The role of school belonging has emerged as a focus of contemporary research in addressing significant concerns regarding adolescent mental health.
A comprehensive understanding of how school belonging affects long-term mental health remains elusive despite increasing recognition of its importance.
Our new study of school belonging and adult mental health outcomes examines the enduring effects of school belonging on mental health trajectories from adolescence to adulthood. We aimed to address this knowledge gap.
School belonging, as defined by Goodenau and Grady, refers to the extent to which students feel personally accepted, respected, included, and supported in the school environment.
This concept includes students’ positive feelings about school, the quality of their relationships with teachers, and their social values among their peers.
Unraveling the long-term effects
Although the immediate benefits of schools related to mental health are well-documented, their long-term effects are understudied.
Our recent research, a collaboration between Monash University, Deakin University, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and the University of Melbourne, has shed light on this issue.
The study involved more than 1500 young people and is from one of Australia’s longest-running population-based studies of social-emotional development. This study examines how school belonging at the age of 15-16 influences mental health outcomes at later life stages, specifically at ages 19-20, 23-24, and 27-28. We specifically investigated.
The results of this study are clear. Higher levels of school belonging at age 15 to 16 were associated with lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress in young adulthood.
This association highlights the importance of adolescents’ school belonging as a protective factor against future mental health problems.
Read more: A sense of belonging isn’t just a buzzword, it’s the key to a child’s education
The implications of these results are profound and extend their influence beyond educational settings to not only address school belonging but also promote active engagement in different life domains during the transition to adulthood. This highlights the need for sustained interventions and programs.
The timing of these findings is significant given the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)’s increasing focus on belonging as a key education trend.
The OECD points to a sense of belonging as a means of countering rising trends in loneliness, social isolation and mental health problems in many societies.
Lasting impact on happiness
The long-term follow-up of individuals in the Australian Temperament Project, which formed the basis of this research, is a unique and important addition to the evidence base showing how the experience of belonging to school has a lasting impact on young people’s well-being. providing a contribution.
This study also highlights the importance of school belonging as an intervention target for lasting effects on mental health.
Efforts to increase students’ sense of acceptance and respect within the school environment are paramount if schools and communities are to address the challenges facing today’s youth.
These efforts not only contribute to immediate mental health benefits, but also lay the foundation for continued positive mental health into adulthood.
Additionally, this study supports the idea that schools are critical environments for the prevention and promotion of mental health.
As places where young people spend much of their time, schools have the opportunity to create environments that promote a sense of belonging and, in turn, support mental health. This approach is particularly important for vulnerable young people who may not have supportive conditions elsewhere.
take precautions
Given these findings, it is clear that efforts need to start early, especially in school settings, to prevent mental health problems in adulthood.
Promoting a sense of belonging to school and student well-being acts as a preventive measure against a variety of vulnerabilities, including poor home environments.
This highlights the role of educational institutions not only as places for academic learning, but also as important spaces for promoting mental health.
The research, conducted by Monash University, Deakin University, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and the University of Melbourne, represents a significant step forward in understanding the complex relationship between school belonging and long-term mental health.
This provides valuable insights for educators, policy makers, and mental health professionals and highlights the need for integrated approaches that address the multifaceted aspects of school belonging.
The impact of school belonging on long-term mental health outcomes is an important area of research that requires further attention.
As the evidence base grows, it is becoming increasingly clear that initiatives aimed at increasing a sense of belonging at school can have far-reaching effects on young people’s mental health.
The challenge now is to translate these findings into practical strategies and interventions that can be implemented across educational settings to foster environments in which all students feel valued, supported, and included.
