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With >1300 civilians murdered, the terrorist attack of October 7 is one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in modern history. Previous research documented a sharp increase in depression in the aftermath of the attacks and the military conflict that followed. In this national prospective cohort study, we examined to what extent perceived belongingness (PB) moderates the association between depression and suicide ideation (SI) in the wake of the October 7th terrorist attack. A representative sample of 710 Israeli adults (of them, 362 females, 51.1 %), Jews (557, 79.9 %), and Arabs (153, 20.1 %), aged 18–85 (M = 41.01 , SD = 13.72) completed questionnaires assessing depression, current SI, and perceived belongingness at two timepoints: T1 (in August 2023) and T2 (in November 2023). Perceived belongingness at T1 predicted SI at T2 beyond demographic and trauma-related characteristics. Importantly, we found a significant interaction in which a PB at T1 moderated the link between depression and current SI at T2. Specifically, the level of depression at T2 contributed to current SI-T2 more strongly for individuals with low PB levels than for individuals with high PB levels. Our study highlights the impact of PB on SI following the October 7th terrorist attack. Clinicians treating individuals coping with depression should attend to their patients' sense of belongingness, as low PB comprises a significant risk factor for current SI. Moreover, community and national initiatives that could increase levels of PB among the citizens may help to diminish suicide risk in the aftermath of the attack. • This is the first prospective study on suicide ideation after the October 7th terrorist attack in Israel. • Belongingness pre-attack predicted suicide ideation post October 7th attack. • Belongingness found to moderate the contribution of depression on current SI following the attack. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Affinity groups can improve feelings of belongingness in historically excluded students (HES). • An evidence-based model for creating and sustaining affinity groups is presented. • Nursing programs can create affinity groups to foster inclusion and belongingness in HES. Affinity groups, defined as groups that form around a shared identity, can allay feelings of isolation and foster inclusion among historically excluded populations (HES). The purpose of this viewpoint article is to present an evidence-based model for creating and sustaining affinity groups for HES in nursing programs. These groups address diversity, inclusion, and belongingness in nursing programs. More research is needed to determine potential impact of affinity groups on retention and academic progression of HES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Our goal was to advance critical suicidology by bringing youth's voices into research. • Participants conceptualize belongingness and burdensomeness consistent with the IPTS. • New conceptualizations highlight the unique sociocultural views of participants. • Including a diverse population in suicide research strengthens theoretical frameworks. • Relevant theoretical frameworks will aid clinical practice and intervention research. Guided by the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (IPTS), this study aims to understand the applicability of the constructs of belongingness and burdensomeness and their relevance to suicide risk and mental health among ethnocultural minoritized youth. A qualitative exploratory study was conducted using five focus groups with 29 self-identified Latinx and Black adolescents aged 13–17 years to explore the meaning they ascribed to belongingness and burdensomeness. Views of social media related to these constructs were also explored. Template analysis was used to analyze the data. Themes highlighted dimensions such as caring, self-worth, and liability, congruent with the IPTS dimensions of belongingness and burdensomeness. Notably, new themes emerged reflecting the distinctive experiences of these populations, such as the importance of being true to themselves, the burden of not belonging to families, and cultural aspects of liability, highlighting dimensions not found in the existing IPTS theoretical constructs. Consideration of the diverse experiences of ethnocultural minoritized youth can strengthen theoretical constructs, clinical practice, and aid in developing intervention strategies to increase protective factors and decrease risk factors for suicide behaviors relevant to such youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Fostering belongingness leads to increased participation, motivation to learn, and confidence. • A reliable and valid tool exists to assess belongingness specific to U.S. nursing students. • There is rich opportunity to assess and promote belongingness in U.S. nursing students. With a focus on acceptance, connection, and value alignment, belongingness has been tied to positive outcomes including increased participation, motivation to learn, confidence, and self-efficacy in nursing students in the clinical learning environment. This concept has been minimally assessed in the United States. This study describes the adaptation of the Belongingness Scale – Clinical Placement Experience (BES-CPE) instrument to language used in the United States and provides preliminary assessment of its utility, validity, and reliability. A cross-sectional survey study. A university-based nursing school in the southern United States. Undergraduate nursing students enrolled in the final year of a baccalaureate nursing program. Following adaptation of the BES-CPE instrument, review by content experts, and a pilot with students, a self-reported questionnaire was disseminated. The survey was completed by 38/181 (21%) of eligible students. Descriptive statistics, reliability, and validity using principal component analysis were evaluated. The adapted scale demonstrated high internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.93). Seven items were removed from the scale based on the results of principal component analysis followed by two additional items recommended by the scale developers, resulting in a 25-item final scale. As with other versions of the BES-CPE, the U.S. version is reliable and valid. With utility established, future research should focus on use of the scale to evaluate interventions that foster belongingness in nursing students in the clinical learning environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Institutional attachment (belongingness) is the single strongest predictor of college student retention (Credé & Niehorster, 2012) and the preponderance of retention research has focused on the first-year student experience. The present study investigated attachment theory, organizational identification, and the communication engagement strategies of 189 graduating seniors from two universities. As graduation is the ultimate goal of retention, more can be learned from seniors who have successfully navigated the college experience. Attachment theory explicated varying approaches that students use to develop belongingness. College seniors demonstrated a high level of organizational identification and levels differed between attachment styles. Quantitative analysis demonstrated functional outcomes for both secure and preoccupied attachment styles for student engagement. In contrast to previous research (Bernier et al., 2004; Larose et al., 2005; Mattanah et al., 2011), which has associated a preoccupied attachment style with dysfunctional outcomes, the preoccupied style of attachment in the present study demonstrated the highest level of organizational identification and proved to be the most engaged student. Qualitative thematic analysis of responses to four scenarios describing college student challenges revealed insight as to the communication strategies based on the four-attachment style model. Implications for attachment theory, retention research, and student support services are discussed. • Contrary to prior research, preoccupied attachment was highly functional. • A college senior sample offers insightful perspective on attachment and retention. • Thematic analysis identifies communication differences between attachment styles. • Organizational identification (institutional attachment) varies by attachment style. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Participant interview data revealed three themes in venmo use: insider/outsider, requesting payment, and digital intimacy. • Participants shared variety of rhetorical strategies for navigating venmo. • Venmo provides illustrative example of ritualistic uses appearing in instrumental uses of mobile apps. • Participants proved adept in navigating venmo's social awareness stream (SAS). • Interview data reflects participants desire to belong publicly via social media. Within the growing use of peer-to-peer mobile payment apps, Venmo has proven most popular among the college-aged population in the United States. "Venmo me" is a common phrase overheard among students on college campuses. Spurred by an exchange in a course focused on social media, we investigate the uses of Venmo among students on our campus. Through interviews, we examine students' relationships to not only the transactional but also the rhetorical aspects of Venmo, especially the social feed (unique among peer-to-peer mobile payment apps). We reflect on three recurring themes in these interviews using the concept of public displays of belongingness: insider versus outsider, requesting payment, and digital intimacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing population mobility in the context of globalization has greatly reshaped people's cognition and sentiment toward their places of residence. China has witnessed an unprecedented surge in internal migration from