Finding community: A multilevel analysis of school belonging and peer relationships in the neighborhood and school contexts

Previous research has shown that coming from a more disadvantaged neighborhood has implications for educational outcomes and the quality and composition of peer networks, particularly during adolescence. This study examines the relationships among neighborhood disadvantage, students’ sense of belonging in middle school, and peer relationships in the classroom. Using a large, nationally representative sample of eighth grade students from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study – Kindergarten Cohort (1998-1999) and tract-level data from the 2000 U.S. Census, the multilevel analysis presented here shows that structural disadvantage at the neighborhood level is associated with lower school belonging, even after controlling for individual, family, and school characteristics. More importantly, peer acceptance in the classroom is positively associated with students’ sense of belonging, but this association varies by the neighborhood context. This suggests that the salience and influence of peer relationships in school may differ for youth depending on the quality of the neighborhoods they live in.U of I OnlyAuthor requested U of Illinois access only (OA after 2yrs) in Vireo ETD syste