Psychological sense of community in high school students

Abstract

This research investigated psychological sense of community (SOC) in adolescents. Neighborhood and school oriented versions of the Sense of Community Index (SCI) were completed by 171 high school students. The construct validity of neighborhood SOC was supported by the neighborhood referenced SCTs significant inverse correlation with number of moves since grade one, and significant positive correlation with length of residency. Preliminary support for the discriminant validity of the SCI, as distinct from social support, was evidenced by the few significant correlational relationships between SOC and social support measures, including number of supports, satisfaction with supports, and concrete helping behaviors. Finally, school SOC was found to be significantly and negatively related to aspects of adolescents' distress, including depression, hostility, anxiety, and loneliness. The need to recognize SOC as related to but distinct from social support is discussed, along with the importance of SOC, and specifically school SOC, in the experiences of adolescents.