Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Well-Being, and Belonging in Education across the Disciplines

Special Issue Editor

School of Education Culture & Society, Monash Univesity, Clayton, Australia
Interests: teacher education; silence; pedagogy; curriculum
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Inclusive education aims to create equity in educational settings for all students and educators, regardless of the challenges they may experience. In inclusive education, pedagogy, resources, and curricula are accessible to all learners, instruction is innovative and differentiated, teachers ensure that the diverse community of learners feels welcome and valued, and the individual learners receive vital support to develop their inborn and new talents and successfully achieve their goals.

This Special Issue is an opportunity to discuss key issues and current trends in promoting inclusive education at all levels of education, regardless of disciplines and kinds of institutes.

The issue hopes to bring together a diverse audience comprising academics, teacher educators, teacher-researchers, researchers, policymakers, and materials developers, who are interested in promoting and utilizing theory, research, and practice to make education more equitable, attractive, practical, inclusive, and innovative.

The aims of this Special Issue are as follows:

  • To offer a deeper understanding of diversity and inclusivity in education and the benefits and challenges they bring to the teaching-learning process.
  • To create a forum for sharing current and innovative practices that promote diversity and inclusivity in education.
  • To reflect on current courses of study and the extent to which they integrate the constructs of diversity and inclusivity into their curricula and suggest improvements if need be.
  • To promote interdisciplinary research of particular relevance to diversity and inclusivity in education and, more specifically, to enable teacher-researchers to present their empirical findings about specific pedagogical questions they have investigated and academic researchers to not only showcase their findings but also enter into a dialogue about the implications of their studies for classroom practice.
  • To enable researchers and research scholars to exchange their experiences, discuss challenges, and promote new approaches to researching diversity and inclusivity in education.

You are invited to submit original articles (quantitative analysis, both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies) and systematic reviews on equity, diversity, inclusion, well-being, and belonging in education in and across many disciplines.

    Your article may include, but is not limited to, the following topics:

  • The teaching, learning, or voices of students from marginalized/minoritized groups;
  • The teaching, learning, or voices of students with special educational needs;
  • Students' or teachers' unique experiences, voices, strategies, and behaviors;
  • Teacher experiences and reflections on enhanced support for student learning;
  • Current educational policies that promote diversity, inclusivity, equity, well-being, and belonging;
  • Inclusive curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment;
  • Assistive technologies, accessible resources, and diverse instructional materials in ways that are not commonly addressed before;
  • Critical pedagogy as connected to diversity and inclusivity;
  • Parental/family engagement with schools to promote inclusion;
  • Identity, gender, and equality;
  • Equity in the classroom and equitable pedagogy;
  • Respect for diversity and a sense of belonging in educational settings;
  • Student/teacher well-being and belonging;
  • Teacher beliefs, attitudes, and practices concerning diversity and inclusivity;
  • Teacher education and continuing professional development with diversity and inclusivity in mind.

Dr. Dat Bao
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • equity
  • diversity
  • inclusion
  • well-being
  • belonging
  • education

