Appalachian High Schoolers' Sense of Belonging in a Residential College Preparatory Program.
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| Title: | Appalachian High Schoolers' Sense of Belonging in a Residential College Preparatory Program. |
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| Authors: | Henneberg, Licia C., Kim, Matthew H., Chen, Xiao-Yin, Usher, Ellen L. |
| Source: | Journal of Appalachian Studies. Fall2024, Vol. 30 Issue 2, p200-226. 27p. |
| Subject Terms: | *High schools, *Academic achievement, *Residential colleges, Social context, Sociology |
| Abstract: | The importance of a strong sense of belonging at school for academic engagement and performance, particularly for marginalized students, has been robustly demonstrated. However, researchers have not yet thoroughly explored its influence on Appalachian youth. As with other marginalized groups, Appalachian students may have difficulty feeling as though they belong when entering highly selective academic environments. This study investigates factors that Appalachian high schoolers identify as influencing their sense of belonging in a selective residential college preparatory program located outside of Appalachia. Employing a two-stage qualitative coding process involving analysis of open-ended survey responses and in-depth interviews with thirteen Appalachian high schoolers, we identified seven factors important to students' sense of belonging: mental health experiences, student motivation, social identity, location of origin, interpersonal-level social context, academic culture, and school-level social context. Within these seven themes, two factors emerged that have not been linked to sense of belonging in prior literature: geographic identity (i.e., a feeling of connection to the place in which one lives) and academic achievement. The findings of this work contribute to a fuller understanding of the psychological processes affecting Appalachian students' sense of belonging and better ensure their educational success in highly selective learning environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Journal of Appalachian Studies is the property of Appalachian Studies Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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| Abstract: | The importance of a strong sense of belonging at school for academic engagement and performance, particularly for marginalized students, has been robustly demonstrated. However, researchers have not yet thoroughly explored its influence on Appalachian youth. As with other marginalized groups, Appalachian students may have difficulty feeling as though they belong when entering highly selective academic environments. This study investigates factors that Appalachian high schoolers identify as influencing their sense of belonging in a selective residential college preparatory program located outside of Appalachia. Employing a two-stage qualitative coding process involving analysis of open-ended survey responses and in-depth interviews with thirteen Appalachian high schoolers, we identified seven factors important to students' sense of belonging: mental health experiences, student motivation, social identity, location of origin, interpersonal-level social context, academic culture, and school-level social context. Within these seven themes, two factors emerged that have not been linked to sense of belonging in prior literature: geographic identity (i.e., a feeling of connection to the place in which one lives) and academic achievement. The findings of this work contribute to a fuller understanding of the psychological processes affecting Appalachian students' sense of belonging and better ensure their educational success in highly selective learning environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 10827161 |
| DOI: | 10.5406/23288612.30.2.06 |
