Social network factors in university student well-being and resilience during a large-scale stressor
The transition to college is a challenging time during which many students suffer declines in well-being. Social connections play a key role in supporting mental health, but only tell part of the story of social life on campus. For instance, the personalities of one’s friends and neighbors on campus contribute to a “social microclimate.” Here, we quantify the collective impact of individual, social network, and community factors in the well-being of a first-year college cohort during (i) their first academic term and (ii) a stressor (the COVID-19 pandemic). Students who maintained supportive connections and belonged to emotionally stable and tight-knit microclimates reported greater well-being in their first academic term, and less anxiety when exposed to stress during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the importance of both personal relationships and community factors in supporting mental health.