Ally accepted, respected, included and supported by others in the Trichostatin A price school social environment” [11]. Such a conceptualisation of school belongingness extends beyond enrolment at school, to mean that students have established social bonds amongst themselves and with teachers, and perceive the rules governing schools as important and protective [6]. The question of whether an individual’s perception of school belongingness varies as a function of factors such as gender, disability, and household socio-economic status (SES) is compelling because of adverse outcomes (such as mental health problems, dropping out of school) that are associated with school belongingness. Evidence of the influence of student gender [12?15], disability [16,17] and household-SES [18,19] on school belongingness is mixed. Student personal attributes, such as, perceived competence [20?2], coping skills [23], motivational goals for schooling [24?7], and school-related activity participation [2,28?0] have been linked to school belongingness. Family factors such as, parental education and expectations from their child [31], family functioning [32], social support [33,34], and involvement in schooling [35,36] have also been positively associated with school belongingness. Relationship and classroom management dimensions [27,37?3] have dominated the school belongingness research; with developmental dimensions of the classroom, such as, taskgoal orientation [44,45], autonomy-support [42,43], cultural and diversity acceptance, and absence of bullying [46?8] identified as potential determinants. Few studies have considered the combined contribution of personal and contextual factors [49,50], despite the notion that school belongingness is a product of the interaction between the individual and the environment, and considered to be malleable and responsive to features of the school environment. Evidence on the hypothesized relationship between school type (private or public) and school belongingness is unsubstantiated mainly due to measurement issues, with existing populationbased investigations inferring low perception of school belongingness from truancy levels, instead of directly measuring the construct [51,52]. Although several studies have focussed on factors associated with school belongingness in secondary school students [14,40,50,53?9]; fewer studies have focussed on the determinants of primary school belongingness [60,61]. Existing evidence, however, suggests that different factors may influence school belongingness at different year levels. Thus, to date, we have a limited understanding on whether factors associated with belongingness in primary school continue to predict belongingness once students transition to secondary school. In recent years, school belongingness has also gained currency among educators and school health professionals as an important (-)-Blebbistatin web independent determinant of mental health, not only in typically developing adolescents, but also in students with disabilities [1,37,62?7]. School belongingness has also been linked to various educational outcomes, such as, school attendance [68], academic performance [69], and school completion [70]. School belongingness however has mostly been investigated as an antecedent or mediator of student outcomes, and not as an outcome in its own right [54]. This trend has been attributed to societal valuing of discrete outcomes, such as emotional and behavioural health, academic grades, dropping out of school, truancy,.Ally accepted, respected, included and supported by others in the school social environment” [11]. Such a conceptualisation of school belongingness extends beyond enrolment at school, to mean that students have established social bonds amongst themselves and with teachers, and perceive the rules governing schools as important and protective [6]. The question of whether an individual’s perception of school belongingness varies as a function of factors such as gender, disability, and household socio-economic status (SES) is compelling because of adverse outcomes (such as mental health problems, dropping out of school) that are associated with school belongingness. Evidence of the influence of student gender [12?15], disability [16,17] and household-SES [18,19] on school belongingness is mixed. Student personal attributes, such as, perceived competence [20?2], coping skills [23], motivational goals for schooling [24?7], and school-related activity participation [2,28?0] have been linked to school belongingness. Family factors such as, parental education and expectations from their child [31], family functioning [32], social support [33,34], and involvement in schooling [35,36] have also been positively associated with school belongingness. Relationship and classroom management dimensions [27,37?3] have dominated the school belongingness research; with developmental dimensions of the classroom, such as, taskgoal orientation [44,45], autonomy-support [42,43], cultural and diversity acceptance, and absence of bullying [46?8] identified as potential determinants. Few studies have considered the combined contribution of personal and contextual factors [49,50], despite the notion that school belongingness is a product of the interaction between the individual and the environment, and considered to be malleable and responsive to features of the school environment. Evidence on the hypothesized relationship between school type (private or public) and school belongingness is unsubstantiated mainly due to measurement issues, with existing populationbased investigations inferring low perception of school belongingness from truancy levels, instead of directly measuring the construct [51,52]. Although several studies have focussed on factors associated with school belongingness in secondary school students [14,40,50,53?9]; fewer studies have focussed on the determinants of primary school belongingness [60,61]. Existing evidence, however, suggests that different factors may influence school belongingness at different year levels. Thus, to date, we have a limited understanding on whether factors associated with belongingness in primary school continue to predict belongingness once students transition to secondary school. In recent years, school belongingness has also gained currency among educators and school health professionals as an important independent determinant of mental health, not only in typically developing adolescents, but also in students with disabilities [1,37,62?7]. School belongingness has also been linked to various educational outcomes, such as, school attendance [68], academic performance [69], and school completion [70]. School belongingness however has mostly been investigated as an antecedent or mediator of student outcomes, and not as an outcome in its own right [54]. This trend has been attributed to societal valuing of discrete outcomes, such as emotional and behavioural health, academic grades, dropping out of school, truancy,.