rural to urban areas since the mid-1980 s. However, limited by multiple barriers, rural-urban migrants in China face predicaments in establishing a psychological bond with their host cities. This study develops a conceptual framework that links rural-urban migrants' urban experiences and attitudes toward both original and urban lifestyles to their city attachment. Using a nationwide survey and structural equation modeling, this study finds that (1) while willingness of social interaction with urban locals has a positive effect on the urban attachment of rural-urban migrants, perceived social exclusion depresses the urban attachment of rural-urban migrants. (2) Loyalty to one's original lifestyle is not significantly associated with the urban attachment of rural-urban migrants, whereas preference for the urban lifestyle is positively associated with the urban attachment of rural-urban migrants. (3) Willingness of social interaction with urban locals and perceived social exclusion can affect the urban attachment of rural-urban migrants by influencing their attitudes toward the urban lifestyle. (4) perceived social exclusion is positively related to loyalty to the original lifestyle for rural-urban migrants from cities located in northern area of China, while it is negatively related to loyalty to the original lifestyle for rural-urban migrants from cities located in the central and southern areas. Our study broadens the research on the urban attachment of rural-urban migrants and suggests that migrants' experiences in the host society and attitudes toward the lifestyle of the host society are significant in shaping their place attachment to the host society. Furthermore, the process by which rural-urban migrants form meaningful relations with the city can occur through the influence of urban experiences on attitudes toward the urban lifestyle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nursing education programs faced multiple challenges to increase the size, diversity, and skill set of the nursing workforce while contending with shortage of clinical placement sites and retiring faculty. A program that is unable to be resilient in the face of crisis will fail in its mission to graduate resilient nurses. The purpose of this paper is to describe how nursing programs can respond to the challenge of creating a resilient program poised to graduate a diverse, inclusive, and resilient workforce. Utilizing resilience-oriented strategies to impact educational services solidified program relevancy, promoted student belonging, and enhanced student recruitment/retention. While programs have become accustomed to doing more with fewer resources, many of these programs may not survive these unprecedented times without incorporating a holistic approach for organizational well-being that promotes resilience through inclusivity. • The Covid-19 pandemic forced nursing programs to consider its resiliency. • Intentionally delivering inclusive educational services impact student retention. • Employing resilience-oriented strategies lead to organizational sustainability. • Fostering inclusivity produces nurses that reflect our nation's population. • Resilient nursing programs prepare nurses to address needs of diverse populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Adults with craniofacial conditions felt different and sought belongingness. • A dialogue about psychological and emotional aspects of surgery is important. • Participants also wanted follow-up care to include psychological adjustment. • Participants emphasised the importance of family support who see them as they are. • Building strong friendships was experienced as demanding. The purpose of this study was to better understand how individuals with craniofacial conditions experience living with visible differences and make sense of appearance-altering surgery. We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with 11 adults with Goldenhar or Crouzon syndrome. Interviews were analysed using a hermeneutic-phenomenological approach to thematic analysis. Our analysis revealed the following overarching theme, To see myself as other people see me , which encompassed three main themes: a) Striving to fit in , b) Altering the way I look and c) Support from family and friends. The participants' sense of their own appearance seemed to be connected to how they perceived others to evaluate their appearance. All had experienced negative reactions from others. They experienced themselves as different and had a desire to belong. All participants had undergone appearance-altering surgery, hoping that by changing appearance, they would reduce negative reactions and feel more connected to and accepted by other people. The process of undergoing appearance-changing surgery was experienced as challenging, and participants wished for a dialogue with surgeons which included psychological and emotional aspects of changing appearance. A better understanding of how to strengthen positive identity processes and feelings of belongingness should be a key focus of future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fear of positive evaluation (FPE) and fear of negative evaluation (FNE), which play distinct and central roles in social anxiety (SA), are postulated to reflect conflicting forces in hierarchal group contexts. Yet, experimental studies testing these assumptions are scarce. We examined the impact of status positions on FPE, FNE, and SA using a novel manipulation, CyberStatus. Participants (N = 557) provided self-descriptive statements before being randomly assigned to high, intermediate, or low-status conditions. Next, they reported their emotions, status, and belongingness-related cognitions and adjusted their self-presentation. FPE was more strongly linked to self-presentation modifications in the high- compared to intermediate-status conditions and positively associated with perceived status in the low vs. intermediate conditions. Furthermore, FPE and SA were more linked to belongingness in low vs. intermediate status conditions while FNE demonstrated the reversed pattern. These findings support and expand the evolutionary perspective on evaluation fears and emphasize the importance of assessing the linkage between status and belongingness systems in SA. • Cyberstatus is an effective status manipulation. • FPE is more linked to belongingness in low status than high status. • FNE is more linked to belongingness in high status than welow status. • FPE is negatively associated with position-maintaining behaviors in high status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accelerated graduate entry nursing programmes require students to rapidly socialise to the profession. Professional identity is an important element of becoming a nurse. This scoping review aimed to synthesise published literature reporting the development of professional identity, belongingness and self-concept as a nurse in students enrolled in a pre-registration graduate entry nursing programme. Scoping review. Graduate entry nursing programmes. Graduate entry nursing students. Following a pre-registered protocol, we searched electronic databases for publications investigating graduate entry nursing students' development of professional identity, belongingness and self-concept. Screening, data extraction and analysis were initially in duplicate and independent, and then by consensus. Of the 871 records identified, twenty met the inclusion criteria. Publications were from the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the UK. We identified one overarching theme of 'professional nursing self', with four sub-themes: 1) professional socialisation, 2) professional self-concept, 3) developing nursing agency, and 4) identity formation. Socialisation into nursing and belongingness to the profession occurred concurrently as students moved through their programme of learning. Due to the accelerated nature of the programmes, rapid professional socialisation was required, supported by positive relationships in the clinical setting. Strategies that enhanced belongingness and wellbeing enabled students to feel connected to the profession. The development of professional identity in graduate entry nursing students is impacted by their rapid professional transition through an accelerated programme. Students' growing sense of nursing agency is embodied in their experiences of thinking and acting as a nurse. Their previous professional identity is then reconstituted in their new graduate selves; educational programmes support this transition. Scoping review finds professional identity development in graduate entry nursing students is rapid in accelerated preregistration degrees #belonging #connection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Survivors of suicide loss (suicide survivors) are recognized as an at-risk population for several psychiatric complications, including complicated grief (CG) and suicide ideation (SI). Recent studies have emphasized the contribution of interpersonal factors, such as thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness, on distress and suicidality. However, no longitudinal study has examined the predictive values of these interpersonal factors on CG and SI trajectories among suicide survivors to date. In this 42-month prospective design study, we examined interpersonal variables as predictors of CG and SI over time.Method: Participants were 152 suicide survivors, aged 18-70, who completed questionnaires tapping thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, CG, and SI at index measurement (T1) and again after 18 months (T2) and 40 months (T3).Results: The integrated model showed that thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness predicted SI and CG levels over time, both directly and indirectly. Thwarted belongingness was found to have a high predictive value on SI levels, whereas perceived burdensomeness