Thinking back to your own high school years, it would be hard to deny that interpersonal relationships were the most critical factor to how engaged you felt.  There is good evidence that students’ close relationships with school social groups, individuals, and their participation in various activities help to motivate them and promote achievement.  Yet, for diverse groups there is a lack of clarity regarding what constitutes a feeling of belonging and the role this feeling plays in motivation and achievement.

This study analyzed responses to a survey of 5,494 students in 9th to 12th grades attending 7 diverse high schools.  Ethnic groups were: African American, Asian-descent, Latino-, and European Americans.   To measure students’ sense of belonging, researchers asked about relationships with teachers and peers, extracurricular involvement, and perceived ethnic-based discrimination.  To measure students’ motivation, they were asked about their efficacy beliefs (i.e., the sense they could be successful) and their perceived value for school activities.  Academic success was also determined. 

The study found that a feeling of belonging explained motivation and achievement in all ethnic groups.  Interpersonal connections in key arenas of school life energize student motivation and lead to better achievement.  Nevertheless, how students came to feel a sense of belonging differed between ethnic groups. For European-Americans and Latinos, a feeling of belonging was based on: (a) relationships with teachers, (b) engagement in school activities, (c) perceived ethnic-based discrimination, and (d) involvement with peers.  For African- and Asian-Americans, only (a), (b), and (c) were critical to a feeling of belonging.  They have as many friends as Europeans and Latinos, but this is less important to their sense of belonging. 

(Faircloth BS, Hamm JV. J Youth Adolesc 2005. 34(4):293–309

Comment:  Currently 40% of the nation’s public school population is comprised of ethnic minority students.  American classrooms are typically characterized by the dominant culture. The role of teacher support for ethnic minority students with harmonious interpersonal experiences is important.   -- H.T.