Psychological Sense of School Membership Scale
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About Psychological Sense of School Membership Scale
Scale Name
Psychological Sense of School Membership Scale
Author Details
Carol Goodenow
Translation Availability
English

Background/Description
The Psychological Sense of School Membership Scale (PSSM) is a tool designed to assess students’ sense of belonging and psychological engagement within their school environment. The scale measures the extent to which students feel accepted, valued, and supported as part of their school community.
This measure is particularly useful for educators, school counselors, and researchers in identifying factors contributing to a student’s emotional and social connection with their school. It is widely used to inform interventions aimed at improving school climate and fostering positive student experiences.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Target Population: Adolescents aged 12–18 years (Grades 6–12).
- Instructions:
- Explain the purpose of the scale and ensure confidentiality to encourage honest responses.
- Provide clear instructions on how to rate each statement using a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (Not at all true) to 5 (Completely true).
- Ensure participants understand that there are no right or wrong answers and that they should choose the response that best reflects their personal experiences.
- Scoring Procedures
- Responses are scored on a 5-point scale:
- 1 = Not at all true
- 2 = Slightly true
- 3 = Moderately true
- 4 = Very true
- 5 = Completely true
- Reverse score the following items: 3, 6, 9, 12, and 16.
- Sum the responses for all 18 items to calculate the total score.
- Responses are scored on a 5-point scale:
- Interpretation:
- Higher scores indicate a stronger sense of belonging and psychological engagement in school.
- Lower scores suggest feelings of disconnection or lack of belonging.
Reliability and Validity
- Reliability: The scale demonstrates strong internal consistency with an alpha reliability of 0.88.
- Validity: The PSSM has been validated in numerous studies and is recognized as a reliable measure of students’ psychological connection to their school environment.
Available Versions
18-Items
Reference
Goodenow, C. (1993). The psychological sense of school membership among adolescents: Scale development and educational correlates. Psychology in the Schools, 30(1), 79-90.
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What does the PSSM measure?
The PSSM evaluates students’ sense of belonging and psychological engagement within their school environment.
Q2: Who can use the PSSM?
The scale is designed for students aged 12–18 years in grades 6–12.
Q3: How is the scale scored?
Responses are scored on a 1 to 5 scale, with reverse coding applied to specific items. Scores are summed to reflect overall school membership.
Q4: Is permission required to use this scale?
No, permission is not required to use the PSSM.
Q5: What is the reliability of this scale?
The scale has an internal consistency reliability of 0.88, indicating strong reliability.
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