Sense of Belonging Scale

Abstract

The Sense of Belonging Scale (SOBS), developed by Deborah Anderson-Butcher and Dennis E. Conroy in 2002, is a brief, five-item self-report instrument designed to assess an individual’s subjective feeling of acceptance, support, and integration within a specific organizational context, typically a youth development program. It provides a quick and reliable measure of a participant’s psychological connection and comfort level. The scale utilizes a simple four-point Likert-type response format, making it highly suitable for rapid administration and large-scale program evaluation efforts focused on assessing social and emotional outcomes for young participants.

Keywords

Sense of Belonging, Youth Development, Psychological Measurement, Social Integration, Program Evaluation, Protective Factors, Program Commitment.

Authors

Deborah Anderson-Butcher, Dennis E. Conroy

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Sense of Belonging Scale is to provide researchers and practitioners with a psychometrically sound, brief measure for assessing the quality of participant attachment and connection within structured settings. It quantifies the extent to which youth feel accepted, valued, and included in the programs they attend. This measurement is critical because a strong sense of belonging is widely recognized as a crucial protective factor that fosters resilience and positive developmental outcomes.

The instrument is highly effective in program evaluation, allowing agencies to objectively measure the effectiveness of their social and emotional components. By tracking scores, organizations can identify areas where staff strategies need improvement in order to better foster inclusion and reduce feelings of marginalization among participants.

Construct

The scale measures the core psychological construct of Sense of Belonging. This construct reflects the fundamental human need for stable, strong, and positive interpersonal relationships, often conceptualized as part of basic psychological needs theory. In the context of the scale, belonging is defined specifically by the participant’s perception of comfort, acceptance, support, participation, and commitment toward the program.

The five items collectively capture the emotional and cognitive dimensions of affiliation, focusing on the respondent’s subjective interpretation of their fit within the organizational environment. A high score suggests successful social adaptation and integration, which is essential for maximizing engagement and retention in youth development programs.

Validity

The initial validation study conducted by Anderson-Butcher and Conroy (2002) established robust evidence for the scale’s validity. Specifically, the researchers demonstrated strong factorial validity, confirming that the five items coherently measured a single, underlying construct of belonging within the program context.

Furthermore, evidence for criterion validity indicated that scores on the scale correlated significantly with relevant external variables, demonstrating its predictive utility. For example, a stronger sense of belonging was associated with increased commitment and engagement in the program, and lower levels of reported externalizing behaviors. These findings confirm that the scale accurately measures a construct that is theoretically and empirically linked to positive youth outcomes.

Reliability

The Sense of Belonging Scale demonstrates high internal consistency, a crucial measure of reliability. Studies utilizing the instrument, particularly in diverse samples of youth participating in structured programs, consistently report strong Cronbach’s alpha values, typically falling in the range of 0.80 to 0.90. This indicates that the five items are highly homogenous and reliably measure the same underlying construct of connection and affiliation.

Factor Analysis

The psychometric development of the scale included both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. These analyses consistently supported a unidimensional structure for the instrument. The findings revealed that all five items loaded strongly onto a single factor, confirming that the scale is parsimonious and measures a global sense of belonging rather than distinct sub-dimensions.

This single-factor model simplifies interpretation, allowing researchers and practitioners to rely on a total summed score as an accurate and comprehensive index of the respondent’s connection to the program or organization.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report questionnaire / Psychological Test

Format: 5 items, 4-point Likert Scale (1=NO! to 4=YES!). Scoring is achieved by summing the non-reverse scored items.

Language Available: English (Primary publication language)

Population Group: Youth participating in structured programs (e.g., after-school, recreational, or intervention services).

Age Group: Typically utilized with youth aged 10 to 18 (middle school and high school populations).

Population Details: The scale is designed for use in evaluating the subjective experiences of participants within organizational settings, particularly those focused on positive youth development.

Test Methodology: The scale is administered either individually or in a group setting. Respondents select one option (1 to 4) that best reflects their feelings toward the specified program. The total score reflects the overall strength of their sense of belonging.

Keywords

Belongingness, Social Support, Youth Outcomes, Program Quality, Commitment, Acceptance, Likert Scale.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not specified in source materials.

Affiliation Email addresses: Contact information generally associated with the authors’ respective institutions at the time of publication (e.g., The Ohio State University).

Correspondence Address: Correspondence is typically directed to the primary author, Deborah Anderson-Butcher, at her institutional affiliation.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Test Year: 2002

Permissions and Fee: The Sense of Belonging Scale is often utilized in academic and public health research settings. While specific usage rights should be confirmed with the authors, the instrument is generally accessible for non-commercial academic research and program evaluation purposes. The instrument was featured in the 2005 handbook “Assessing Outcomes in Child and Youth Programs,” indicating its intended use in public sector evaluations.

Reference’s

• Anderson-Butcher, D., & Conroy, D.E. (2002). Factorial and criterion validity of scores of a measure of belonging in youth development programs. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 62(5), 857-876.

• Anderson-Butcher, D., & Fink, J. S. (2005). The importance of a sense of belonging to youth service agencies: A risk and protective factor analysis. Journal of Child and Youth Care Work, 20, 11–21.

• Sabatelli, R. M., & Anderson, S. A. (2005). Assessing Outcomes in Child and Youth Programs: A Practical Handbook, Revised Edition. The original PDF can be downloaded here: http://www.ct.gov/opm/lib/opm/cjppd/cjjjyd/jjydpublications/childyouthoutcomehandbook2005.pdf

Items of the Sense of Belonging Scale

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

The scale utilizes a 4-point response format: 1=NO!, 2= no, 3= yes, and 4=YES!. No items are reverse scored.

1. I feel comfortable at this program.
2. I feel I am a part of this program.
3. I am committed to this program.
4. I am supported at this program.
5. I am accepted at this program.