Baum, PhD, KymKim Lancaster2023-08-222023-08-222023-08-202023-08-03https://repository.upenn.edu/handle/20.500.14332/58859This literature review explores the psychological concept of belonging, the need for a sense of belonging and a culture of belonging in schools for optimal student achievement and well-being, and the efficacy of the arts to foster belonging among adolescent students. Belonging is the fundamental human need to form close relationships in a stable context. School belonging includes a student’s sense of being accepted, respected, included, and supported at school. Research has shown that school belonging is correlated with academic achievement, attendance, behavior, drop-out and graduation rates, and school violence. The performing arts have been shown to foster well-being, positive relationships, and social connection, creating a viable leverage point for fostering belonging in the schools through participation in the arts. The two highest leverage points in school belonging are student-teacher relationships and personal characteristics of students, suggesting that school belonging is bidirectional and students both contribute to and benefit from a sense of belonging. This paper explores interventions in positive psychology which can maximize these two leverage points, the role of the school leader in creating a culture of belonging, and the efficacy of the arts to foster belonging in the school setting. Suggestions for assessment, implementation, limitations, and future directions for research are addressed as well.enhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Psychologybelongingschool belongingartsperforming artsmusictheaterpositive psychologyDissertation/Thesis