Social connectedness and life satisfaction: Comparing mean levels for 2 undergraduate samples and testing for improvement based on brief counseling |
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Authors: | Gary Blau John DiMino Peter A DeMaria Jr Clyde Beverly Marcy Chessler Rob Drennan Jr |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Human Resource Management, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USAgblau@temple.edu;3. Tuttleman Counseling Services, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA;4. Department of Risk Insurance &5. Healthcare Management, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA |
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Abstract: | ABSTRACTObjectives: Comparing the mean levels of social connectedness and life satisfaction, and analyzing their relationship for 2 undergraduate samples, and testing for an increase in their means for a brief counseling sample. Participants: Between October 2013 and May 2015, 3 samples were collected: not-in-counseling (NIC; n = 941), initial counseling session (ICS; ie, triage session only; n = 168), and brief counseling (BC; ie, median of 4 additional counseling sessions; n = 28). Methods: Online surveys measuring demographic and background control variables, social connectedness, and life satisfaction. Results: NIC students exhibited higher social connectedness and life satisfaction than ICS students. Social connectedness significantly explained life satisfaction beyond controlled-for variables for both samples. There was a significant increase in social connectedness and life satisfaction for the BC sample. Conclusions: Social connectedness is an important antecedent of life satisfaction for undergraduates. Brief counseling can increase transition students' social connectedness and life satisfaction. |
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Keywords: | Brief counseling intervention life satisfaction not-in-counseling students social connectedness transition students |
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