The Relationship of Basic Needs Satisfaction in Friendship Relationships to Students\' Academic Engagement during COVID-19: The Mediating Role of Sense of Belonging to University

Abstract

Aim and Background: The studies show a positive and direct relationship between basic psychological needs satisfaction and academic engagement. However, there is a lack of studies that analyze the underlying mechanisms that affect these relationships, particularly during COVID-19. The present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of sense of belonging to university in the relationship between basic needs satisfaction in interpersonal relationships and academic engagement. Methods and Materials: The research population included all undergraduate students of University of Birjand in the second semester of 2020-2021. By convenience sampling, 231 participants, were asked to complete basic need satisfaction in relationships scale, psychological sense of university membership, and academic engagement questionnaires. Data analysis was conducted using structural equation modeling. Findings: The results indicated that basic needs satisfaction in relationships with friends had a positive and supportive role in experiencing sense of belonging to university. Moreover, the mediating role of sense of belonging in the relationship between basic needs satisfaction and academic engagement was confirmed. The fit indices confirmed the goodness of fit of the stated model. Also, sense of belonging was significantly related to academic engagement. Conclusions: These results highlight the importance of laying the groundwork for students' academic engagement in university, which requires providing a space to strengthen friendships and, as a result, contribute to creating a sense of belonging to the university. The limitations of this study and the directions of future research will be discussed.

Keywords

• keywords: academic engagement
• relationships with friends
• sense of belonging
• basic needs satisfaction.