Abstract
The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a four-item Sense of Belonging scale for higher education employees using survey data from 2,566 academic advisors at 711 U.S. two-year and four-year institutions. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a one-factor structure, with strong standardized factor loadings and excellent internal consistency. The scale also demonstrated evidence of convergent, discriminant, and criterion-related validity through theoretically expected associations with supervisor support, areas of worklife, burnout, mental health symptoms, and turnover intentions. The results suggest the scale may offer a concise, psychometrically sound tool for examining academic advisors’ workplace belonging and related employee well-being and retention outcomes.