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Contribution of Basic Psychological Needs to Students' Well-Being Through Positive and Negative Affect
Cécile Kindelberger1, Emeline Chauchard2, Frédérique Robin3
1Nantes Université, Centre de Recherche en Education de Nantes, ur 2661, Nantes, France.
Scandinavian Journal of Psychology
|December 30, 2025
Summary
Student well-being is linked to psychological needs. Fulfilling needs like autonomy boosts positive feelings and well-being, while frustration leads to negative affect, impacting university adjustment.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- Student well-being is crucial for academic success and long-term outcomes.
- Low well-being levels necessitate research into underlying psychological mechanisms.
- A novel framework, the macro-theory of positive functioning, is introduced.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between basic psychological needs fulfillment and affective states in explaining subjective well-being.
- To investigate the roles of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in student well-being.
- To explore gender differences in these psychological pathways.
Main Methods:
- A sample of 1552 French students (aged 18-25) completed an online questionnaire.
- Assessed well-being, positive and negative affect, and satisfaction/frustration of basic psychological needs.
- Path analyses were used to test the theoretical hypotheses.
Main Results:
- Satisfaction of basic psychological needs positively predicted well-being via positive affect.
- Frustration of basic psychological needs predicted well-being through negative affect.
- Autonomy satisfaction and frustration showed direct paths to well-being; gender differences were observed.
Conclusions:
- The findings support the integration of positive functioning and self-determination theory.
- Basic psychological needs fulfillment is a key mediator of student well-being.
- Practical implications exist for interventions aimed at enhancing student psychological health and adjustment.
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