was predictive of CG levels.Limitations: The voluntary nature of the participants; self-report measures; lack of pre-suicide-loss assessment.Conclusion: The study's findings highlight the critical role of interpersonal factors in facilitating CG and SI among suicide survivors. Those with higher levels of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness presented increased prospects of both SI and CG. Theoretical implications relating to healing processes are discussed, as well as focused clinical recommendations, including psychoeducational interventions for addressing PB and TB among suicide survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Teaching practices can be improved when observed through the domains of growth mindset, self-efficacy, metacognition, and belongingness. • A plethora of different teaching practices exist to improve the modern college classroom. • Instructors having a reflective teaching practice will allow for long-term growth. Student retention in college is often expected to be handled by advisers, staff, and administrators. The university classroom—specifically, the pedagogies and practices that are utilized there—is a largely untapped resource in our quest to increase student success and retention. Instructional faculty are the only members of an academic institution that students are required to interact with regularly. For most courses offered in higher education, the contact time between faculty and students is typically three hours per week; faculty can have a significant impact on student outcomes in that time. This paper reviews and discusses scalable and practical teaching practices that span the domains of growth mindset, self-efficacy, metacognition, and belongingness. These teaching practices helped increase student retention by more than 30% in an entry-level core engineering course at our institution. The techniques described in this work can be deployed either simultaneously or in discrete sets to help students remain engaged in the educational process and successfully graduate. Because teaching is a universal practice, the teaching practices can be deployed in nearly every discipline and at every academic level. Most of the practices are independent of which instructional modes are being used, e.g., active learning vs lecturing, large vs small classes, or online vs in-person delivery. The specific implementation and effectiveness of the teaching practices may differ in each of those contexts, particularly with academic age of students, but improvements in student success and retention can be expected if the framework described here is used. We strongly recommend that a reflective process be deployed throughout implementation of the different teaching practices. This will allow for personal and professional growth in the instructor as they deploy the techniques while also improving the efficacy of the techniques themselves over time as they are refined for the local teaching environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing the spread of infection during the COVID-19 pandemic prompted recommendations for individuals to socially distance. Little is known about the extent to which youth are socially distancing, what motivations underlie their social distancing, and how these motivations are connected with amount of social distancing, mental health, and social health. Using a large sample of adolescents from across the United States, this study examined adolescents' motivations for social distancing, their engagement in social distancing, and their mental and social health. Data were collected on March 29th and 30th, 2020, two weeks after COVID-19 was declared a national emergency in the United States. The sample consisted of 683 adolescents recruited using social media. A series of multiple linear regressions examined unique associations among adolescents' motivations to engage in social distancing, perceived amount of social distancing, anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, burdensomeness, and belongingness. Almost all respondents (98.1%) reported engaging in at least a little social distancing. The most commonly reported motivations for social distancing concerned social responsibility and not wanting others to get sick. Motivations concerning state or city lockdowns, parental rules, and social responsibility were associated with greater social distancing, whereas motivations concerning no alternatives were associated with less social distancing. Specific motivations for social distancing were differentially associated with adolescents' anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, burdensomeness, and belongingness. Understanding adolescents' motivations to engage in social distancing may inform strategies to increase social distancing engagement, reduce pathogen transmission, and identify individual differences in mental and social health during the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creating inclusive learning environments—those in which all students thrive—is a priority as nursing educators are charged with preparing a diverse workforce to care for a diverse patient population. Yet, faculty are hindered by a dearth of evidence-based pedagogical strategies to promote inclusion. This longitudinal mixed methods study uniquely addresses this evidence gap by describing relationships among inclusive pedagogical strategies and student outcomes in 81 4th-year baccalaureate nursing students. Across the academic year, students participated in two focus groups and completed surveys at three timepoints on classroom and clinical belongingness, self-confidence and satisfaction with learning, and self-efficacy in the clinical setting. Students' reports of satisfaction and confidence in learning, clinical self-efficacy, and clinical belongingness were significantly higher when they characterized their learning environment as inclusive. Underrepresented students, however, reported significantly lower classroom and clinical belongingness at all three survey timepoints and shared examples of unaddressed breaches in inclusivity which undermined confidence and belongingness. Focus group participants evaluated pedagogical strategies and highlighted faculty's pivotal role in creating inclusive learning environments. Inclusive pedagogical strategies may increase students' sense of belongingness, satisfaction and confidence in learning, and self-efficacy. Study results may assist faculty and inform future interventions. • Faculty strongly influence classroom inclusivity • All students perceive benefit from being in an inclusive learning environment • Students from underrepresented minority groups (UMS) reported lower sense of classroom and clinical belonging • Unaddressed breaches in inclusivity undermine UMS' sense of belonging and satisfaction with learning • Strategies such as knowing students' names, connecting outside of class, and promoting group work enhance sense of belonging [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inclusivity , the intentional incorporation of practices that foster a sense of belonging by promoting meaningful interactions among persons and groups representing different traits, perceptions and experiences, is a prerequisite for excellence in nursing education. Nevertheless, many faculty struggle to create an inclusive learning experience for baccalaureate nursing students. The purpose of this scoping study was to explore and summarize the extant literature on inclusivity, identify evidence-based strategies to promote inclusivity, and provide directions for further research on inclusivity in baccalaureate nursing education. Thirty studies, conducted in English-speaking countries, from 2001 through 2016, were included in the final analysis. Results from the mostly descriptive studies were organized into 3 themes. 1) Nursing students from underrepresented minority groups experience discrimination from peers, faculty, and clinicians in the classroom, the clinical setting and/or the larger institution. 2) The cumulative effect of discrimination is a lack of belongingness, which is associated with adverse outcomes. 3) All aspects of the undergraduate nursing students' learning community act as facilitators or barriers to inclusivity or a sense of belongingness. This study provided a deeper understanding of underrepresented minority nursing students' experiences and perspectives related to inclusivity. This, in turn, can inform future action. • Nearly all the studies included in the scoping review were descriptive. • Studies primarily reported the perspectives of underrepresented minority students in baccalaureate programs. • Discrimination leads to a lack of belongingness in underrepresented minority nursing students. • Lack of belongingness or being excluded is associated with adverse outcomes. • All members of the learning community can facilitate or hinder inclusivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Belongingness has been tied to positive personal and educational outcomes in undergraduate nursing students in the clinical learning environment, but there is limited literature on specific factors that promote these important feelings of acceptance and value alignment. This study aimed to assess demographic characteristics, program/clinical structure factors, and modifiable clinical setting factors that may impact feelings of belongingness in U.S. undergraduate nursing students in the clinical learning environment. A cross-sectional survey design was used to assess the relationship between demographics, program/clinical structure factors, and modifiable clinical setting factors and levels of belongingness using the U.S. version of the Belongingness Scale – Clinical Placement Experience. A national study was conducted via the National Student Nurses Association database from December 2022 to January 2023. 