Students' Perceptions of School Connectedness and Being Part of a Team: A Brief Report Evaluating Project TEAM™.

Abstract

School connectedness constitutes a protective factor for students, diminishing negative outcomes and increasing positive ones. Enhancing school connectedness positively affects students' stress levels, social confidence, victimization, health risks behaviors, and school performance, including attendance and grades. Interventions for promoting school connectedness are preventive, goal-oriented, and target the wellbeing of all students. We investigated a pilot implementation of a team-oriented whole school prevention program (Project TEAM™) developed to enhance school connectedness by increasing students' sense of being cared about by adults and peers in their school, as a way to diminish social isolation and marginalization. We examined the relationship of students' perceptions of their school connectedness and their sense of being a part of a team culture within this program. Findings reflected increases, across a 2-year period, in students' sense of value in being a part of a team and connectedness to their school. Younger students and girls demonstrated greater increases in school connectedness than older students and boys. Findings suggested that creating a sense of a whole school team-oriented culture may hold promise for enhancing school connectedness.