4.4 Transition from Study Two to Study Three
4.4.3 Results
Table 19 shows the result of exploring factors associated with type of residence.
Strength of correlation was determined as small r = .10 to .29, medium r = .30 to .49, large r = .50 to 1.0 (Cohen, 1988, pp. 79-81). The alpha level to determine significance was .05.
117 Table 19
Spearman’s Rho Correlational Coefficients (2-tailed) for All Participants of Tangible, Belonging, and Appraisal Support (ISEL Sub-scales), Greeting Network, Meals, Total Domestic Support, Meaning Presence, Meaning Search, and Psychological Distress
Factors 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1. Tangible 1
2. Belonging .80*** 1
3. Appraisal .83*** .84*** 1
4. Meals .35*** .45*** .35*** 1
5. Total domestic support .38*** .46*** .32*** .86*** 1
6. Greeting network .36*** .46*** .31*** .52*** .53*** 1
7. Meaning-presence .26** .34*** .33*** .08 .11 .15 1
8. Meaning-search -.07 -.24** -.07 -.00 -.07 -.04 -.10 1 Outcome
9. Psych. Distress -.15 -.31*** -.25** -.09 -.15 -.09 -.25** .27** 1
p = .02 - .05 * p = .002 - .01 ** p = .001 or less ***
118 4.4.4 Discussion.
The ISEL belonging sub-scale measures the extent to which students perceive
themselves as inter-relating and regularly connecting with others. Compared with other types of residence, belonging is greatest in colleges and shows (see Table 19 above) medium-sized, positive correlations with those variables also greatest in colleges (meals, total domestic support, greeting network). Belonging also has a medium-sized, positive correlation with presence of meaning-in-life (PML). Further, belonging has a small inverse correlation with the search for meaning-in-life (SML) and a medium-sized correlation with psychological
distress. The above findings, and the following review of the evidence, indicated Study Three.
Students who report a high inter-relationship and connection with their co-residents, have less psychological distress than those with a lower perception of such connection. That is, those residing on-campus at university, for example, hall of residence; with a partner and/or children; or with parents at home, had lower distress than those living alone or in other off-campus residences, including sharing a dwelling with others (Eisenberg et al., 2007;
Stallman, 2010). Inter-relatedness and connectedness did not seem to be analogous to social support. Students residing with peers or others would potentially have some social support within their residence but perhaps have less accountability, responsibility, or obligation than those residing with more connected co-residents (Stallman, 2010).
The participants in Study Two who indicated their residence as “college” resided in one of the following: a rural, on-campus college; five off-campus, independent, university- affiliated colleges; or an on-campus, collegiate hall. The foregoing residences are hereafter referred to as “college”.
Study Two found that perceived available social support was higher in colleges than in flats, share houses, and student “villages” (apartment-style design), with perceived available belonging support independently greatest in colleges. The greater inter-relatedness and connection of co-residents in colleges were further supported by the significant, positive correlation of perceived available belonging support with greeting network.
119 Participants who resided in colleges recognised and greeted more co-residents than did those in other types of residence. Mutual recognition and acknowledgement in
greeting indicate an initial level of inter-relatedness and connection requiring only
opportunity for acts associated with belonging to occur (Egilsson et al., 2021; Sumsion &
Wong, 2011).
The strength of the correlation between perceived available social support
and greeting network showed that the variables were discrete (.41, p < .001). Thus, perceived available social support is, as Stallman (2010) concluded, not analogous to inter-relatedness and connectedness. The relationship of perceived available social support to greeting- network, as an indicator of inter-relationships and connections, appears to be that of a function. Such an interpretation suggests that participants connected to extensive college networks had greater access to social support than their peers in other types of residence, regardless of capacity. The greater perceived available social support in colleges compared with other types of residence, supports such an interpretation.
Inter-related and/or connected individuals not only recognise, but know each other in the sense of shared interpersonal and collective experiences, for example, in families,
sporting-teams, organised religious groups, military units, or small rural townships. Such individuals perceive themselves as belonging to named groups or populations. Most relocated students want new connections and friendships (Wilson et al., 2013), since prior connections and friends are geographically distant, and belonging is a human need (Baumeister & Leary, 1995). Belonging and unity are the etymological roots of “comm-unity”.
Like undergraduates, typical military recruits are relocated emerging adults, that is, aged 17 - 20 years (Campbell-Sills et al., 2020; Manning, 1994), facing the same age-related, key tasks, and under greater stress than peers remaining at home. Recruits immediately enter a unit, an entity of 10 to 299 members. While concepts and measures of the phenomenon vary, researchers seem to agree that for optimal individual and group functions, such entities should develop a connectedness or bond between members. The terms “cohesion” and
120
“psychological unity” are most frequently used, however, Manning (1994) also suggested
“social support”.
Psychosocial researchers investigating “cohesion” have found strong relationships with environmental factors and individuals’ mental health/well-being (Bartone et al., 2002;
Campbell-Sills et al., 2020; Cota et al., 1995; Manning, 1994). One such factor is the
provision of meals (Manning, 1994). Correlational analysis of Study Two data conducted for the transition to Study Three found that the provision of meals was more highly correlated with perceived available belonging support, greeting network, presence of meaning-in-life, and mental health than other items of domestic support, that is, cleaning and laundry.
Study Two also found that although two participants reported the provision of meals in share houses, it was predominantly a characteristic of colleges. Entities small and large use communal eating to facilitate, or generate, belonging (Dunbar, 2017). Colleges have dining halls where students and staff eat daily meals together. Social eating increases sense of community and psychological well-being (Dunbar, 2017).
Study Three examines the relationships between a total of supportive characteristics found across four types of residence, perceived available belonging support, sense of
community, and psychological well-being for relocated emerging adult undergraduates, aged 18 - 20 years.