759 volunteer undergraduate nursing students in the U.S. who had completed at least one clinical course. An online survey was disseminated to assess demographic factors, program/clinical structure factors, students' perceptions on the frequency of occurrence and perceived value of modifiable clinical setting factors (including clinical format, clinical site, relationship and interpersonal, and miscellaneous factors), and to measure levels of belongingness experienced. Bivariate analyses revealed one statistically significant program/clinical structure factor (p <.001) and 10 statistically significant modifiable clinical setting factors (p <.001) that contribute to belongingness. The findings also support the use of the U.S. version of the BES-CPE as a reliable and valid instrument. Results demonstrate the importance of fostering belongingness in undergraduate nursing students in the clinical learning environment and, for the first time, extrapolate qualitative findings from the literature into the identification of factors that contribute to these critical feelings of inclusion. There are immediate implications for nursing educators and a rich foundation for future intervention research is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoting adolescent sports participation and physical activity may be effective low-barrier prevention strategies for co-occurring adolescent substance use (SU) and mental health symptoms (MH). The objectives of this study were to: 1) explore associations between profiles of SU/MH and sports participation; and 2) determine whether physical activity and belongingness account for these associations. Data came from a representative sample of 11,994 grade 9–12 Ontarian students (ages ~14–18) previously grouped into five SU/MH profiles based on patterns of use and symptoms. A series of multinomial logistic regressions, adjusted for socio-demographics and school clustering, were used to predict the risks of students belonging to SU/MH profiles based on: 1) school sports participation (>=weekly), 2) sports and physical activity (>=60 minutes; 0–7 days), and 3) sports, physical activity, and school belongingness. Greater school sports participation, physical activity, and belongingness were each associated with reduced risks of belonging to most profiles with elevations in SU and/or MH symptoms relative to the low SU/MH profile (Relative Risk Ratios: sports=0.62–0.87, physical activity=0.78–0.98, belonging=0.75–0.83). Frequency of physical activity accounted for ~32–60% of the associations between sports and SU/MH profiles, while school belongingness accounted for the remaining associations. Physical activity and belongingness remained independently associated with SU/MH profiles. Findings suggest possible indirect associations between school sports participation and SU/MH profiles through physical activity and school belongingness, which may be promising prevention targets that have independent associations over and above sports. School sports participation may be one of a number of ways to achieve these goals. • This study examined correlates of co-occurring substance use and mental health symptoms. • School sports participation was associated with lower substance use and symptoms. • Physical activity and belongingness explained the associations found for sports. • Physical activity and belongingness had independent inverse associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We examined interaction and belongingness in two student-centered learning environments. • In LCs, belongingness relates directly to academic success. • In PBL, peer interaction relates directly to academic success. • Mainly focused on a safe environment, belongingness appears more important in LCs. • Mainly focused on academic aspects, peer interaction seems more important in PBL. Extant research is inconclusive about how student-centered learning might affect peer interactions, teacher interactions, belongingness, and academic success. This study investigates the relationships in two commonly applied types of learning environments: learning communities (LCs) and problem based learning (PBL). Survey data from 425 first-year university students, enrolled in either an LC (N = 333) or PBL (N = 92) context, provide the input for path analyses to explore two conceptual models. Belongingness appears more important in LCs, whereas for PBL, formal peer interaction seems more important for academic success, which is consistent with the main focus of the two learning environments. LCs are dominantly focused on creating a safe environment and a PBL context is mainly focused on knowledge construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A limited amount of research has assessed how suicide risk changes over time, and how changes can be predicted. The current study assessed suicidal ideation and risk factors throughout inpatient visits to a psychiatric facility to refine prediction of suicide risk.Method: In total, 491 patients (73% Female; mean age = 39.21) at a psychiatric inpatient facility self-reported the frequency of their suicidal thoughts, perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, hopelessness, depression, and anxiety in the prior 24 h on a daily basis. Levels of suicidal ideation and risk factors at each quarter of an inpatient's stay were identified, and latent class growth analysis used to identify common patterns of change over time.Results: Changes in mood and interpersonal factors were associated with changes in suicidal ideation over days and weeks. Further, they contributed to the prediction of future levels of suicidal ideation. Thwarted belongingness at admission predicted whether patients had pervasively high suicidal thoughts over the course of inpatient visits or showed marked improvements, while perceived burdensomeness predicted which patients would develop suicidal thoughts during their visit.Limitations: The use of single item measures may limit specificity of measurement of suicide risk factors. Hourly, rather than daily measurement used in the current study, may more accurately identify suicide risk.Conclusions: Change in suicidal ideation is associated with changes in a number of psychological risk factors. Regular assessment of interpersonal risk factors may identify warning signs and aid clinical interventions in reducing suicidal thoughts and associated self-injurious behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Our participants presented themselves as active agents in a dynamic process of finding meaning and sustaining well-being in everyday life. • The themes of Adaptation, Sustaining Independence, and Belongingness emerged as central in their understanding of a good old age. • The theme Perspectives on Time, a thread linking the other themes, described the importance of a social and emotional continuity to life. • Our findings have resonance with models of healthy ageing, but also diverge in important ways. • Well-being in later life can be understood by contextualizing present circumstances through the prism of the individual's personal past. Abstract The late life experiences of men in the oldest-old age group have been under-researched, and their perspectives on ageing successfully neglected. This study explored the perspectives of oldest-old Swedish men on what a 'good old age' and ageing successfully meant to them. A purposive sample of 17 men, aged 85-90 years, was drawn from the Uppsala Longitudinal Study of Adult Men. An interview guide explored participants' perspectives on their ageing experiences and how they viewed ageing successfully. Participants were interviewed twice, with 1–2 weeks between interviews, and both interviews were recorded and transcribed. Content analysis identified four themes: i) Adaptation, concerning the ability to adapt to growing old with increasing limitations; ii) Sustaining Independence, related to financial resources and good health as the foundation for independence; iii) Belongingness, representing close relationships, established friendships, and the significance of the spouse; and iv) Perspectives of Time, also a common thread in all themes, in which past life experiences create an existential link between the past, the present and the future, establishing continuity of the self and enhancing life satisfaction. The participants presented themselves as active agents involved in maintaining meaning and achieving life satisfaction; a process related to the ability to manage changes in life. Our findings have resonance with models of healthy or successful ageing, but also diverge in important ways, since such models do not consider the significance of an individual's life history for their present well-being, and primarily conceptualise health as an outcome, rather than as a resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social relations arguably contribute to meaning in life. Here, we investigated the role of a disposition that fosters social connections and the desire to influence others - dominance. We hypothesised that dominance is associated with increased meaning in life through social mechanisms: perceptions of belongingness and social support. Two cross-sectional studies and one cross-lagged panel study tested these hypotheses. In Study 1, dominance boosted meaning in life through greater belongingness. Study 2 found support for a causal effect of dominance at Wave 1 on meaning in life at Wave 2, driven by elevated belongingness. Study 3 further demonstrated that elevated belongingness of dominant individuals derives from perceptions of increased social support and that both perceptions of social support and belongingness contributed to elevated meaning in life. We conclude that if social relations contribute to meaning in life, a dominant position within social relations can further promote a meaningful existence. • Dominance is the tendency to assert oneself or impose one's will. • Dominant individuals desire