IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/soinre/v157y2021i2d10.1007_s11205-021-02662-2.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Determinants of Declining School Belonging 2000–2018: The Case of Sweden

Author

Listed:
  • Björn Högberg

    (Umeå University)

  • Solveig Petersen

    (Umeå University)

  • Mattias Strandh

    (Umeå University)

  • Klara Johansson

    (Umeå University)

Abstract

Students’ sense of belonging at school has declined across the world in recent decades, and more so in Sweden than in almost any other high-income country. However, we do not know the characteristics or causes of these worldwide trends. Using data on Swedish students aged 15–16 years from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) between 2000 and 2018, we show that the decline in school belonging in Sweden was driven by a disproportionately large decline at the bottom part of the distribution, and was greatest for foreign-born students, students from disadvantaged social backgrounds, and for low-achieving students. The decline cannot be accounted for by changes in student demographics or observable characteristics related to the school environment. The decline did, however, coincide with a major education reform, characterized by an increased use of summative evaluation, and an overall stronger performance-orientation.

Suggested Citation

  • Björn Högberg & Solveig Petersen & Mattias Strandh & Klara Johansson, 2021. "Determinants of Declining School Belonging 2000–2018: The Case of Sweden," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 157(2), pages 783-802, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:157:y:2021:i:2:d:10.1007_s11205-021-02662-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-021-02662-2
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11205-021-02662-2
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11205-021-02662-2?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Maykel Verkuyten & Jochem Thijs, 2002. "School Satisfaction of Elementary School Children: The Role of Performance, Peer Relations, Ethnicity and Gender," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 59(2), pages 203-228, August.
    2. Sweeting, Helen & West, Patrick & Young, Robert & Der, Geoff, 2010. "Can we explain increases in young people's psychological distress over time?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(10), pages 1819-1830, November.
    3. Guillermo Montt & Francesca Borgonovi, 2018. "Combining Achievement and Well-Being in the Assessment of Education Systems," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 138(1), pages 271-296, July.
    4. Högberg, Björn & Strandh, Mattias & Hagquist, Curt, 2020. "Gender and secular trends in adolescent mental health over 24 years – The role of school-related stress," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 250(C).
    5. Wahlström, Ninni & Sundberg, Daniel, 2015. "Theory-based evaluation of the curriculum Lgr 11," Working Paper Series 2015:11, IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Högberg, Björn, 2021. "Educational stressors and secular trends in school stress and mental health problems in adolescents," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 270(C).
    2. Björn Högberg, 2023. "Is There a trade-off Between Achievement and Wellbeing in Education Systems? New cross-country Evidence," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(5), pages 2165-2186, October.
    3. Smyth, Emer, 2024. "The Changing Social Worlds of 13-year-olds," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number RS178.
    4. Satish Kumar & Filomena Maggino & Raj V. Mahto & Riya Sureka & Leonardo Salvatore Alaimo & Weng Marc Lim, 2022. "Social Indicators Research: A Retrospective Using Bibliometric Analysis," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 162(1), pages 413-448, July.
    5. Lili Tian & Shuya Chu & E. Scott Huebner, 2016. "The Chain of Relationships Among Gratitude, Prosocial Behavior and Elementary School Students’ School Satisfaction: The Role of School Affect," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 9(2), pages 515-532, June.
    6. Xinjie Chen & Zhihui Cai & Jinbo He & Xitao Fan, 2020. "Gender Differences in Life Satisfaction Among Children and Adolescents: A Meta-analysis," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(6), pages 2279-2307, August.
    7. Hongyan Jiang & Peizhen Sun & Yeyi Liu & Mengjie Pan, 2016. "Gratitude and Late Adolescents’ School Well-being: The Mediating Role of Materialism," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 127(3), pages 1363-1376, July.
    8. Contreras, Dante & Elacqua, Gregory & Martinez, Matías & Miranda, Álvaro, 2016. "Bullying, identity and school performance: Evidence from Chile," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 147-162.
    9. Högberg, Björn & Strandh, Mattias & Hagquist, Curt, 2020. "Gender and secular trends in adolescent mental health over 24 years – The role of school-related stress," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 250(C).
    10. Addae, Evelyn Aboagye & Kühner, Stefan & Lau, Maggie, 2023. "Social context of school satisfaction among primary and secondary school children in Hong Kong," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    11. Justus Randolph & Marjaana Kangas & Heli Ruokamo, 2010. "Predictors of Dutch and Finnish Children’s Satisfaction with Schooling," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 11(2), pages 193-204, April.
    12. Naya Choi & Jiyeon Sheo & Suji Jung & Jisu Choi, 2022. "Newspaper Reading in Families with School-Age Children: Relationship between Parent–Child Interaction Using Newspaper, Reading Motivation, and Academic Achievement," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-14, November.
    13. Gerry Redmond & Jasmine Huynh & Vanessa Maurici, 2018. "How Big is the Gap in Wellbeing between Marginalised and Non-Marginalised Young People as They Approach Adolescence? Evidence from a National Survey of 9–14 Year Old Australians," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 11(2), pages 459-485, April.
    14. Jelena Maricic & Sila Bjelic & Katarina Jelic, 2023. "The Role of Self-Compassion and Attributions in the Mental Health of Older Adolescents amid the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(21), pages 1-17, October.
    15. Mazzone, Angela & Thornberg, Robert & Stefanelli, Sara & Cadei, Livia & Caravita, Simona C.S., 2018. "“Judging by the cover”: A grounded theory study of bullying towards same-country and immigrant peers," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 403-412.
    16. Jose Marquez & Louise Lambert & Megan Cutts, 2023. "Geographic, Socio-Demographic and School Type Variation in Adolescent Wellbeing and Mental Health and Links with Academic Competence in the United Arab Emirates," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(2), pages 797-836, April.
    17. Casas, Ferran & González, Mònica, 2017. "School: One world or two worlds? Children's perspectives," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 157-170.
    18. Tommy Haugan & Sally Muggleton & Arnhild Myhr, 2021. "Psychological distress in late adolescence: The role of inequalities in family affluence and municipal socioeconomic characteristics in Norway," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(7), pages 1-25, July.
    19. Dario Lipari & Bianca Maria Bocci & Cesare Rivieri & Elena Frongillo & Antonella Miserendino & Andrea Pammolli & Claudia Maria Trombetta & Ilaria Manini & Rita Simi & Giacomo Lazzeri, 2023. "Trend of Correlations between Psychological Symptoms and Socioeconomic Inequalities among Italian Adolescents: Cross-Sectional Study from 2006 to 2018 in Tuscany Region," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(15), pages 1-11, July.
    20. Collins, Matthew & Lundstedt, Jonas, 2024. "The effects of more informative grading on student outcomes," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 218(C), pages 514-549.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:157:y:2021:i:2:d:10.1007_s11205-021-02662-2. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.