Group membership, Stressors, and Well-being in College Undergraduate Students

Abstract

Some college students choose to dedicate their time to group extracurricular activities such as varsity or club sports, academic clubs, or creative groups (music, dance, theatre, etc.), which may add more stress to their lives. Yet, past research has suggested that a sense of shared identity with a group can act as a coping mechanism. This study examined the relationships of group identification, stress, and well-being (positive and negative) in Princeton undergrads (N=69) to see if: 1) Group identification led to higher well-being in college students. 2) Group identification would mediate the relationship between stress and well-being. Through measures of group identification, stress, and well-being in a three-part online survey, group identification led to greater positive well-being in Varsity Athletes. However, group identification had only a marginal significant effect on the relationship between stress and positive wellbeing. The effects of group identification, especially for varsity athletes, create a foundation for further research in the buffer effect and attraction of group activities for college students.