power, status, and control over others. • We propose that dominance is associated with increased meaning in life. • Perceptions of social support and belongingness may explain this relationship. • We found significant indirect and serial relationships, supporting our hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research indicates that discrepancies between a need to belong and relationship satisfaction relate to negative well-being (i.e., loneliness, depression, low self-esteem) in adolescents. We extend these findings to adults and to more intense forms of relationship satisfaction (i.e., love-mattering) and negative well-being (i.e., suicidality). Belongingness needs did not relate to suicidality, but discrepancies between high belongingness needs and low love associated with greater suicidality. For those with a high need to belong, love-mattering may potentially mitigate the link between a need to belong and suicidality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical placements are specifically designed to facilitate authentic learning opportunities and are an integral component of undergraduate nursing programs. However, as academics and clinicians frequently point out, clinical placements are fraught with problems that are long-standing and multidimensional in nature. Collaborative placement models, grounded in a tripartite relationship between students, university staff and clinical partners, and designed to foster students’ sense of belonging, have recently been implemented to address many of the challenges associated with clinical placements. In this study a qualitative descriptive design was undertaken with the aim of exploring 14 third year third year nursing students’ perceptions of a collaborative clinical placement model undertaken in an Australian university. Students participated in audio recorded focus groups following their final clinical placement. Thematic analysis of the interview data resulted in identification of six main themes: Convenience and Camaraderie, Familiarity and Confidence, Welcomed and Wanted, Belongingness and Support, Employment, and The Need for Broader Clinical Experiences. The clinical collaborative model fostered a sense of familiarity for many of the participants and this led to belongingness, acceptance, confidence and meaningful learning experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to assess the migration intention of students enrolled in pre-registration nursing programs in Nepal, and to explore factors influencing this intention. Using an embedded mixed methods design, 799 nursing students were surveyed, followed by 12 semi-structured face-to-face interviews. The result showed that the majority (92.5%) expressed some intention to migrate, with three quarters of these listed furthering their study abroad as the primary reason. In the multiple regression analysis, those with lower professional identity, and those who reported nursing was not their first choice were likely to express migration intention. Interview data identified low salaries, unemployment, poor working conditions, insufficient postgraduate education, and a lack of professional autonomy in Nepal as reasons for their intention to migrate. Increasing opportunities for nurses to undertake postgraduate education in Nepal, promoting a positive image of nursing, and facilitating a supportive learning environment during undergraduate nursing education could help address the potential loss of nurses from Nepal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research suggests that belief in free will helps to inhibit anti-social impulses. As a result, belief in free will enables the creation of and participation in society. Consistently, we propose that belief in free will is associated with a sense of belongingness. As previous research indicates that belongingness is a source of meaning in life, we predicted that belief in free will in turn facilitates increased meaningfulness via feelings of belongingness. To test this hypothesis, we conducted two preliminary, small-scale studies and a large-scale study using individual difference data. As expected, in Study 1, the positive association be'tween free will beliefs and meaningfulness was mediated by feelings of belongingness. In Study 2, this effect emerged using alternative measures of free will belief and belongingness, adding to the findings' reliability and validity. In Study 3, these effects were again replicated with a large sample of participants using separate and composite measures of free will belief and belongingness. Finally, we conducted multiple group comparisons and meta-analyses. These confirmed that the proposed correlations and indirect effects were significant and consistent across studies. Our findings provide important understandings of the functions and consequences of free will beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines for the first time whether —and subsequently the extent to which— social connectedness can be derived from Facebook in a population of older Facebook users. Participants ( N = 280) were aged between 55 and 81 years ( M age = 61.28 years). Exploratory factor analysis (maximum likelihood with direct oblimin rotation) revealed that Facebook social connectedness emerged as a separate factor to offline social connectedness, with correlations between the factors indicating that they were distinct constructs. In addition, participants reported levels of Facebook-derived social connectedness similar to those seen in younger samples in previous research. Future directions for research include identifying the mechanisms by which Facebook social connectedness might be associated with positive outcomes in older populations. Given the global rate of population ageing, these findings have important implications in terms of the delivery of social capital in older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When people feel socially threatened and excluded, they could use their mobile phones to reconnect with others and feel better. We assumed that such positive results can occur even if mobile phones are not actively used. Rather, it may suffice if users believe that carrying a mobile phone ensures social connection. This mindset may help users recover a sense of belonging during self-threatening situations. In two experiments, we asked whether the smartphone as a physical device or its symbolic representation can aid in everyday self-threatening situations. In Study 1 (N = 74), participants with their smartphones in their pockets experienced less threatened belongingness than those who were deprived of their smartphones. In Study 2 (N = 419), participants who encountered a smartphone symbol with social apps after feeling socially excluded recovered better than those who encountered a symbol with informational apps, but showed no difference in recovery compared to those who encountered no symbol at all. Findings support the idea that smartphones can 'physically' buffer against social threats and partially serve as subtle reminders of social bonds. • Smartphones as physical devices and symbols represent social bonds and affiliation. • Beyond mere use, they can help users deal with feeling ostracized. • With smartphones in the pocket, users felt less socially threatened than without. • Social app cues reduced feeling ostracized better than information app cues. • Social app cues reduced feeling ostracized not better than providing no cues at all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In spring 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic thrust nearly 56 million students in the United States into remote education. By fall 2020, states' and school districts' differing public health measures resulted in the adoption of varying COVID-adapted learning modalities (i.e., in-person, remote, and hybrid). Using daily diary data with a nationally representative sample (N = 517, M age = 14.65 years), we investigated whether adolescents' academic engagement and connectedness to their teachers and classmates differed by COVID-adapted learning modalities. We also assessed whether adolescent connectedness mediated the link between learning modality and academic engagement. Results revealed that academic engagement and connectedness to teachers and classmates were higher for in-person learners than for students in hybrid and remote learning modalities. Moreover, students' connectedness to classmates and teachers explained the relationship between learning modality and academic engagement. • COVID-adapted in-person learners had higher academic engagement than other learners. • COVID-adapted in-person learners had higher connectedness than other learners. • Between- and within-student daily connectedness predicted daily academic engagement. • Connectedness fully explained COVID-adapted in-person learners' academic engagement. • Connectedness to teachers and classmates mediated paths similarly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The relationship between nursing students' belongingness and workplace satisfaction has received limited attention in the literature to date. Aim The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between, and factors that may influence final semester nursing students' need to belong, sense of belonging and workplace satisfaction while on clinical placements. Methods A cross-national longitudinal multiphase explanatory sequential mixed methods study underpinned by a pragmatic theoretical framework was used for this study. A convenience sample of third-year nursing students from two Australian and one Canadian university (n = 468) were recruited. Participants were asked to complete a 62 item survey which was a composite of three previously validated surveys: the 10 item ‘Need to Belong Scale’, the 34 item ‘Belongingness Scale: Clinical Placement Experience (BES:CPE)’ and the 18 item ‘Nursing Workplace Satisfaction Questionnaire’. