biostudies-literatureVan Kessel KMitacs AccelerateOntario Trillium Foundatione70089https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12934382biostudies-literatureUnknown54(2)Measuring community belonging is of interest to community organizations and practitioners, yet few tools exist. Here we validate a novel measure of community belonging: the Where I Belong Survey - Youth/Adult Version (WIBS). In Study 1, the psychometric properties and factor structure of the survey were examined in three Canadian samples of youth and young adults (n = 249; 840; 443, respectively), and results were used to refine the survey. In Study 2, the psychometric properties and factor structure of the revised 16-item WIBS were examined in a sample of Canadian undergraduates (n = 476). Results suggest the WIBS is psychometrically sound, as demonstrated through a pattern of excellent reliability, good convergent validity, and good to fair discriminant validity. Results revealed a two-fJournal of community psychologyValidation of a Community Belonging Measure for Youth and Adults.PMC12934382IT29052McDiarmid SChildren and Youth Planning Table of Waterloo RegionHenderson HVan Kessel KBrowne DfalseValidation of a Community Belonging Measure for Youth and Adults.Measuring community belonging is of interest to community organizations and practitioners, yet few tools exist. Here we validate a novel measure of community belonging: the Where I Belong Survey - Youth/Adult Version (WIBS). In Study 1, the psychometric properties and factor structure of the survey were examined in three Canadian samples of youth and young adults (n = 249; 840; 443, respectively), and results were used to refine the survey. In Study 2, the psychometric properties and factor structure of the revised 16-item WIBS were examined in a sample of Canadian undergraduates (n = 476). Results suggest the WIBS is psychometrically sound, as demonstrated through a pattern of excellent reliability, good convergent validity, and good to fair discriminant validity. Results revealed a two-f2026-01-01T00:00:00Z2026 Mar2026-07-16T20:44:02.315Z2026-07-10T03:10:58.727ZS-EPMC129343824173888710.1002/jcop.70089