Do Belonging and Social Exclusion at School Affect Structural Brain Development During Adolescence?
Diana Raufelder1, Nicola Neumann2, Martin Domin2
1University of Greifswald.
Child Development
|June 22, 2021
Summary
Social exclusion in schools is linked to brain development in adolescents. Lower gray matter decrease in the left anterior insula was observed with more perceived social exclusion, suggesting a neurodevelopmental impact.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- Students' sense of belonging is crucial for academic and health outcomes.
- Social exclusion negatively affects student well-being and academic performance.
- Understanding the impact of social experiences on brain development is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how school-related belonging and exclusion influence structural brain development in adolescents.
- To examine the relationship between social exclusion, sense of belonging, and gray matter volume changes over time.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study design using questionnaire data and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
- Participant cohort: 71 adolescents (37 female, mean age 15.0 at t1, 16.1 at t2).
- Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis to assess gray matter volume changes.
Main Results:
- A significant association was found between social exclusion and gray matter volume in the left anterior insula.
- Adolescents experiencing higher levels of social exclusion showed less gray matter decrease over time.
- No significant association was observed between sense of belonging and gray matter volume.
Conclusions:
- School-related social exclusion is significantly associated with altered neurodevelopment in adolescents.
- The left anterior insula's gray matter volume may be a neural correlate of social exclusion's impact.
- Findings highlight the neurobiological consequences of social experiences during adolescence.
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