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results Key results indicated that participants wanted to have someone to turn to, and to be accepted; they found nursing work interesting and considered it worthwhile to make an effort in this meaningful job. Participants were usually comfortable to ask for and accept help but many felt discriminated against during clinical placements. Only belongingness was strongly correlated with workplace satisfaction. Conclusions Irrespective of site, nursing students' satisfied sense of belonging influenced their workplace satisfaction while on clinical placements. Workplace satisfaction is a key determinant of career decisions and the results from this study have the potential to inform clinical placement practices and policies and to influence beginning nurses' decisions to continue in the profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contrast and assimilation are two opposite perceptual phenomena deriving from the relationships among perceptual elements in a visual field. In contrast, perceptual differences are enhanced; while, in assimilation, they are decreased. Indeed, if contrast or assimilation occurs depends on various factors. Interestingly, Gestalt scientists explained both phenomena as the result of perceptual belongingness, giving rise to an intriguing paradox. Benary suggested that belongingness determines contrast; conversely, Fuchs suggested that it determines assimilation. This paradox can be related both to the grouping stability (stable/multi-stable) and to the grouping intentionality (intentional/non-intentional). In the present work we ran four experiments to test whether the contrast/assimilation outcomes depend on the above-mentioned variables. We found that, intentionality and multi-stability elicit assimilation; while, non-intentionality and stability elicit contrast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical placement experiences are the cornerstone of nursing education and a body of literature indicates that belongingness is fundamental to students' learning when undertaking placements. However, little is known about Japanese nursing students’ sense of belonging and how it is influenced by their cultural values. The aim of this paper is to profile a study that: measured the extent to which Japanese nursing students’ experience a sense of belonging in clinical placements, and explored the factors that impact on and are consequences of that experience. A mixed methods design was used with quantitative data collected using the Belongingness Scale-Clinical Placement Experience and qualitative data collected using semi-structured interviews. Ninety-two third and fourth year students from a large regional university in Japan completed the questionnaire; of these six also participated in interviews. The results identified similarities and differences between this and other studies of belongingness. Supportive and welcoming clinical environments facilitated participants' belongingness and motivation to learn. However, the belongingness scores of this sample were lower than those in all other studies. This may be explained, in part, by the Japanese cultural values of “Uchi (insider) and Soto” (outsider), which pervaded the participants’ placement experiences and led to feelings of exclusion and alienation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies have investigated suicide risk characteristics associated with interrupted and aborted suicide attempts. The present study aimed to empirically examine whether assessing a history of interrupted and aborted suicide attempts is valuable when assessing suicide risk, given the relative lack of literature in this area to date. To inform this question, the current study examined differences in risk factors for suicidal behavior among individuals who have carried out a suicide attempt, individuals who report having a history of only interrupted and/or aborted suicide attempts, and non-attempter controls. Approximately 447 undergraduates ( M =21.10 years; SD =4.16; 77.6% female) completed measures of carried out suicide attempts, interrupted suicide attempts, aborted suicide attempts, acquired capability for suicide, suicide likelihood, depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, and non-suicidal self-injury. Results suggest that a faction of individuals endorse interrupted and/or aborted suicide attempts (8.7%), but do not endorse carried out suicide attempts, even in non-clinical samples. Furthermore, results suggest that there are few clinically meaningful differences between those with a history of carried out suicide attempts and interrupted/aborted suicide attempts, suggesting that individuals with a history of these lesser studied suicidal behaviors are an important group to target for suicide risk intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this scoping review was to map the literature investigating belongingness in undergraduate/pre-licensure nursing students in the clinical learning environment. The concept of belongingness, which encompasses feelings of acceptance, connection and value alignment, has been tied to positive outcomes in undergraduate/pre-licensure nursing students including increased learning, participation, confidence and professional socialization. It is critical for educators and clinical staff to foster a sense of belongingness for nursing students to promote positive and effective clinical learning experiences. The scoping review strategy established by the Joanna Briggs Institute was followed. The databases searched were CINAHL Complete (EBSCO), Education Source, Medline Complete (EBSCO), APA PsycINFO (EBSCO) and Epistemonikos. Following a search of the five databases, studies were screened by title and abstract by two independent reviewers for inclusion. Data including population, concept, context, methods and key findings relevant to the review question were extracted and synthesized using an instrument developed by the reviewers. A total of 47 articles with varying methodologies were critically appraised. Three overarching focus areas emerged: outcomes resulting from feelings of belongingness versus alienation, factors that contribute to a sense of belongingness in the clinical learning environment and interventions to promote a sense of belongingness while students are immersed in the clinical learning environment. Belongingness in the clinical learning environment is an important concept that lends itself to positive learning experiences and increased satisfaction of undergraduate/pre-licensure nursing students. Environmental, relational and experiential factors can be maximized and specific interventions employed to promote belongingness. This review identifies a lack of evidence on measured interventional effectiveness at the student, school and clinical unit level. Future research to address these gaps is recommended. Scoping review suggests environmental, relational and experiential factors promote positive outcomes in belongingness of nursing students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was undertaken to understand the influence of registered nurses on nursing students' learning in the clinical environment to inform strategies to enable registered nurses to provide effective support to learners while also assisting nursing students to adopt approaches to maximise their learning in the clinical environment. A case study approach was applied in this research to explore descriptions of clinical experience of five final year nursing students. The student participants identified the importance of the clinical environment to their learning and wanted to and had actively managed their learning in the clinical environment. The students did not passively acquire knowledge or simply replicate what they observed from others. There was evidence that the students had strong and established perceptions of what constituted ‘good’ nursing and described an ability to discriminate between differing levels of nursing practice. Nursing knowledge was gained from respected registered nurses who were best able to describe and demonstrate the ‘tricks of the trade’ and ‘little things that matter’ when providing ‘good’ nursing. The outcomes from this research indicate an important role for registered nurses in both shaping nursing students' professional nursing identity and access to clinical learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Place meaning was created by people throughout their gradual experience of the place. Some will have deep and meaningful while some are pale and meaningless. Place meaning has an intertwined relationship with place attachment, where both involve diverse and distinct physical properties and social attributes. This study aims to decode place rootedness as a salient dimension in the theory of place attachment. It seeks to search for a meaning of historical public space in two historical cities in Malaysia. Two historical public spaces with different fate and state are chosen as case study area. Seventy five residents were interviewed on their perceptual responses toward the survival of Padang Kota Lama and the loss of Padang Pahlawan. Results show that both groups discuss the sense of rootedness toward the public space in a very positive term. They evaluate its distinct characteristics in term of long engagement, historical events, and place for social interaction and important moment they had during childhood days. A persistent and deeply-felt concern expressed by all participants of Padang Pahlawan is their regret that it could not enjoyed and preserved as it should be. The finding from the survey also reveals that sense of rootedness is highly conceded with the sense of pride and fear of losing the historical public space which is developed through its high historical values and uniqueness. The study concludes that both public spaces