Studies show that schools in which students feel as though they belong and that people in the school care about them experience less disorder and student misbehavior. Students who bond with positive people and institutions are less likely to become involved in violence and other behavior.

Supporting Citations:

Cotton, Kathleen. (2001). Schoolwide and classroom discipline. School Improvement Research Series, Close-Up #9.

O'Donnell J., Hawkins, J.D., and Abbot, R.D. (1995). Predicting serious delinquency and substance use among aggressive boys.. Journal of Clinical and Consulting Psychology, 63, 529-537.

Gottfredson, D.C. (1989). Developing effective organizations to reduce school disorder. In C. Moles (Ed.), Strategies to reduce student misbehavior (pp. 87-104). Washington, D.C.: Office of Educational Research and Improvement.

Gottfredson, D.C. (1997). School-based crime prevention. In L. Sherman (Ed.), Preventing crime: what works, what doesn't, what's promising: A report to the United States Congress (pp. 5-1 - 5-74). Washington, DC: US Department of Justice.

Gottfredson, D.C. (1998). Reducing problem behavior through a school-wide system of effective behavioral support: investigation of a school-wide social skills training program and contextual interventions . School Psychology Review 27(3), pp. 446-459.

Gresham, F.M., Sugai, G., Horner, R.H., et al. (1998) Classroom and schoolwide practices that support children's social competence: a synthesis of research. Draft final report for American Institutes of Research and Office of Special Education Programs.

Horner, R.H., Sugai, G., Lewis-Palmer, T.and Todd, A.W. (2001). Teaching school-wide behavioral expectations. Report on Emotional & Behavioral Disorders in Youth , 1(4), pp. 77-79.

Lewis TJ, Sugai G, Colvin G (1998). Reducing problem behavior through a school-wide system of effective behavior support: investigation of a school-wide social skills training program and contextual interventions. School Psychology Review, 27(3), pp. 446-459.

McNeely CA, Nonnemaker JM, Blum RW (2002). Promoting School Connectedness: Evidence from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Journal of School Health, 72 (4), pp. 138-146.