School belonging and adult outcomes: Exploring the predictive power of SOBAS for flourishing

Abstract

A sense of belonging at school (SOBAS), or students’ feelings of being accepted, respected, and supported in the school environment, is consistently linked to positive outcomes for students. Individuals flourish within communities (VanderWeele et al., 2023), and belonging is an essential component of flourishing (Carter, 2021). Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s Bio-ecological Systems Theory and building on the conceptualization of flourishing from VanderWeele as embedded in the context of community, this paper focuses on SOBAS as the quality of students’ relationships and social connections within the school community, examining the long-term impact of perceptions of SOBAS as a high school student on adult flourishing. Four univariate general linear models (GLMs) are used to assess the predictive value of SOBAS for flourishing as measured by life satisfaction, enhanced mental health, civic engagement, and educational attainment. Results revealed that higher levels of SOBAS in youth were significantly associated with greater life satisfaction, stronger mental health, and higher educational attainment in adulthood. However, the relationship between SOBAS and civic engagement was not significant. These findings underscore the value of fostering belonging during formative school years, suggesting that promoting communities of belonging in school yields benefits that extend well into adulthood. The consistent positive associations between SOBAS and key outcomes in adulthood highlight the critical role schools play in supporting flourishing.