constitute an important aspect of residents’ place identity and belongingness, which enable them to simultaneously remain connected to it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Background Belongingness has been identified both as a fundamental human need and as a prerequisite for nursing students' clinical learning. Belongingness has also been associated with students' academic achievement, retention, self-esteem, self-directed learning, and self-efficacy. The Belongingness Scale - Clinical Placement Experience is a valid and reliable measure of nursing students' belongingness scores; however, a Persian version of this scale is not currently available. Aim This study aimed to translate the Belongingness Scale – Clinical Placement Experience into Persian, to evaluate its psychometric properties, and to measure the belongingness experiences of Iranian nursing students. Methods Following translation and initial validity and reliability testing of the scale, 300 nursing students from three universities in Iran completed the survey. Further psychometric testing was undertaken followed by analysis of descriptive statistics. Results Based on the results of confirmatory factor analysis two items were removed from the scale. The mean score of Persian version of the Belongingness Scale – Clinical Placement Experience was 3.21 (0.57). The whole scale had a high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.92). The alpha coefficients of the subscales of “self-esteem”, “connectedness”, and “efficacy” were 0.85, 0.86, and 0.80 respectively. Conclusion Similar to previous versions of the Belongingness Scale – Clinical Placement Experience, the Persian version demonstrated strong psychometric properties with strong validity and reliability, indicating its utility and appropriateness when measuring Iranian nursing students' belongingness experiences. Further testing with other cohorts would strengthen these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Belongingness increased cross-cultural interaction for international and domestic students. [•] Belongingness enhanced average grade earned, especially among international students. [•] Intergroup dialog and multicultural courses increased cross-cultural interaction, but not sense of belongingness. [•] Leadership programs, cultural events, and community service enhanced sense of belongingness for all students. [•] Domestic and international seniors reported less belongingness than their first-year counterparts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: Social networking sites like Facebook represent a potentially valuable means for individuals with low self-esteem or interpersonal difficulties to connect with others; however, recent research indicates that individuals who are most in need of social benefits from Facebook may be ineffective in their communication strategies, and thereby sabotage their potential to benefit interpersonally. The current study tested whether reassurance seeking via Facebook negatively influenced self-esteem, and whether this change in self-esteem mediated the relationship between Facebook reassurance seeking and greater thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness. Method: Participants completed measures online at two time-points approximately 24 days apart. Results: Results provided evidence that Facebook reassurance seeking predicted lower levels of self-esteem, which in turn predicted increased feelings that one does not belong and that one is a burden. Limitations: Key limitations to this study include our use of a predominantly young, female, Caucasian sample, a novel reassurance seeking measure, and only evaluating two time points. Conclusions: These results suggest that Facebook usage has the potential for negative and far-reaching influences on one's interpersonal functioning. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Background: Clinical placements form a large and integral part of midwifery education. While much has been written about nursing students' clinical placements, less is known about clinical experiences of undergraduate midwifery students. In nursing, belongingness has been demonstrated to be a key factor in clinical learning but little is known about this in midwifery education. Objectives: This study sought to examine undergraduate midwifery students' sense of belongingness in their clinical practice. Design: A quantitative design using an online questionnaire was employed. A tool adapted by Levett-Jones (2009a), and previously used with nursing students, was utilised to examine sense of belonging in undergraduate midwifery students. Participants: Sixty undergraduate midwifery students from two campuses at one Australian university participated in the study. Students were drawn from a single Bachelor of Midwifery degree and a double Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Midwifery degree. Methods: On completion of a scheduled lecture, students were invited by one of the researchers to participate in the study by completing the online questionnaire and the link provided. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Results: Midwifery students generally reported similar perceptions of belongingness with previous studies on nursing students. However, a few differences were noted that require further exploration to fully understand. Conclusions: Midwifery students experienced a sense of belonging in their clinical placements. The findings contribute to understandings of the experiences for midwifery students and provide a foundation on which to develop future clinical placement experiences. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The need to belong is one of the most fundamental and well-researched human motives. Although a valid 10-item need to belong scale (NTB) is now readily available, many research settings may not afford researchers the luxury of including it, despite its potential relevance to a variety of research questions. The current research constructed and validated a single-item measure that could overcome this limitation. Three studies examined the psychometric properties of a single-item need to belong scale (SIN-B). We examined the concurrent validity of the SIN-B with the NTB in a student sample (Studies 1 & 2), the test–retest reliability of the SIN-B across four months (Study 2), and the construct validity of the SIN-B in a diverse international sample (Study 3). Across all studies, the SIN-B showed good reliability and validity, supporting its use and utility in future research. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Background: Most of UK students'' practice learning experience is based on a rotational placement model which often leads to students lacking confidence and feeling anxious about the complexities of the care environment. Objectives: To evaluate the impact of Hub and Spoke model(s) of clinical practice placement across geographically diverse locations, with a particular focus on enhancing the student practice learning experience. Design: Multiple case study design. Setting & Participants: Comprised undergraduate student nurses from Adult, Learning Disability and Mental Health programmes from 3 Scottish Schools of Nursing. Methods: A mixed methods approach which included quantitative and qualitative date tools. Results: All three Hub and Spoke models shared two broad findings: [1)] In the three Hub and Spoke models detailed in this paper, there is a continuum of student led learning which supports the process with opportunities for individual students to be positively innovative and creative in their learning approaches. Depth of learning was achieved in two ways; a) the method in which Hub placements are organised, managed and structured and, b) the depth of empathy and sensitivity to the individual at the centre of the care. [2)] Placement capacity is increased: The classification of placements is reviewed to produce broader categories, Engagement of mentors/enhanced student/mentor relationship. Conclusions: Practice Learning must be seen as an academic endeavour that promotes deep, meaningful, person-centred learning rather than superficial, compartmentalised placement-centred learning. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Belongingness has emerged as a central construct of theoretical importance in the last two decades; however, little attention has been given to develop a brief, psychometrically sound measure of general belongingness. Three studies were conducted to develop a 12-item measure to assess a sense of general belongingness. Students were recruited to participate in online computer-administered surveys (N =81, 875, and 213, respectively). High reliability and strong patterns of validity estimates are established. EFA and CFA results indicate a 2-factor structure (Acceptance/Inclusion and lack of Rejection/Exclusion), with a high inter-factor correlation. The current investigation is the first to document that achieved belongingness is distinct from the need to belong, and to show strong associations between belongingness and the Big Five personality traits of Neuroticism (r =−.51) and Extraversion (r =.46). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In two covariation bias experiments, we investigated whether socially anxious women overestimate the contingency between social events and signs of rejection and/or to underestimate the contingency between social events and approval. Participants were exposed to descriptions of ambiguous or negative social events, situations involving animals, and nature scenes that were randomly paired with disgusting, happy, and neutral faces. Socially anxious participants reported enhanced belongingness between ambiguous events and signs of rejection, together with reduced belongingness between negative events and approval. This contributes to previous findings suggesting that socially anxious individuals suffer from fear-confirming interpretive biases. There was no evidence for enhanced negative or reduced positive covariation bias in socially anxious individuals. