The Relationship between Campus Social Life and Psychological Wellbeing among Babcock University Undergraduates

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between campus social life and psychological wellbeing among Babcock University undergraduates. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design of an ex-post facto type. Three research hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. Data were collected using two (2) standardized instruments. The questionnaires were administered on 300 participants comprises of 150 male and 150 female respectively that were randomly selected across two major fields (science-oriented and non-science oriented fields). Data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, t-test, and multiple analyses of variance. The findings of this study indicated that control of self/ event, happiness, social involvement, self-esteem, mental balance and sociability significantly correlated with undergraduate campus social life (correlations ranged from r = .164 to r = .544, p < .01). The study also indicated that psychological wellbeing accounted for 21.1% of the variance in the undergraduates’ campus social life. Significant differences were observed in the degree of campus social life experienced by participants based on field of study (t=4.482, p <.05), and undergraduate’s family structure (t=2.007, p <.05,), but not on gender. It is therefore recommended that an increase in adolescent’s wellbeing may lead to enhanced interpersonal relationship, which may also promote a meaningful and fulfilled life academically.

Keywords: Psychological well-being, campus social life, undergraduates, happiness, social involvement, self-esteem, mental balance.