Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Date

2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Educational Psychology & Research

Committee Chair

Eli Jones

Committee Member

Leigh Harrell-Williams

Committee Member

Wesam Salem

Abstract

This study examined elementary school students’ school belonging and subjective well-being amongst students who had participated in a House System over the past four years. A House System is a proactive social-emotional intervention that focuses on teaching students values and prosocial behaviors by awarding House Points to students. Descriptive results indicate that students in this sample experienced high levels of school belonging, House belonging, and subjective well-being in school. An ANOVA examined students’ subjective well-being by House membership with no significant results. Similarly, a MANOVA explored students’ school and House belonging, but found no significant differences by House. Correlations suggested significant positive relationships between both types of belonging constructs and students’ well-being in school. This study offers a unique contribution by evaluating a House System as a comprehensive, schoolwide SEL framework designed to promote prosocial behavior, enhance school climate, and foster belonging (both to the school and the House) and student well-being. Furthermore, this research expands existing literature by focusing on an elementary school population and utilizing validated tools to measure these outcomes.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to ProQuest/Clarivate.

Notes

Open Access

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