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Aim: This paper profiles a cross national case study that examined nursing students’ experience of belongingness when undertaking clinical placements. The aim of the paper is to present selected findings that focus on the relationship between belongingness, conformity and compliance. Background: Literature from the disciplines of psychology, social science and nursing is presented as a background to the study. Methods: This was a mixed methods case study; in this paper the qualitative phase is described. Eighteen third year nursing students from two universities in Australia and one in the United Kingdom were interviewed and the data thematically analysed. Findings: Three sub themes emerged within the category of conformity and compliance. These included: Don’t rock the boat; getting the RNs offside; and speaking up. Students described how and why they adopted or adapted to the teams’ and institution’s values and norms, rather than challenging them, believing that this would improve their likelihood of acceptance and inclusion by the nursing staff. Conclusion: Further research is required to examine the subtle interplay of factors that influence nursing students’ attitudes and behaviours in relation to their need to belong, how conformity and compliance are acculturated in practice, and how students can be empowered to speak out against poor practice to become assertive and confident practitioners. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Clinical experience is recognised as central to nursing education. Quality clinical placements across a range of venues are vital to the development of competent and confident professionals. However there is evidence, both empirical and anecdotal, suggesting that nursing students’ clinical placement experiences are often fraught with problems. These problems are long standing and multi-dimensional. For many students clinical placements are typified by feelings of alienation and a lack of belongingness. This paper proposes that the problematic nature of clinical placements may be better understood through the lens of ‘belongingness’. A critical review of selected studies drawn from the psychological and social science literature provides insight and useful direction for a more focused review of the nursing literature. The potential relationships between belongingness, nursing students, and their clinical placement experiences are then exemplified by excerpts taken from the nursing literature (including unpublished material). Finally, an ongoing study that seeks to address the paucity of empirical research in this area is highlighted. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Autobiographical memories of exclusion, relative to inclusion, increase feelings of being ignored and excluded and threats to psychological needs. • Personal phone presence, relative to absence, reduces feelings of being ignored and excluded during autobiographical memories of exclusion. • Phone presence does not influence perceptions of threatened needs during autobiographical memories of exclusion. As personal mobile phone ownership approaches ubiquity, the devices are coming to play increasingly central roles in our social lives. Though considerable research has been conducted on the psychological impacts of mobile phone ownership and usage, much remains to be investigated. The current research assessed the impact of the presence and absence of personal mobile phones on a fundamental negative experience: social pain. Based on prior findings on the pain-reducing effects of photographs of loved ones (Master et al., 2009) and the role of mobile phones in enhancing feelings of belongingness (e.g. Walsh, White, & Young, 2009), we hypothesized that the presence of a personal mobile phone would reduce the intensity of a social pain experience. Results were mixed, with reduced social pain reported with phones present relative to absent but no observed effect on need-threat. While confirming the exact nature of the effect is not possible with present data, this research provides further evidence of the powerful influence personal phones can have on social experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing body of international research examining psychological distress in law students. Generally, the studies have tended to be either very narrow, focussing on a single law school, or very broad, targeting all law students regardless of their institutional affiliation. This study adds to the existing literature by examining the levels of psychological distress of law students at two quite different law schools in Australia. An online survey was used to assess self-reported emotional well-being, university appraisal, university belongingness, perceptions of competitiveness and supportiveness, perceived sources of pressure, and motivations for studying law in 225 law students. Consistent with prior research, the data reflect lower levels of well-being in law student participants compared to the general public. However, the factors that appear to affect the students' well-being differed slightly between the two participant cohorts. For the law school that caters more to mature age and online students, the students' perception of their overall law school experience, belongingness, and support are important factors. Whereas for the law school that caters more to high achieving younger students, the competitiveness and perceived lack of support within the law school environment appear to have a greater influence on the students' self-reported well-being. In addition, across both participant cohorts, self-imposed pressure was notably high. Overall, the results of the study reported in this article provide valuable insights into the external and internal factors underpinning the well-established heightened levels of psychological distress in Australian law students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine how factors such as a sense of belonging to a nursing work group, work environmental characteristics, and workplace violence effects the duration of employment in professional settings in a southwest region of the United States. The descriptive correlational survey study conducted in 2014. A random sample of 700 licensed registered nurses (RN) from a Board of Nursing's list of currently licensed RNs' (approximate n = 2300). Participants completed and returned four survey tools to the principal investigator. The return rate was 36.8% (258/700). Analysis indicated that a sense of belonging, as well as supportive workplace characteristics, played a role in why nurses stay. The three survey tools provided strong correlations in the survey data and further authenticated the tools' reliability. A healthy work environment supports nurse retention. The three survey tools used in this study showed substantial and significant correlations. Although not all sub-scales correlated, those that did had strong Cronbach alpha scores. The weakest correlations were with the belongingness scale. Rapid turnover rates of nursing staff continue to plague healthcare organizations. A variety of reasons including difficult practice settings and stressful work environments contribute to the outflow of nurses. Health care administration and management leaders can improve retention via their efforts to continue to create and sustain healthy work environments that address affiliation, belongingness, and the characteristics that attract and retain nurses. • Work environments continue to be a valuable topic for administrations' and the continued need to retain nurses. • This study sought to identify factors that impact the intent of nurses to stay in the work setting. • Factors that encourage a sense of belonging to a work group and concerns about conflict in the so setting were influential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Social support positively influences members' belongingness to online health communities (MBOHC). • MBOHC positively influences value co-creation behaviors. • MBOHC mediates the social support and value co-creation behaviors relationship. • Perceived health competence positively moderates the effects of MBOHC on information sharing behavior. • Mental health negatively moderates the effects of MBOHC on four value co-creation behaviors. Community members become part of the value chain, and their value co-creation behaviors have progressively elicited extensive attention from scholars and practitioners. However, the mechanisms on how members co-create value in online health communities (OHCs) have been poorly investigated. Therefore, this study develops a model of how belongingness and social support affect the four value co-creation behaviors (i.e., information sharing, responsible, feedback, and advocacy behaviors) in OHCs based on need-to-belong theory and social support literature. Our survey data from 237 OHC members empirically show that informational, emotional, esteem, and companionship supports positively influence members' belongingness to OHCs, which in turn affects information sharing, responsible, feedback, and advocacy behaviors. Members' belongingness to OHCs mediates the relationships between the four forms of social support and value co-creation behavior. In addition, OHC members' perceived health competence positively moderates the influence of belongingness on information-sharing behavior, whereas their mental health negatively moderates the relationships of belongingness with all four value co-creation behaviors. Therefore, promoting value co-creation relies on the improvement of member belongingness, but it should also consider the health competence and status of members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]