title: Developing a measure of sense of belonging.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to develop and test psychometrically a self-report instrument designed to measure sense of belonging in adults. The Sense of Belonging Instrument (SOBI) is a 27-item, self-report instrument consisting of two separately scored scales, SOBI-P (psychological state) and SOBI-A (antecedents). Content validity was assessed by a panel of experts. Construct validity, internal consistency, and retest reliability were examined through a series of studies with three subject groups: community college students, patients in treatment for major depression, and Roman Catholic nuns. Results suggest that SOBI-P is a valid and reliable measure of sense of belonging. SOBI-A appears to reflect an individual's motivation for sense of belonging but requires additional study regarding its construct validity and internal consistency.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Hagerty
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Patusky
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002977:Clergy / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008132:Loneliness; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012933:Social Identification; D012944:Social Support; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology