Loneliness and Belonging in Canadian Schools: A Knowledge Synthesis Study

This article reports on a knowledge synthesis study of three questions around Canadian K-12 students’ sense of loneliness and belonging: What are the lived experiences of Canadian students with loneliness and belonging? What factors contribute to students’ sense of loneliness and belonging in Canadian school contexts? What school educational practices and policies foster a sense of belonging in students in Canada? Utilizing a scoping review approach, the study synthesizes published knowledge on these three questions from scholarly peer-reviewedpublications and documents published by Canadian educational organizations, provincial governments, and school board associations. Keywords: loneliness, belonging, well-being, students, K-12 schools, Canada