The effect of teacher participation in a gratitude diary intervention on children’s gratitude and sense of school belonging/ What do children and young people say helps their sense of school belonging?

Supervisors: Colin Woodcock and Catherine Brignell

Abstract

Aim: There is a growing body of research examining the effects of gratitude interventions on wellbeing, including sense of school belonging, among children and young people. Although literature on sense of school belonging frequently identifies the pupil-teacher relationship as important for improving sense of school belonging, to date no research has explored the benefits to pupils of teachers doing gratitude interventions alongside them in increasing sense of school belonging. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of a school-based gratitude diary intervention to promote school belonging for primary school aged pupils (age range 7-11 years). Method: The intervention took place in a large junior school for four weeks and involved four conditions: participants writing a diary about things that they were either grateful for in school that day along with their teacher, participants writing a gratitude diary without their teacher,  participants writing about neutral school events alongside their teacher or participants writing about neutral events without their teacher. 

Findings: Early analyses suggest no significant effect of gratitude or teacher involvement on gratitude or sense of school belonging. 

Limitations: n/a yet

Conclusions: n/a yet