[anonymouskimmer]

> Why would we set policy based on studies which

We shouldn't. If self-reports are ever used to set policy (and they should be) this should be on an individualized, ad hoc basis.

If a squeaky wheel comes to you, oil it. Maybe ask around if there are other squeaky wheels that no one in power is paying attention to. Oil them too. But don't go around oiling every wheel as a matter of policy, as you will end up with a bunch of overly oiled wheels having problems from over oiling.

Plenty of sociological studies (such as education interventions) aren't based on self-reports, but tested results.

> is it really the business of the government to set policy with the aim of optimizing some self reported individual metric, such as feelings of belonging?

The general governmental purpose here wouldn't be to make everyone feel like they belong, but to decrease as much as possible mass shooters, abusers, and the like. And to make it easy for people to report problems they are having, or for outsiders to discover problems. The Turpin case could have been nipped in the bud if the adults and children who noticed how unkempt and smelly the oldest daughter was when she was briefly publicly schooled had intervened (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turpin_case ).