AUTHOR=Zou Dandan , Lin Zitong , Chen Chen , Yu Huiying 

TITLE=Factors affecting the wellbeing of mid-achieving university students: a case study from China

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=Volume 15 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1465209

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1465209

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=Background: The study aims to investigate the well-being of mid-achieving university students on campus and its affecting factors. Given that this group represents a large but often neglected portion of higher education, the study endeavors to analyze the specific factors affecting their well-being, with the goal of providing insights to foster a more comprehensive and inclusive educational environment.
Methodology: The study adopted a qualitative research method. Thirty mid-achieving university students from different departments at Guizhou Medical University in China were interviewed in-depth. The interviews were conducted from March 1, 2024 to September 13, 2024, through an online WeChat platform. The interviews were semi-structured and centered on the core question of “moments in campus life that make mid-achieving university students feel happy or joyful.” All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed into text, which was thoroughly coded and analyzed by the researcher using NVIVO 12 software in order to comprehensively assess the multiple factors that affect the well-being of students.
Results: The well-being of mid-achieving university students is affected by a combination of factors, including freedom and autonomy, social interactions, collective activities, the environment and facilities of campus, as well as academic achievement.
Conclusion: Heightening the autonomy of mid-achieving university students can significantly improve their self-efficacy and well-being. While social interactions and collective activities provide emotional support, they also present interpersonal challenges. A sufficient number of recreational spaces and abundant food choices on campus can help alleviate students' stress and increase their satisfaction with campus services; conversely, a policy banning motorized bicycles may negatively affect students' sense of well-being. Theoretically, the study contributes to the literature on student well-being in higher education psychology, particularly by offering a deeper understanding of the large but often neglected group of mid-achieving students. Practically, the findings emphasize the importance of creating more supportive and responsive educational environments for these students in order to better respond to their needs, facilitating inclusive campus environments, as well as fully exploiting the learning potential of mid-achieving students. The study also proposes specific improvement strategies, such as optimizing campus facilities, heightening student autonomy, enhancing social and academic support systems.