Work

Fostering Students’ Sense of School Belonging: Emotional Intelligence and Socio-Ecological Perspectives

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: A strong sense of school belonging is essential for students' academic achievement, emotional well-being, and overall development. This study explores the role of emotional intelligence and the social environment in shaping students' sense of belonging. Adopting a basic qualitative approach, this study analyzes teachers' perspectives on the contributions of students, teachers, parents, counselors, school principals, and the wider society. Qualitative data which were collected through interviews with 49 teachers (37 female, 12 male; years of experience mean is 12) were analyzed through content analysis to identify the main themes. The findings suggest that students' sense of belonging improves when they actively participate in school life and are aware of the importance of school. Furthermore, students' sense of belonging improves when teachers offer academic and emotional support, parents engage actively, counselors foster well-being, and school principals provide strong leadership and relationship management. In addition, increased social involvement enhances student belonging. This study offers valuable insights for educators and policymakers in fostering supportive school environments. It highlights the emotional and social processes underlying school belonging and discusses their implications for future research.

Source: Journal of Intelligence

DOI: 10.3390/jintelligence13090112

Authors: Hatice Turan Bora, Sadegül Akbaba Altun

Institution: Başkent University

Language: English

Topic: Early Childhood Education and Development

Subfield: Education

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137