Connectedness: A Review of the Literature With Implications for Counseling, Assessment, and Research

Abstract

In this article, the authors review the current conceptual and empirical literature from a variety of disciplines dealing with the construct of connectedness. A working definition of connectedness is provided along with a discussion of its multidimensional nature and major characteristics. Its relationship with a variety of other variables is also presented. Particular attention is given to gender and cultural considerations in the experience and operationalization of connectedness. Recommendations for counseling, assessment, and research related to connectedness are provided.

A Systematic Review of Qualitative Research on the Meaning and Characteristics of Mentoring in Academic Medicine

“…Considering some of the mentoring actions described (e.g., helping the mentee to clarify feelings, motivating and fostering self-reflection), we conclude that a high-quality mentoring relationship, characterized by a high level of personal involvement and commitment, is meant to affect not only the professional, but also the personal lives of the mentor and mentee. The relational and reciprocal outcomes such as personal growth, interdependence and connectedness 34 invite further exploration, especially as these types of outcomes of mentoring in academic medicine have been underinvestigated. 7 In her classification of relational problems in mentoring, Eby 35 envisions a continuum from minor problems, which presumably occur more frequently, to taxing ones, which are less frequent and more serious.…”

Collaboration, connectedness, and community: An examination of the factors influencing student persistence in virtual communities

“…While companionship is the act of bonding with another human being and affiliation is the establishment of peer relations of similar values, connectedness is a feeling of relatedness and identification of differences. Townsend and McWhirter (2005) conducted a literature review specifically on the construct of connectedness to identify a common definition of the construct as well as an appraisal of the many dimensions of connectedness. They promoted a definition that was first proposed by Hagerty and colleagues, who defined the occurrence of connectedness as "…when a person is actively involved with another person, object, group, or environment, and that involvement promotes a sense of comfort, well-being, and anxiety-reduction" (Hagerty, Lynch-Sauer, As noted earlier, Tinto (2005) stresses the responsibility of an institution to develop an environment of success if improved student persistence is to be realized.…”

Autonomy-Connectedness and Gender

“…Connectedness has been defined as the subjective experience of interpersonal closeness (Townsend and McWhirter 2005), involving the capacity for empathy and relating to others (e.g., see Baker Miller 1976;Olweus and Endreson 1998;Surrey 1983). It overlaps with social and emotional intelligence in its emphasis on effectively understanding others and relating with them (Bar-On 2000).…”