Research area keywords BelongingSchool belongingPositive PsychologySocial and emotional learningsocial inclusionrelationshipsEnhancing health and wellbeingEducating for diversity and inclusionTransforming teaching and learning Research interests A sense of belonging in school has far-reaching consequences for psychological and physical outcomes in adulthood. With strong links to school dropout, substance use, truancy, even suicide, it is critical that school belonging receives attention in national and international policy debates. With belonging, as Dr Allen’s core research priority, her projects have built a conceptual and empirical understanding of what it means to belong. Using the Australian Temperament Project, Australia’s oldest epidemiological data set, in collaboration with the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, her current projects involve building a comprehensive understanding of the long-term outcomes of school belonging. Further, in an international school belonging study, Dr Allen is working across international contexts to examine how school belonging is conceptualised by young people. Prizes Advancing Women's Research Success Award Association of Psychological Science Rising Star Australian Postgraduate Award Awarded by Department of Education and Training, Early Learning and Development Reform Branch for project "Improving Child Social and Emotional Development with Therapy Robot Play" Award for Excellent PhD Thesis in Psychology