How does social connectedness affect adjustment to university and psychosocial wellbeing?
Emma Liu (PhD candidate), Dr Wendy Wrapson, and Professor Richard Siegert (PhD supervisors)
Studying at higher education institutions exposes both domestic and international students to a variety of challenges, including family separation, different living arrangements and academic settings, new social relationships and, for some, language and cultural barriers. The first year at university can therefore be a daunting experience, and some students may find it difficult to adjust to the academic and social environment. Social connectedness has been found to impact student adjustment and psychosocial well-being. Social connectedness can be defined as having strong social relationships or networks. Compared to the pre-Covid-19 university experience, there is now more online teaching which may impact the extent to which students can engage with other students, with implications for their well-being. The current study aims to explore how first-year undergraduate students adjust to university and the impact of adjustment on emotional states.
The findings from this study will be posted here when available.
Do perceptions of your future-self affect your current health behaviours?
Lei Han (PhD candidate), Dr Wendy Wrapson, and Professor Richard Siegert (PhD supervisors)
Thinking about the future can influence people’s health-related behaviours. For example, it may motivate individuals to adopt healthier eating or to take more exercise. In this study, our aim is to investigate how people’s perceptions of their future self impact their health-related lifestyle choices. We have chosen to focus on behaviours that can reduce the risk of a stroke because stroke is a health issue which can have devastating consequences.
The current study is a feasibility study which means we will also be examining the processes and outcomes from the study in order to determine whether a full study involving more participants is possible.
The findings from this study will be posted here when available.