Interventions to Improve Connectedness, Belonging, and Engagement in Secondary Schools: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
School connectedness, belonging, and engagement are linked to improved academic, social, and emotional outcomes, yet no prior systematic review or meta-analysis has synthesised interventions targeting these constructs in secondary schools. This review evaluated randomised controlled trials identifie...
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MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| author | Caleb Anson Davies Reinie Cordier Pamela Graham David Littlefair Renée Speyer Diego Melo |
| author_facet | Caleb Anson Davies Reinie Cordier Pamela Graham David Littlefair Renée Speyer Diego Melo |
| author_sort | Caleb Anson Davies |
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| description | School connectedness, belonging, and engagement are linked to improved academic, social, and emotional outcomes, yet no prior systematic review or meta-analysis has synthesised interventions targeting these constructs in secondary schools. This review evaluated randomised controlled trials identified through systematic searches of CINAHL, Medline, ERIC, and PsycINFO (last searched: June 2024). Studies included school-based interventions measuring connectedness, belonging, or engagement with validated tools. Methodological quality was assessed via the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool, and effectiveness was analysed using meta-analysis (Hedges’ <i>g</i>). Sixteen trials (N = 35,451) met the inclusion criteria, with eleven providing sufficient data for meta-analysis. Overall, interventions significantly improved connectedness, belonging, and engagement (Hedges’ <i>g</i> = 1.056, within-group; 0.642, between-group). Multi-tier programs yielded the largest effects (0.781), with ecological (0.613) and environmental (0.636) approaches; behavioural and intrapersonal strategies were non-significant, possibly due to the small sample sizes. Interventions frequently overlapped in content but differed in theoretical frameworks. Future research should develop more distinctive, multi-tiered interventions and use consistent, theoretically robust measures. The findings underscore the potential of targeting environmental factors and interpersonal techniques to foster connectedness, belonging, and engagement in secondary schools. These results highlight the importance of clarifying the conceptual frameworks and measurement tools to strengthen future interventions’ design and interpretation. |
| format | Article |
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| issn | 2227-7102 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-b1d752d33397410f80395860ce8069392025-08-20T02:33:48ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022025-05-0115558210.3390/educsci15050582Interventions to Improve Connectedness, Belonging, and Engagement in Secondary Schools: A Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisCaleb Anson Davies0Reinie Cordier1Pamela Graham2David Littlefair3Renée Speyer4Diego Melo5Department of Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing, Northumbria University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne NE1 8ST, UKDepartment of Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing, Northumbria University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne NE1 8ST, UKDepartment of Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing, Northumbria University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne NE1 8ST, UKDepartment of Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing, Northumbria University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne NE1 8ST, UKCurtin School of Allied Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6102, AustraliaDepartment of Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing, Northumbria University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne NE1 8ST, UKSchool connectedness, belonging, and engagement are linked to improved academic, social, and emotional outcomes, yet no prior systematic review or meta-analysis has synthesised interventions targeting these constructs in secondary schools. This review evaluated randomised controlled trials identified through systematic searches of CINAHL, Medline, ERIC, and PsycINFO (last searched: June 2024). Studies included school-based interventions measuring connectedness, belonging, or engagement with validated tools. Methodological quality was assessed via the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool, and effectiveness was analysed using meta-analysis (Hedges’ <i>g</i>). Sixteen trials (N = 35,451) met the inclusion criteria, with eleven providing sufficient data for meta-analysis. Overall, interventions significantly improved connectedness, belonging, and engagement (Hedges’ <i>g</i> = 1.056, within-group; 0.642, between-group). Multi-tier programs yielded the largest effects (0.781), with ecological (0.613) and environmental (0.636) approaches; behavioural and intrapersonal strategies were non-significant, possibly due to the small sample sizes. Interventions frequently overlapped in content but differed in theoretical frameworks. Future research should develop more distinctive, multi-tiered interventions and use consistent, theoretically robust measures. The findings underscore the potential of targeting environmental factors and interpersonal techniques to foster connectedness, belonging, and engagement in secondary schools. These results highlight the importance of clarifying the conceptual frameworks and measurement tools to strengthen future interventions’ design and interpretation.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/5/582school connectednessschool belongingstudent engagementeducation systematic reviewadolescent mental healthpsychosocial interventions |
| spellingShingle | Caleb Anson Davies Reinie Cordier Pamela Graham David Littlefair Renée Speyer Diego Melo Interventions to Improve Connectedness, Belonging, and Engagement in Secondary Schools: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Education Sciences school connectedness school belonging student engagement education systematic review adolescent mental health psychosocial interventions |
| title | Interventions to Improve Connectedness, Belonging, and Engagement in Secondary Schools: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
| title_full | Interventions to Improve Connectedness, Belonging, and Engagement in Secondary Schools: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
| title_fullStr | Interventions to Improve Connectedness, Belonging, and Engagement in Secondary Schools: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Interventions to Improve Connectedness, Belonging, and Engagement in Secondary Schools: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
| title_short | Interventions to Improve Connectedness, Belonging, and Engagement in Secondary Schools: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
| title_sort | interventions to improve connectedness belonging and engagement in secondary schools a systematic review and meta analysis |
| topic | school connectedness school belonging student engagement education systematic review adolescent mental health psychosocial interventions |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/5/582 |
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