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Defining School Belonging: A Cross-Cultural Investigation of Student-Led Conceptualisations

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Title: Defining School Belonging: A Cross-Cultural Investigation of Student-Led Conceptualisations
Language: English
Authors: Kelly-Ann Allen (ORCID 0000-0002-6813-0034), Nicole Mullholand (ORCID 0009-0009-4632-0468), Emily Berger (ORCID 0000-0001-5550-807X), William Warton (ORCID 0000-0002-8573-0162), Andrea Reupert (ORCID 0000-0003-1447-7769)
Source: European Journal of Education. 2025 60(4).
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 12
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Secondary School Students, Student School Relationship, Sense of Belonging, Student Attitudes, Educational Experience, Cross Cultural Studies, School Safety, Personal Autonomy, Diversity Equity and Inclusion, Interpersonal Relationship, Prosocial Behavior
Geographic Terms: India, Iran, Australia, Greece
DOI: 10.1111/ejed.70290
ISSN: 0141-8211
1465-3435
Abstract: School belonging is a construct receiving increasing attention in educational spaces, yet its definition remains contested in the school belonging literature. This study addresses a key gap by exploring how adolescent students from different international settings conceptualise school belonging. A sample of 611 secondary school students from four countries (India, Iran, Australia and Greece), with an average age of 15.6 years, participated in the study. A qualitative research design was employed, using thematic analysis to interpret the data. Four central themes captured student conceptualisations of school belonging: a sense of safety, autonomy with guidance, inclusion and diversity and positive relationships. These themes were consistent across the multi-national sample, presenting a student-led, co-designed conceptualisation of school belonging. Responding to the limitations of previous definitions that were largely developed in US-based contexts, this study advances a student-informed understanding of school belonging.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1490354
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Defining School Belonging: A Cross-Cultural Investigation of Student-Led Conceptualisations
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kelly-Ann+Allen%22">Kelly-Ann Allen</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6813-0034">0000-0002-6813-0034</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nicole+Mullholand%22">Nicole Mullholand</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0009-4632-0468">0009-0009-4632-0468</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Emily+Berger%22">Emily Berger</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5550-807X">0000-0001-5550-807X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22William+Warton%22">William Warton</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8573-0162">0000-0002-8573-0162</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Andrea+Reupert%22">Andrea Reupert</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1447-7769">0000-0003-1447-7769</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22European+Journal+of+Education%22"><i>European Journal of Education</i></searchLink>. 2025 60(4).
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 12
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Secondary+School+Students%22">Secondary School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+School+Relationship%22">Student School Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sense+of+Belonging%22">Sense of Belonging</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Experience%22">Educational Experience</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cross+Cultural+Studies%22">Cross Cultural Studies</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Safety%22">School Safety</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Personal+Autonomy%22">Personal Autonomy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Diversity+Equity+and+Inclusion%22">Diversity Equity and Inclusion</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interpersonal+Relationship%22">Interpersonal Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Prosocial+Behavior%22">Prosocial Behavior</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22India%22">India</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Iran%22">Iran</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Australia%22">Australia</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Greece%22">Greece</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1111/ejed.70290
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  Data: 0141-8211<br />1465-3435
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  Data: School belonging is a construct receiving increasing attention in educational spaces, yet its definition remains contested in the school belonging literature. This study addresses a key gap by exploring how adolescent students from different international settings conceptualise school belonging. A sample of 611 secondary school students from four countries (India, Iran, Australia and Greece), with an average age of 15.6 years, participated in the study. A qualitative research design was employed, using thematic analysis to interpret the data. Four central themes captured student conceptualisations of school belonging: a sense of safety, autonomy with guidance, inclusion and diversity and positive relationships. These themes were consistent across the multi-national sample, presenting a student-led, co-designed conceptualisation of school belonging. Responding to the limitations of previous definitions that were largely developed in US-based contexts, this study advances a student-informed understanding of school belonging.
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  Data: As Provided
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: EJ1490354
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 12
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Secondary School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student School Relationship
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      – SubjectFull: Sense of Belonging
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      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
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      – SubjectFull: Educational Experience
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      – SubjectFull: Cross Cultural Studies
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      – SubjectFull: School Safety
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      – SubjectFull: Personal Autonomy
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      – SubjectFull: Diversity Equity and Inclusion
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      – SubjectFull: Interpersonal Relationship
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      – SubjectFull: Prosocial Behavior
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      – SubjectFull: India
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      – SubjectFull: Iran
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      – SubjectFull: Australia
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      – SubjectFull: Greece
        Type: general
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