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 1265 KiB  
Article
Scale of Subtle Prejudices Towards Disability at the University: Validation in Mexican Population
by Andrés Sánchez-Prada, Carmen Delgado-Álvarez and Alicia Gurdián-Fernández
Eur. J. Investig. Health Psychol. Educ. 2025, 15(4), 51; https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe15040051 - 1 Apr 2025
Viewed by 341
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to analyze the adequacy of the “Subtle Prejudice Scale towards Disability in the University” for a university environment in Mexico. The theoretical model of this scale, which incorporates the gender dimension, was previously validated in Spain and [...] Read more.
The purpose of this study was to analyze the adequacy of the “Subtle Prejudice Scale towards Disability in the University” for a university environment in Mexico. The theoretical model of this scale, which incorporates the gender dimension, was previously validated in Spain and Costa Rica with good psychometric properties and evidence of construct validity. The application of the scale in a Mexican university sample of 601 participants (83.4% students; 53.1% women and 45.3% men; aged 18 to 82, M = 25 years) confirmed the dimensional structure of the original four-factor model, with good fit indices through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and with adequate internal consistency for each dimension: avoidance of contact (ω = 0.81), benevolent idealization (ω = 0.77), excessive demands (ω = 0.73), and sexist amplification of prejudice (ω = 0.77). Relations between the scale dimensions and other variables (participants’ sex, political opinion, and preferred university policies for people with disabilities) were consistent with the current literature: men and right-wing people tend to show higher levels of ableism, which in turn are inversely associated with the supporting of inclusive policies. The results endorse the cultural validity of the scale and its suitability to evaluate ableism in Mexican universities. Full article
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14 pages, 1954 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Associations Between School Climate and Mental Wellbeing: Insights from the MOVE12 Pilot Study in Norwegian Secondary Schools
by Karoline Gulbrandsen Hansen and Svein Barene
Eur. J. Investig. Health Psychol. Educ. 2025, 15(4), 46; https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe15040046 - 26 Mar 2025
Viewed by 460
Abstract
This study examined the association between school climate, defined by social and academic environments, and mental wellbeing among 446 first-year upper-secondary students in eastern Norway (ISRCTN10405415). As part of the MOVE12 pilot study conducted in February 2023, a cross-sectional online questionnaire targeted approximately [...] Read more.
This study examined the association between school climate, defined by social and academic environments, and mental wellbeing among 446 first-year upper-secondary students in eastern Norway (ISRCTN10405415). As part of the MOVE12 pilot study conducted in February 2023, a cross-sectional online questionnaire targeted approximately 600 students from five schools offering diverse academic and vocational tracks. Mental wellbeing was assessed using the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWEMWBS, scale 7–35), and the data were analyzed with stepwise multiple linear regression. The mean mental wellbeing score was 24.5 ± 4.3, with significant gender differences (p < 0.05) but no variations between academic and vocational tracks. Self-efficacy was the strongest predictor of mental wellbeing (b = 0.236, p < 0.001), followed by health satisfaction (b = 0.179, p < 0.001), time spent with friends (b = 0.163, p < 0.001), social isolation (b = −0.162, p = 0.001), wellbeing in physical education (b = 0.129, p = 0.002), and classroom climate (b = 0.128, p = 0.007). These findings emphasize the critical role of self-efficacy, peer connections, and supportive classroom climates in promoting mental wellbeing. Addressing these elements of school climate can significantly enhance the mental health and overall outcomes of upper-secondary students. Full article
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Other

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24 pages, 992 KiB  
Systematic Review
Enhancing Emotional Intelligence in Autism Spectrum Disorder Through Intervention: A Systematic Review
by Laura García-García, Manuel Martí-Vilar, Sergio Hidalgo-Fuentes and Javier Cabedo-Peris
Eur. J. Investig. Health Psychol. Educ. 2025, 15(3), 33; https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe15030033 - 10 Mar 2025
Viewed by 1498
Abstract
Limitations in some emotional characteristics that are conceptualized in the definition of emotional intelligence can be seen among people with autism spectrum disorder. The main objective of this study is the analysis of the effectiveness of interventions directed to enhance emotional recognition and [...] Read more.
Limitations in some emotional characteristics that are conceptualized in the definition of emotional intelligence can be seen among people with autism spectrum disorder. The main objective of this study is the analysis of the effectiveness of interventions directed to enhance emotional recognition and emotional regulation among this specific population. A systematic review was carried out in databases such as Psycinfo, WoS, SCOPUS, and PubMed, identifying a total of 572 articles, of which 29 met the inclusion criteria. The total sample included 1061 participants, mainly children aged between 4 and 13 years. The analyzed interventions focused on improving emotional recognition, with significant results in the identification of emotions such as happiness, sadness, and anger, although some showed limitations in the duration of these effects. The most used programs included training in facial recognition, virtual reality, and the use of new technologies such as robots. These showed improvements in both emotional recognition and social skills. Other types of interventions such as music therapy or the use of drama techniques were also implemented. However, a gender bias and lack of consistency between results from different cultures were observed. The conclusions indicate that, although the interventions reviewed seem effective, more research is needed to maximize their impact on the ASD population. Full article
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