School-Based Interpersonal Relationships: Setting the Foundation for Young Adolescents' Belonging in Middle School.

The importance of fostering high quality school-based interpersonal relationships for young adolescents (10- to 15-year-olds) is a critical component of a developmentally responsive middle school environment (National Middle School Association, 2010). Students' sense of school belonging is intimately related to the nature of school-based interpersonal relationships, including teacherstudent and student-student relationships (Nichols, 2008). Although research on school belonging is well documented in the literature (Goodenow, 1993; Juvonen, 2006; Osterman, 2000), little is known about how students and educators perceive the interpersonal dimensions of school belonging, especially within diverse urban middle schools (Nichols, 2006; Juvonen, 2007). The focus of the present within-site qualitative case study (N = 24) was to gain a deeper understanding of the ways school-based interpersonal relationships may have helped to set the foundation for young adolescents' belonging within one large, diverse urban middle school. The current investigation utilizes the interpersonal dimension of perceived school belongingness as advocated by Nichols (2006, 2008) and extends this dimension to include young adolescent and educator perceptions of teacherstudent and student-student relationships.Interpersonal Dimension of School BelongingStudents' perceptions of school belonging are multidimensional and complex (Nichols, 2006, 2008). Goodenow (1993) defines school belonging as "students' sense of being accepted, valued, included, and encouraged by others (teachers and peers) in the academic classroom setting and of feeling oneself to be an important part of the life and activity of the class" (p. 25). Nichols' (2006) qualitative data suggest students define belongingness in three dimensions of schooling: interpersonal relationships (teacher-student and student-student), leaming/academic community, and school facilities or activities. As stated by Nichols (2008), "Most students attributed positive or negative belonging beliefs to the quality of their relationships with their teachers or other students" (p. 164). Nichols (2006, 2008) found a majority of students described school belonging as being socially supported by school-based student-student and/or teacherstudent relationships. Thus, interpersonal relationships between and among students and teachers may play a pivotal role in promoting adolescents' sense of belonging in school.In addition to Nichols' (2006, 2008) interpersonal dimension of school belonging, we used two interconnected theoretical frameworks to help guide the current study. Selfdetermination theory suggests meeting students' basic lifelong psychological needs, including relatedness, competence, and autonomy, allows intrinsic motivation and high quality learning to flourish (Deci & Ryan, 1985, 2000). Important for school-based interpersonal relationships and central to school belonging, relatedness encompasses a sense of connection to others within a social group (Baumeister & Leary, 1995; Osterman, 2000). Stage-environment fit theory suggests educators can foster a responsive school environment by aligning students' developmental needs with classroom and school-based opportunities (Eccles et al., 1993; Eccles & Roeser, 2011). Two developmental needs critical to adolescents' sense of school belonging are high quality friendships and peer acceptance (Rubin, Bukowski, & Parker, 1998), as well as close relationships with nonfamilial adults (Eccles, 1999). Declines in school adjustment and belonging may be a result of a mismatch between the middle school context and students' developmental needs (Anderman, 2003; Eccles & Midgley, 1991). Secondary schools that are responsive to students' basic and developmental needs are likely to foster a sense of school belonging and positive school adjustment (Deci & Ryan, 1985, 2000; Eccles et al., 1993; Eccles & Midgley, 1989; Eccles & Roeser, 2011; Johnson, 2009). …