The Link Between Internalizing Problems and School Belongingness, Loneliness as a Mediator Among Adolescents: A Longitudinal Study

School belonging is an important concept that positively affects adolescents’ development as well as their feelings connected to school. The aim of this study is to examine the mediating role of loneliness problems in the relationship between internalization problems and school belonging among adolescents within a model framework. A total of 305 adolescents participated in the study, including 187 girls (61.3%) and 118 boys (38.7%). The findings revealed that internalization is a significant negative predictor of school belongingness and that loneliness mediates this relationship. The current research findings suggest that internalized problems (e.g., anxiety, depression) may be more prevalent among adolescents who experience difficulties with school belongingness. This situation necessitates the early detection of low belonging levels and the development of preventive or remedial interventions.