Examining factors influencing belonging amongst immigrant adolescents: A scoping review

Belonging, the sense of connection with others, is vital to adolescent development and wellbeing, contributing to lower depression and anxiety, higher academic achievement, and greater social integration. Using Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Model, this scoping review examined individual (e.g., age, gender) and socio-ecological factors (e.g., family dynamics, peer relationships) influencing belonging among immigrant adolescents, identifying their interplay across family, school, and community contexts and the need for multi-level interventions. Using the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology, 25 studies met eligibility criteria. Findings indicated a range of individual-level factors influence belonging across school, family, and community contexts, such as heritage language proficiency enhancing ethnic identity belonging and gender influencing community belonging (with boys reporting weaker belonging). Additionally, socio-ecological factors at the micro, meso, exo, macro, and chrono levels, including family dynamics, peer relationships, school environment, community diversity, and historical context, were found to significantly impact belonging. This review emphasises the complex interplay of these factors and the need for multi-level interventions, such as school-based language support programs and community integration initiatives, to enhance social integration and reduce mental health risks among immigrant adolescents. Future research is recommended to explore belonging amongst Australian immigrant adolescents specifically and to develop comprehensive strategies for enhancing belonging.