of Minnesota (US)
- RTI International (US)
- Venue
- Journal of School Health
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2002-04
- Volume
- 72
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 138-146
- ISSN
- 0022-4391 (ISSN-L)
- 1746-1561
- OpenAlex
- W2158189194
- Cited by
- 1,187
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 36 · 2025: 34 · 2024: 52 · 2023: 49 · 2022: 44 · 2021: 56 · 2020: 61 · 2019: 60 · 2018: 74 · 2017: 56 · 2016: 68 · 2015: 90 · 2014: 77 · 2013: 67 · 2012: 68
- FWCI
- 80.07
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of School Health (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Speech and Hearing › School Health and Nursing Education
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Youth Development and Social Support
- Social Sciences › Education › Educational Environments and Student Outcomes
- Keywords
- school connectedness, school environment, adolescent health, classroom management, extracurricular activities, discipline policy, school size, substance use, youth violence, adolescent sexual activity
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adolescent Behavior, Analysis of Variance, Attitude to Health, Faculty, Female, Health Promotion, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Surveys and Questionnaires, Regression Analysis, School Health Services, Schools, Psychological Distance, Social Environment, Social Support, Students, United States, Organizational Culture, Linear Models, Needs Assessment
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
